Internships at Human Head Studios

Have you ever wondered what it’s like interning at a game studio? We sat down with two of our interns, Alex Hammond and James Arbaje, to talk about their experience and how they came to work at Human Head.

Alex Hammond is an Madison Area Technical College graduate who studied animation. He met one of our co-founders, Shane Gurno, at his senior portfolio show. While he was in school, Alex knew that he wanted to work in the games industry, so he was careful to make sure his portfolio reflected that. It contained a set of animations that were as diverse as the games he may one day work on - ranging from rigged creatures to cannons. His portfolio caught Shane’s eye, and Alex was presented with the opportunity to intern at Human Head.

As an animation intern, Alex begins every day the same way: he collaborates with his team lead and establishes his goals for the day. These goals vary greatly: sometimes he rigs models, other times he processes MOCAP footage. No matter what task is thrown at him, Alex works through it in an environment where he can learn new skills under the guidance of his seniors.

His advice for interns? “You have to be willing to apply yourself outside of work and school in order to expand your skill set and portfolio.”

James Arbaje is a senior at UW-Madison studying marketing. He learned about the marketing internship position while researching online. His portfolio contained a wide range of writing samples, logo designs, a sample commercial, and a cover letter. Before coming to Human Head, James worked at several local businesses to build his portfolio and make sure he had a diverse set of skills. He also spent time teaching himself new software, like the Adobe Creative Suite, because he understood marketing to be creative as well as analytical.

As a marketing intern, James assists the department with their tasks, but also takes on tasks of his own. He’s served as a “test” voice actor when we create demos for trailers, helped out on the set of the Rune Recap, and assisted with community outreach. You can find his work every Monday, as he has taken on writing “Head Count,” our employee spotlight.

He agrees with Alex’s advice, adding that “it’s important to push yourself and tackle your weaknesses whenever possible.”

If you’re interested in interning at a games studio, it’s important to have a dynamic portfolio that you feel represents you best - many professionals will advocate for quality over quantity!

Keep an eye out on Human Head Studios’ career page for internship opportunities, and head over to our blog for advice on professional development and career spotlights.