Name: Ethan Fontes ’25
Major: Graphic design
Minor: Marketing
Hometown: Tracy, California
Extracurriculars: ASUOP
When Ethan Fontes arrived at University of the Pacific, he had never used graphic design software. But with support from Pacific’s graphic design program and a lot of determination, he built a professional portfolio from the ground up.
After applying to more than 100 internships, Ethan got the callback of a lifetime: DreamWorks. The animation studio saw potential in his work and was impressed by the way he talked through his creative decisions. Today, he’s putting those skills to use as a creative services marketing intern and helps promote some of the studio’s most popular animated shows.
Working at DreamWorks
“I get to do both things I learned in college, graphic design and marketing, while getting to work on big name productions,” Fontes said. “Currently, I’m working on ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse,’ ‘Bad Guys 2’ and the ‘Jurassic World’ series.”
At DreamWorks, Fontes wears a lot of hats. He mostly revises key art, which requires him to review posters, video thumbnails and other promotional graphics to ensure they are up to the company’s standards. He also works with trailer editors to ensure the right content has been chosen to convey the story. His other work includes writing internal emails and creating social media posts. Even with a full workload, Fontes says the experience has been pretty straightforward.
“Working at ASUOP was a very fast-paced job. I thought working at DreamWorks was also going to be the same,” Fontes said. “I definitely feel like I pushed myself hard in and out of class. It prepared me well because I feel it’s actually little bit slower here.”
Learning how to design at Pacific
At Pacific, Fontes put his efforts into more than just his classwork. He attended networking events on and off campus to build connections and said yes to as many projects as he could. While he did a lot on his own, his mentors also provided crucial guidance.
Fontes said his coursework with art Professor Marie Lee and Professor Brett Deboer, who has since retired, helped him hone his skills in graphic design. Studying the basics such as typography and layouts was integral to his professional development. He noted that Lee’s branding class in particular prepared him to work with companies on product designs.
“I feel like those classes helped strengthen me in the areas I needed,” he said. “Graphic design was something I liked to do on the side before I started school. Now it’s something that I’m passionate about doing and want to do as a profession.”
Fontes, a marketing minor, said learning to receive criticism at Pacific was vital for succeeding in the professional world and that he values the ability to give constructive feedback. This skill is especially important in his current position at DreamWorks, he said, where he reviews a wide range of marketing materials.
Taking the next step
Fontes said his favorite part of the DreamWorks internship has been working on unreleased projects. He gets to watch things that haven’t been announced to the public yet. He said it’s that exclusivity that makes him want to continue working in entertainment.
“I know I want to work in TV, music or sports. It would be really cool to work for Disney, stay with DreamWorks or work for a big label,” Fontes said. “There’s a lot of possibilities in bringing that mixture of marketing and design to any entertainment role.”
Advice for future designers
Since the industry is built on connections and relationships, Fontes recommends that future graphic design students do more outside of class than perfecting technical skills. Getting off campus, attending industry conferences and meeting new people is just as important as understanding design software, he said. Starting small and being active on campus is important to him, as well.
“Small things add up to big things, and you might be noticed for a career path that you want to be in just because of a little thing you did on campus,” he said. “Those activities that you’re a part of carry over to personality traits that you can bring into interviews and in the workforce.”