Full Sail University’s undergraduate show production curriculum offers students unique opportunities to learn through real-world experience, work with a wide range of industry-standard equipment, and have fun along the way.


Here are the top five reasons to study show production at Full Sail:


Students Use a Variety of Gear and Tools


“There's a fraction of [high school] students who love technology, and they also want to be involved in the arts. And I would say 90% of the show production students are those kids,” says David Dean, Program Manager for show production.


From learning their way around a video-switching room to handling parabolic microphones, students gain a significant amount of firsthand knowledge about how to operate industry-standard tools.


“A lot of people don't realize the same gear that Pepsi uses at the Orange County Convention Center for their annual sales gala is the same gear that Jay-Z or Drake takes out on the road. It's the same consoles, lights, video, et cetera,” explains David.


The Instructors Actively Work in the Industry


Many of Full Sail’s show production instructors are still actively freelancing in the industry and will occasionally bring students with them as volunteers at their gigs. This might be for a concert, a public event, or even a University of Central Florida football game.


“The instructors that do sports broadcasting production [sometimes] have two or three really good rock-star students out there with them to assist.”


These real-world experiences are enriching learning opportunities. They allow students to practice using the equipment they’ve been learning about, work on their teamwork skills with their peers, and explore which areas of show production they might want to pursue professionally.


The Show Production Program is Wide-Ranging


Many prospective students and parents may think that show production is just concert audio – but that’s not the full story. Students will learn an array of skills throughout their studies, including lighting programming and evaluating, acoustic measurement, content creation, synchronizing screens and video walls, and audio system management.


This variety of skills encourages students to become well-rounded professionals in the industry after graduating, which will make it easier for them to decide what they eventually want to specialize in.


“If you're a lighting person, if you're an audio person, if you're into video, it doesn't matter. We span such a wide swath,” David says.


Students also pick up some project management skills, which they get to flex during their live labs, as they juggle the many elements that have to successfully come together for a live show.


The Final Project


At the end of the show production curriculum, students get to design, manage, and produce their final live lab. This process includes booking a band, staying on top of project and production management tasks, and working all the equipment throughout the performance in a fully-equipped on-campus venue.

This is a culmination of the students’ hard work and is their last opportunity to demonstrate how confident they are using the tools and techniques they picked up throughout their courses.


“[Students are] taking all that stuff they've learned and practiced in live labs, and now they're responsible for pretty much doing the same thing on a higher level,” explains David.


Career Opportunities


Because professionals with knowledge and experience in show production are currently in high demand, the curriculum is shaped to reflect the growing needs of the industry. Students are taught several techniques and can use a variety of tools throughout their studies to help them develop important skills they may need to join the show production workforce. Students can also apply what they've learned to careers in corporate events, film and TV, sports broadcasting and production, and more. And, beyond the curriculum itself, Full Sail's Career Development department is focused on helping students and graduates hone their job-search and networking skills.