Biola University Alumnae Twins Take Animation Industry by Storm at DreamWorks and Colossul Studios

With internships at DreamWorks Animation and Colossul Studios, respectively, twins and Biola University alumnae Hope (BFA ’25) and Heather (B.A. ’25) Hemsley dove into the animation industry headfirst while still completing their degrees. 

After applying for three years, Hope received an internship at DreamWorks Animation (DWA) during her senior year as an illustration student in the School of Fine Arts and Communication. She was part of the training team, which meant she was involved in the training process for DreamWorks artists on specific software used by the animation studio. An essential sector of the studio, the training department ensures that all artists, especially those who have come from other animation studios, are well-equipped to use DreamWorks software. Hope got to learn right along with them, calling the experience a dream come true. 

“Through interning at DWA and specifically through their training department, I've learned first-hand what the 3D animation pipeline looks like — which was a whole new world for me!” said Hope. “It was stretching to learn about their proprietary software and the logistics behind getting the artists the correct training they need to do their jobs well. I loved being able to see what the artists were learning so that I could learn their methods and programs alongside them!”

Even working in an animation studio can mean grinding through administrative tasks. Still, Hope found it instructive as she got to know the ins and outs of life as an animation artist, including finding time for creativity.

“Being a training intern requires a lot of administrative work, so I grew a lot in time management, communication, database maintenance, office support and calendar auditing,” explained Hope. “While my role at the studio was more technical, I also made time for my personal artistic goals to stretch my skills in visual development, which I was able to achieve with the help of my DreamWorks mentor (who is a look dev artist on a current feature)! With her guidance, I created a project to explore my short film with a color script, art key, character blueprint and prop designs.”

At the same time, Heather, a writing for film and television major in the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts, began working as an intern directly under a showrunner for an independent television series during her senior year. She was involved in the creation of the anime series Gabriel and the Guardians, distributed through Angel Studios, a popular faith-friendly television and movie service. While she gained experience in the business of funding, developing and grounding the story for an independent production, she found herself growing the most in the writing process.

“I saw myself tremendously growing in my writing skills. My first semester interning, I had the privilege of collaborating with David [my supervisor] to write two issues of the manga series,” said Heather. “Through weekly rewrites and edits, his notes on my work opened up a new perspective on writing for fantasy, tightening dialogue and focusing on the motivations of each character. My second semester, I wrote a spec (mock) script for the show, where I was able to incorporate what I learned so far — and receive more notes on what I could do better. I saw myself develop a thick skin, being able to take constructive feedback and turn it into a catalyst for writing something better.”

Heather was able to directly apply the classroom training she received to her internship every day.

“All the writing classes I took with Jim Hope and Sandra Lee [professors in the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts] immensely prepared me for the necessary skills in this internship, especially the Writing the Spec and Writing the Pilot courses,” reflected Heather. “I got a glimpse into what it's like to be in a writer's room, pitch ideas, write scripts on a deadline, collaborate with other writers and receive/give feedback — all of which I got to actually apply during my internship.”

When it comes to future work, both sisters aim to enter the animation industry, with Hope dreaming of becoming an art director for her own animation series. Whether at a large studio or in an independent field, they might even end up teaming up.

“My ultimate career goal is to be a director/showrunner for animated content geared at older kids/young adults, specifically in the fantasy realm,” said Heather. “My dream is to collaborate with Hope in producing our own content, things we would have liked to see when we were younger (and still want to see!).” 

Either through Biola’s Career Center or dedicated resources in Biola’s eight academic schools, Biola students have impressive access to firsthand workforce experience through internships and support in obtaining them. Biola is committed to equipping students to be career-ready while prepared to impact the world for Jesus Christ. Learn more and apply for the Fall 2026 semester to become a part of a community of Christians driven by faith into their futures.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.