Rollins Wimber, a Media Arts Graduate, Speaks About His Journey From Lionsgate to ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Tomb Raider’
Like many college students, Rollins Wimber (BA 2019) did not begin his time at Brigham Young University with a clear career plan.
“I was not sure what I wanted to study,” Wimber said. “I took intro classes to a variety of different majors to see what would stick.”
Media arts was not initially on his radar. That changed after he enrolled in an introductory mass communications course, where a final video project sparked his interest. He followed that experience with an introductory film class, drawn in part by what he described as the “romantic idea” of becoming a filmmaker.
Even then, Wimber said his post-graduation plans remained uncertain. That uncertainty began to resolve during his final summer at BYU, when he secured an internship at Lionsgate through an alumni connection. The opportunity led to a full-time role as an assistant to a studio executive, offering an inside look at the film industry.
However, Wimber said, “I quickly realized that I didn't love the lifestyle that came with that line of work, so I pivoted from film development to game development.”
He pivoted from film development to game development, starting as a quality assurance tester at Avalanche Software. There, he worked on “Hogwarts Legacy” and gradually advanced to a production coordinator role. He has since moved to Crystal Dynamics, where he now works as a producer on the “Tomb Raider” franchise.
Wimber credits BYU with providing a foundation that made those transitions possible, particularly through its affordability and emphasis on transferable skills.
“I cannot overstate how big an advantage it is to attend BYU and get a top-level education at a fraction of the cost,” he said, noting that graduating with little or no debt allowed him flexibility early in his career.
While technical skills were largely learned on the job, Wimber said his education helped shape how he approaches his work.
“The broader, transferable skills that form a foundation to who you are and how you see the world come from education,” he said.
Beyond academics, Wimber pointed to relationships formed within the College of Fine Arts and Communications as a defining part of his experience. He said the creative community he found at BYU continues to influence his work.
“My best ideas are born from and refined by late night discussions with friends, all of whom I met while studying media arts,” he said.
For Wimber, the value of arts education extends beyond career preparation.
Wimber recalls the words of the actor Ethan Hawke: “Most people don't spend a lot of time thinking about poetry. They have a busy life to live.. until their father dies, you lose a child, somebody breaks your heart because they don't love you anymore. And all of a sudden you're desperate to make sense out of this life. 'Has anybody ever felt this bad before? How did they come out of this cloud?' Or the inverse, something great happens. You meet somebody and your heart explodes. You love them so much you can't even see straight. 'Did anybody feel like this before? What is happening to me?' And that's when art is not a luxury anymore, it's sustenance.”
These words spoke to Wimber, especially regarding the importance of his education.
“That is why the world needs graduates from the College of Fine Arts and Communications. Art reminds us that we are not alone in this world. Stories connect us, not only to each other but to our Creator,” Wimber elaborates. “The combination of scholarly, spiritual and artistic growth that happens at BYU enriches its graduates and enables them to serve others through divinely inspired work.”
As his career continues to evolve, Wimber said he remains focused on creative collaboration and long-term growth. He has produced a short film that premiered at Sundance and hopes to eventually produce a feature film. He is also considering pursuing a dual MBA and MFA.
“I love managing creative projects, putting together a dream team and enabling artists to do their best work,” he said.
He encouraged current students to remain patient and committed, even when their paths feel uncertain.
“The plan you start out with for your studies and your career will change in ways you cannot predict,” Wimber said. “But the only way that what you do does not matter is if you stop. So do not stop.”
