July 27, 2000 - Expression Completes Facility

EMERYVILLE, CA - Expression College for Digital Arts was launched last year with a bold vision and a firm commitment to create one of the world’s finest digital multimedia educational facilities. Financed by Dutch software entrepreneur, Eckart Wintsen, who has funded a variety of ecologically oriented companies all over the globe, the new educational facility touts a “total immersion” philosophy of education which includes a comprehensive 14-month program of study and hands-on experience. This high intensity regimen was designed to educate a new generation of professionals in audio and visual media who will immediately be capable of entering much sought-after jobs in Silicon Valley, Hollywood and other high tech facilities around the world.

Both the vision and commitment now have come to fruition. The facility is running full steam ahead with the first graduates now preparing to move into careers in a variety of media industries.

“Our image of the Expression facility was that of a balanced, fine-tuned media-making-educational machine,” says Gary Platt, President and Founder of the school. “Now that the rooms are complete and equipment installed, our “machine” is beginning to run up to speed and the results have been amazing. The synergy between students, technology and creative expression has risen to a new level.”

The now-complete Phase One construction phase covers about 75% of the building’s 85,000 square feet of space, with the remainder reserved for expansion. Platt says, “We purchased a building we can grow into and in which we can control our own destiny as we expand.”

The Expression facility is unquestionably one of the most advanced and technologically ambitious schools anywhere in the world. Platt and renowned studio designer John Storyk, of the Walters/Storyk Design Group, collaborated on the facility design. Storyk also teaches classes in acoustics and studio architecture at the school. To their credit, under one roof, Expression houses ten 5.1 surround sound audio mixing rooms equipped with world-class recording equipment from Studer, SSL and Neve, as well as digital workstations from Fairlight, Waveframe, DigiDesign and Sonic Solutions. Three world-class studios are supplemented by smaller “lab” studios, including the unique “Tascam Heptagon Studio” (with six identical Tascam-equipped control rooms).

For students enrolled in the Digital Visual Media program, the facility provides powerful computer workstations equipped with industry-standard software for computer animation, 3-D modeling, Web site design, multimedia production and DVD authoring. Every student in every Program, however, learns DVD authoring.

As a college licensed by the state of California, the real “product” of the Expression is not just media production but highly trained and motivated professionals. Expression is now licensed to offer Associate of Applied Science degrees in Sound Arts and Digital Visual Media as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree when both programs are completed. These are also supplemented either with online classes or courses from other institutions. In July, Expression also introduced a new Web Design and Development Program.

The first group of 19 students, all of whom originally enrolled in January of 1999, graduated March. Platt is enthusiastic in his evaluation of the students’ progress over their grueling, 14-month “total immersion” course of study.

“Never in my life have I seen such metamorphic growth in people,” says Platt, formerly Senior Vice President and Headmaster at the Full Sail School of Recording in Florida. “I truly believe in this total immersion system. These students have dropped whatever baggage and attitudes they had, and they got to work. This is an extremely tough school, and the ones who are graduated proved that they could cut it.”

The graduates can look forward to ascending careers that will be rewarding both creatively and financially. By February, well over a month before graduation, most of the graduates already have been placed in full-time positions or internships. Graduates of the Sound Arts program will soon be working for such well-known artists and facilities as three-time Grammy Award winning producer and musician, Narada Michael Walden known for his work with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, among others; renowned concert sound production company, Ultra Sound/Pro Media credited for work with The Grateful Dead, The Dave Mathews Band, Primus, Andrea Boccelli, Tracy Chapman and other national headline acts; live sound company, Voyager Productions, Inc. located in Utah; Troy Luccketta of the band Tesla; and The Van Studios located in Amsterdam. Five grads of the Digital Visual Media program interned in the Netherlands as well, where they worked with game/multimedia developers. Other graduates landed internships with an Oscar-winning digital animation studio, as well as with legendary recording studio, The Plant located in Sausalito; Beatnik, Inc., graphics and animation firm, Silent Planet; a new Disney theme park; and Paramount’s Great America.

Shiloh Hobel, Director of Placement at Expression, rivals Platt in her effusive praise of the school’s first round of graduates. “I have been blessed with the opportunity of working with many superstars, record producers, and recording studios over the years. It’s now my pleasure to represent a new round of Superstars, our incredibly dedicated and talented, Expression students”

Licensed by the state of California, Expression offers Bachelor and Associate of Applied Science Degrees in 3-D Modeling and Animation, Web Design and Development, and Sound Arts.

About Expression College for Digital Arts
Founded in 1999, Expression is a unique, fully licensed digital arts college. Expression College for Digital Arts teaches and grants Bachelor degrees in three programs: Sound Arts; Digital Visual Media (comprising 3DAnimation and Visual Effects); and Digital Graphic Design (emphasizing Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics.) Expression utilizes a professional accelerated program and students live and learn in the culture of digital arts for approximately 2.5 years. Each class is limited to a small number of students to insure excellent and hands-on learning and the student to computer ratio is one-to-one. Students are taught by and work with the best practitioners and equipment that the industry can offer. Expression’s close ties to top industry professionals provide students with real-world client projects, mentorship and internship opportunities and a top-rated career development track that has resulted in a 80+% placement rate for graduates. When graduates leave their Expression family behind, they are prepared to assume sought-after jobs in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and other art and high technology centers around the world. Expression College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, (ACCSCT).

Expression College for Digital Arts’ campus is located in an imagination-inspiring 85,000-square-foot building, at 6601 Shellmound St. in Emeryville, Calif., just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. For more information, please visit Expression’s Website at: www.expression.edu.

Contact:
Karen Wertman, Director of Marketing
510-594-6920
Expression College for Digital Arts
karen@expression.edu

Expression College for Digital Arts Website
www.expression.edu