Read below for how an unexpected location led to a great opportunity for our Fellow, Bona.
When I found out I’d be spending my summer as a game production intern at Warner Bros. Games New York, I pictured skyscrapers and subway rides. Instead, I found myself packing up for a town in Upstate New York, a place I had never been, home to one of the studio’s smaller offices. It unexpectedly turned out to be one of the best decisions I’d made for my career.
Because the office was small, I got to know my co-workers in a way I don’t think I could have anywhere else, and got to have a ton of ownership. People knew my name, my interests, and what I was hoping to learn, and they gave me the freedom and encouragement to go after it.
My first day at Warner Bros. Games New York.
Learning production, and learning how to work smarter
Over the summer, I contributed to four different games by running daily standups with engineers, creating agendas, and handling followups, all of which gave me a close look at how production keeps a project moving from one milestone to the next. I worked closely with engineers and technical producers, and I noticed how many of my co-workers were technically savvy and sharpening their skills with AI tools to streamline their own processes. That inspired me to experiment too. I spent a lot of time tinkering with Cursor and Microsoft Copilot, finding ways to automate repetitive parts of my workflow.
My biggest project was re-organizing the studio’s entire Production Confluence. Anyone who has worked in a shared database knows how quickly pages pile up, so I used Cursor to help build an organization system that makes finding information much easier. I presented this plan to our producers and technical producers at my last weekly standup. It was the first time I’d pitched something I built to a room of professionals, and it showed me that a fresh perspective, even an intern’s, can make a real difference.
Bringing the studio together
One of my favorite parts of the summer happened outside of my day-to-day production work. I noticed that while everyone at the studio was passionate about games, we didn’t always have chances to connect beyond our own teams. So I pitched two company-wide events: an arcade basketball tournament and a drawing contest.
I was a little nervous to bring the ideas forward as an intern, but my managers encouraged me to take ownership and run with them. From there, I handled everything from start to finish: building sign-ups, booking the space, setting the rules and judging, and spreading the word across the office.
The arcade basketball tournament brought out a competitive side in people I had only ever seen in meetings, and watching engineers, producers, and directors cheer each other on from the sidelines was so much fun. The drawing contest showed off a completely different kind of talent. It was amazing to see the creativity of people whose jobs aren’t usually about art.
Organizing these events taught me lessons I’ll carry far beyond the summer. I learned how to turn an idea into a plan, coordinate across teams, and follow through on the many small details that make an event run smoothly. These are the same skills that matter in production every day. Most of all, I saw how much a shared moment of fun can strengthen a team. Seeing co-workers from different departments laughing together reminded me that great games are made by people who genuinely enjoy working with each other.
The mentors who shaped my summer
My mentors, Elliott Haase and Jesse Sparhawk, were a huge source of inspiration. Watching them work, I learned how important it is to build environments where feedback is welcomed, not feared. They also taught me to step back and look at the bigger picture: not just whether a task gets done, but how a team can keep getting better. That mindset is something I’ll carry into every job I have.
Finding home away from home
Moving somewhere new by myself was scary. But my co-interns, who I had met for the very first time, made me feel at home almost immediately. Together we made the most of every weekend: camping in the Adirondacks with our new friends from the area, road-tripping to Montreal and Boston, and we spent many weekends exploring Brooklyn and Manhattan, from the DUMBO flea market to the city’s most iconic sights. I came for an internship and left with friendships I know will last.
Exploring Montreal with my co-interns.
To the Emma Bowen Foundation
Being an EBF Fellow has felt like a dream. From the start, EBF made sure I never felt like I was navigating my first internship in entertainment alone. The career chats gave me honest, practical advice from people who had been in my shoes, and it was comforting to connect with Fellows from all over the country who were also starting their journeys in media and entertainment. We swapped stories about our internships, cheered each other on, and shared the same mix of nerves and excitement that comes with stepping into a new industry.
Emma Week was easily one of the best parts of my summer. Over two days of virtual programming in June, I listened to keynote conversations, joined interactive sessions, and networked with industry leaders, alumni, and members of EBF’s incredible community. Every session gave me something to take back to my work, whether it was a new way to think about my career path or the reminder that it’s okay not to have everything figured out yet.
Me and my fellow EBF award recipients, Maya Oppong and Nadia Bidarian, alongside EBF CEO, Nikki Bethel.
Receiving the EBF Award for Volunteerism for my work in college was a highlight I never expected. Volunteering has always been something I do because I care about my community, so being recognized for it, surrounded by such an inspiring group of people, meant so much to me.
Thank you, EBF, for opening this door, and for surrounding me with people who believe in where I’m headed. I’m so grateful to be part of this community, and I can’t wait to give back to the Fellows who come after me!