CREATIVE ARTS MAKE FOR GOOD JOB PROSPECTS.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

Wade Sheeler, Chris Sebastian and Javier Fuentes Leon accepted their master's degrees in directing for theater, video and cinema with a dash of cynicism about their job prospects in the entertainment industry.

``Will direct for food,'' ``Would you like a script with your fries?'' and ``I have an M.F.A. Can I take your order?'' read the hand-lettered sandwich boards the three CalArts grads wore, along with paper In-N-Out Burgers hats, to Friday's commencement ceremonies. California Institute of the Arts President Steven Lavine said there's less cause for post-graduation anxiety for the Class of 1997, who he said have a better-than-ever shot at making their art and earning a living at it.

Members of the college's largest graduating class - 321 - are taking jobs at DreamWorks SKG, Pixar - the company that computer-animated ``Toy Story'' - the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Microsoft and Southern California's major film studios, noted CalArts dean of students Yvonne Guy.

``I think this is actually a great time to enter the world as an artist,'' said Lavine, who has been college president for nine years. ``The prospects are certainly the brightest in the past decade.''

He cited the proliferation of cable television channels, the booming film industry, the growth of programming on independent broadcast TV networks and the entire computer software industry as employment opportunities and artistic outlets that didn't exist a generation ago.

``Usually, I've given a slightly pessimistic graduation speech, but I've noticed the past two or three years that I've become more optimistic,'' Lavine said. ``When I first came here, I heard more parents worrying about their son's or daughter's futures. There is less reason to worry now.''

Greg ``Jazma'' Ryan, a music grad hoping to be a pop singer, described commencement day as equal parts ``bittersweet and exciting'' - depending on whether one has a career-caliber job lined up or ``you're going out to a 9-to-5 office job.''

The latter scenario applies to Ryan, who said for the time being he'll keep reporting to work at the CalArts financial aid office. ``I never thought I'd make it through college, but here I am,'' the Orange County native said.

``More people are earning their living from the arts,'' Lavine told the graduates. ``My advice is: Don't believe anyone who tells you there's one right course to go from here,'' he exhorted. ``Believe in yourself . . . get a good night's sleep once in a while, and you'll find what you're looking for.''

Despite congressional attempts to take away federal funding of the National Endowment for the Arts, support for the arts is on the rise in the private sector, Lavine said.

``I hear rumors that there are more foundations now that are thinking about supporting artists,'' the president said. ``I think the tide is turning in the realization that we need artists for our lives as well as our economy.''

The stereotype of the starving, struggling artist may not apply as much this year as in those past, Lavine said. ``It used to be three channels of television,'' he said. ``It's a great time to graduate as a graphic designer. Just think of all those (computer) Web sites.''

CalArts, he added, ``doesn't train our students to just make popular entertainment. But the fact that the commercial world needs them does create opportunities,'' Lavine said.

``I really don't think there's probably a time in the history of the world where there were more employment opportunities for the talents that artists have.''