More than 30 years ago, Full Sail began as a dream to create a place where people could learn how to take their passion for entertainment and turn it into a career they loved. It started with music and sound, but our dream quickly grew to fit the dreams of our students until it was bigger than we could have ever imagined. Film, design, show production, games, animation, web design, the business of the entertainment world … as the years go by, the dream continues to grow, and we are humbled by the success of our graduates as well as the passion of our teachers and mentors, all of whom contribute to making this one of the most unique educational communities on the planet.
Today, people from all over the world come to Full Sail to pursue their passion, create the art they love, and share ideas with like-minded individuals. Once they step onto our campus, they quickly discover the benefits of learning and creating in a place where students are studying every aspect of this unique industry. At Full Sail, just like in the real world, projects come together as a result of a team effort - multiple people using their individual skills toward a common vision. You may know exactly what you love, but while you’re here, you’ll be exposed to other students with their own passion and talents, and experiencing that kind of diversity can help you expand your own skills.
Years ago, when we started designing Full Sail’s programs, we asked ourselves, “How can we give our students the most immersive and relevant educational experience possible?” What we came up with is the foundation for what we call Real World Education. By basing all of our degree programs around immersive, project-based curricula, we strive to give students experience with the tools and concepts they’ll be working with in the entertainment industry.
The Full Sail campus is equipped with industry-standard technology and our instructors and faculty all have experience working in the fields they’re teaching. Our accelerated degree programs not only serve to get students out into the industry in half the time of traditional schools, but by using 40-hour weeks and 24-hour schedules, our programs prepare them for the tough deadlines and intense creative demands of the entertainment field.
Since the world of entertainment media is constantly innovating, so is Full Sail University; our programs are designed to keep pace with the needs and evolution of the industry. All of the degree programs at Full Sail are built to reflect the needs of the entertainment media industry, so students will develop their skills working on real projects, using industry-standard workflows and processes, from conception and planning through production and delivery.
The most sought-after professionals in entertainment media are the ones who ignore the line between art (the right brain) and technology (the left brain) and strive to master both. Those people are becoming the modern-day storytellers – the creative and the tech-head, wrapped into one. Our curriculum was developed to feed both sides of your mind and to encourage a balanced perspective that allows you to walk in many worlds, play different roles, and look at the world as a modern-day storyteller.
We believe that dull environments produce dull ideas. So whether you’re working, studying, or just relaxing on campus, we’ve strived to create inspiring spaces designed to nurture your creative spark. Our production environments are on par with the best in the world, and this is where you’ll develop your skills and give your dreams life. The big idea is to start working and acting like a professional while you’re still in school. That way you’re comfortable, prepared, and have the best possible chance to succeed once you’re out there.
Full Sail’s campus is outfitted with world-class studios and production spaces, and as a result, we often have companies interested in producing their projects on campus. But, more importantly, the entertainment media industry is fully integrated into daily life at Full Sail.
Our teachers are veterans of the industry and often still work on professional projects as they teach, bringing to the classroom a wealth of techniques and tips learned from years of creating movies, music, games, and more.
Our Advisory Board members are all working professionals who help guide and shape our degree programs by reviewing our curriculum and steering it so that students get information and training that’s current and relevant to their career.
Hearing from the people at the heart of today's entertainment industry can not only be inspirational, but it can also provide students with valuable information that can supplement their education. Whether it’s successful grads returning to campus to enlighten the next generation or legends in the field imparting their wisdom, guest speakers play a vital role in the educational process at Full Sail.
Our philosophy is to give you a complete education that brings together hands-on experience, traditional classroom work, and industry-specific career development throughout your education; that unique combination will allow you to gain the knowledge and tools you’ll need to succeed in this industry. Our Career Development department is a key part of that philosophy. This dedicated team of people can help you reach that important goal – a real career doing what you love to do – by helping you establish the skills you’ll need for a successful future.
In just the last three years, Full Sail graduates have been hired at more than 3,000 companies, including these high-profile examples on the right.
Full Sail graduates have worked behind the scenes for many of the world’s most well-known corporations and widely acclaimed releases. These companies and projects span the entertainment industry. Here are just a few stories of our successful grads.
1992
Steve Cainas
Production Coordinator
ABC
Credits: Lost, Sweet Home Alabama, Gamer, The Ugly Truth, Leatherheads, Fame.
Steve Cainas has found success in both the feature film and television industries since graduating from Full Sail’s Film program in 1992. He quickly found his niche in the role of Production Coordinator, which has him responsible for handling the day-to-day operations on set, and is a position he has held for over a decade.
Steve’s credit list features a number of highlights, including early success with films like Go, Sweet Home Alabama, and 21 Grams. He also had the distinction of working on ABC’s hit series Lost for its first three seasons – during which it received multiple Emmy awards. Steve has since returned to feature films, and some of his most recent projects as Production Coordinator have included Leatherheads, The Ugly Truth, Gamer, and Fame.
1992
Leslie Brathwaite
Mixing Engineer
Freelance
Credits: Boyz II Men, Outkast, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, TLC, Ciara, Young Jeezy.
Leslie Brathwaite is a graduate of the Recording Arts program, and has been working as a Mixing Engineer in the professional music industry for nearly two decades. Leslie is originally from St. Thomas Virgin Islands, and has settled down in the southern recording capital of Atlanta, where he’s made a name for himself in the city’s influential music scene.
As a Mixing Engineer, Leslie is responsible for taking all of the music and vocal tracks recorded during a session, and blending them together to create the final mixes you hear – keeping in mind how they’ll sound during playback on the radio, CD, or digital audio file. Leslie’s credit list reads like a roll call of pop music’s biggest stars, including multi-platinum artists Boyz II Men, Outkast, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, TLC, Ciara, and Young Jeezy.
1992
Carl Verna
Music Video Director
Freelance
Credits: Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes
Carl Verna moved to New York City after graduating from the Film program, and spent the next few years establishing his career as a writer, producer, and director in the music video industry – building up a resume that includes collaborations with artists like Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, and Busta Rhymes.
In addition to co-owning and operating Verna/Stein Multimedia, Carl recently returned to Full Sail to take on a teaching role in the Film program. His class, Producing Independent Films, focuses on the industrial, music video, episodic, and reality sectors of the filmmaking industry, and Carl has enjoyed the opportunity to share his knowledge of the industry with current Full Sail students. During his downtime he continues to commute to New York to meet with clients and develop new video projects with his favorite artists.
1996 Kristifir Klein Modeling Set Lead Pixar Animation Studios Credits: Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up Kristifir Klein has had a hand in helping Pixar Animation Studio craft their magic since 2000, when he hopped on board as Lighting Technical Director for Monsters, Inc. Since then, the Full Sail Digital Media grad has worked on many Pixar classics, including a prominent credit as Set Modeling Lead on Wall-E and Up.
1999 Sara Mooney Lighting Tech Cirque du Soleil Credits: Cirque du Soleil's "La Nouba" Show Production grad Sara Mooney works as a Theatrical Electrician and Lighting Tech for Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba show in Orlando, Florida. Sara operates the follow spotlight and lighting console for the nightly shows, as well as troubleshoots and maintains the lighting system, including power and electronics repair.
2003
Kim Alpert
Creative Director
Sparkfactor
Credits: Motorola, Blue Man Group, 8ball Films, Draft World Wide
With a background in fine art, world music, and carpentry, Digital Media grad Kim Alpert has worked in-house for companies like Leo Burnett and Blue Man Group as well as freelance for Motorola, 8ball Films, and Draft World Wide to name a few. Her broadcast design has been seen on BET, WGN, Lifetime, and a variety of other channels.
Kim has also been the Film and Video Curator for Chicago’s Around the Coyote Festival since the fall of 2003. She has premiered her independent work there, as well as Facets Movieside Festival, and in 2005 she worked as the post engineer and producer for Coup d’etat, which was honored at the 28th annual Framline Festival.
2006 Jake Allston Supervising Sound Editor Advantage Audio Credits: Jake Allston, a 2006 Recording Arts graduate, who recently received the Emmy award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing for a Live Action or Animated Television Show, for his work on the Nickelodeon series Tak and the Power of Juju.
2005 James Farrand Lead World Builder N-Space Credits: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Nintendo DS) Computer Animation graduate James Farrand is a Lead World Builder at Florida-based game studio N-Space, and has contributed his sharp eye for level creation to such titles as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Nintendo DS title Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance for the Nintendo Wii. As Lead World Builder, James allocates tasks and manages the schedules of the environment department, the team of level artists responsible for everything from a game’s landscape foliage to industrial structures.
2005 Kyle Gaulin Character Animator Treyarch/Activision Credits: Call of Duty series Kyle Gaulin has taken his passion for video game graphics into a Character Animator position at Treyarch, where the Full Sail grad has worked to create the war-ravaged content for the Call of Duty series – including detailed character and vehicle animations for the single and multi-player modes, as well as numerous cut scenes and cinematics.
1991
Sebastian Krys
Producer/Engineer
Arju Productions
Credits: Shakira, Gloria Estefan, Carlos Vives, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi
After graduating from Full Sail's Recording Arts program in 1991, Sebastian Krys began working as an engineer at Crescent Moon Studios (owned by Latin music icon Emilio Estefan). Over the course of his career, he's earned a total of 11 awards from NARAS - four GRAMMY® Awards and seven Latin GRAMMY® Awards, including 2007's prestigious Latin GRAMMY® Producer of the Year - and has worked on projects with artists such as Marc Anthony, Shakira, the Black Eyed Peas, and Will Smith.
Sebastian currently is focusing his efforts into his own Arju Productions, working as a producer and songwriter to help develop the careers of new artists.
Our Mission
People from around the world come to Full Sail to pursue their educational goals, and they share one thing in common – a passion for creative careers in the entertainment and media industry.
Full Sail’s mission is to provide students with an innovative style of education, delivered by a staff of dedicated individuals, that addresses the career opportunities available in an ever-growing, constantly evolving industry. We do this by developing unique curricula that combine elements of creativity, art, business and life skills, technical prowess, and academic achievement. Our education is delivered via immersive teaching methods, both in Full Sail’s real world production studios and classrooms, as well as through our online learning environment.
Every one of our degree programs is designed to provide students with knowledge and real world experience that will help them realize their career goals in the entertainment and media industry.
Current Degree Programs:
37
Current Campus Size:
191 acres
Studios & Production Environments:
110+
Current Graduates:
37,000+
Current Students:
16,800+