Entertainment technology

Entertainment technology is the discipline of using manufactured or created components to enhance or make possible any sort of entertainment experience. Because entertainment categories are so broad, and because entertainment models the world in many ways, the types of implemented technology are derived from a variety of sources. Thus, in theatre, for example, entertainment technology practitioners must be able to design and construct scenery, install electrical systems, build clothing, use motors if there is scenery automation, provide plumbing (if functioning kitchen fixtures are required, or if "singing in the rain"), etc. In this way, the entertainment technology field intersects with most other types of technology.

Traditionally, entertainment technology is derived from theatrical stagecraft, and in fact stagecraft is an important subset of the discipline. However, the rise of new types and venues for entertainment, as well as rapidly advancing technological development, has increased the range and scope of its practice.

Entertainment Technology includes:

*Scenery fabrication
*Properties
*Costume
*Lighting
*Sound
*Video
*Show control
*Automation
*Animatronics
*Interactive environments
*Computer simulation

In animation and game design the phrase entertainment technology refers to a very real world of entertainment experiences made possible by the advent of primarily computer-mediated digital technologies.

Education

Traditionally, people interested in careers in this field either presented themselves as apprentices within craft unions, or attended college programs in theatre technology. Although both are appropriate in limited ways, the growing world of entertainment technology encompasses many different types of performance and display environments than the theatre. To this end, newer opportunities have arisen that provide a wider educational base than these more traditional environments. A seminal article "Rethinking Entertainment Technology Education" by Jon Huntington describes new teaching philosophies that resonate with the need for a richer and more flexible educational environment.

"We need to bridge the worlds of ivory-tower theatre educationwith the commercial world of live entertainment production. Ibelieve this bridge would be beneficial not just to the technicalstudents, but to the whole art of performance. When high-techsystems such as video, moving lights, computerized sound,mechanized scenery and show control are mastered by evenaverage entertainment technicians, they can advance the stateof their craft, which will allow artists to advance the state oftheir art." [cite web
title =Rethinking Entertainment Technology Education
author = Huntington, John
publisher =Theatre Design and Technology Magazine, Vol 38 No. 4
date =2002
url = http://www.controlgeek.net/citytech/
accessdate = 2008-05-25]

Schools that offer programs or degrees in entertainment technology include:
*Carnegie Mellon
*New York City College of Technology [http://www.entertainmenttechnology.org Department of Entertainment Technology]

See also

*Game Design
*Special Effects

Footnotes