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Life & Work with Phil Bloom

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phil Bloom.

phil bloom

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a designer of themed rides, attractions and all types of guest experiences, and I have been recognized by the Themed Entertainment Association as a Master of Themed Ride Design. 

I began my career as a licensed architect and a designer of sets for theater and motion pictures. When I landed a job at Walt Disney Imagineering, I found a place that merged these worlds, and I began a career in themed entertainment. At Imagineering I found mentorship and opportunity, and I had the chance to use my design skills on every type of attraction you would find on a Disney property and was able to learn from expert industry professionals of all disciplines. 

As a member on the design teams on many of Disney’s great themed rides of the 90’s, including Tower of Terror, Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin and Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, I began to develop an expertise in the design of themed rides and moving guests through themed environments. I then moved to Universal Studios and co-created The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, a ride that pioneered the use of 3D projection within a scenic ride environment. 

With this foundation of experience from Disney and Universal, I established American Scenic Design Inc. (ASDI) to provide design and consulting services for theme parks, museums, guest experience venues, and location-based entertainment developments of all types. The team at ASDI has worked on all types of rides and attractions for all of the major theme park companies, and I have been a co-creator of some of the world’s great theme park rides, including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Transformers: The Ride 3D. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The themed Design Industry is project based and always evolving. To be successful in this business you have to work hard on the project at the moment but have an eye on what is coming. You have to keep up with technology developments and pop culture trends, and hopefully find a way to put them together to create unique guest experiences. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have developed a company that is known for helping our clients deliver the world’s greatest themed experiences. But what we are most proud of is that we are a company that develops young talent. ASDI has had a pattern of bringing in young designers in internships while they are still in school and hiring people into one of their first jobs after school. Our teams are built with senior staff that embrace their role as mentors that are paired with associate and junior designers. We have developed a system in which talented young professionals with limited or no experience can contribute to projects right away. The industry thrives on change and adaptation; part of this is developing talent and helping young people find their place in the industry. With our encouragement and support, dozens of our young employees have jumped from ASDI into Walt Disney Imagineering or Universal Creative. 

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Themed entertainment design is collaborative work, it take lots of people from a variety of disciplines to create an attraction. You need to be able to work with teams of people and learn to present ideas in a way that invites collaboration. 

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