The Art of Motion: Animating at Mad Head Games

JOURNEY AND GROWTH

30 YEARS OF LEARNING AND CREATING

» Tell us about your journey to Senior Animator role – which projects shaped you most?

It’s been a 30-year journey, so there’s plenty to tell 😀. Back in the 90s I discovered 3D Studio and later Maya 1.0. In 2002, I landed my first full-time animator job in Belgrade, working on animated series such as Steamboat Serbia (Parobrod Srbija), Babies (Bebice), Lepenci, and several other TV projects.

Between 1998 and 2002, I collaborated with Motek, a Dutch studio from Amsterdam that was among the pioneers of motion capture technology in Europe. In 2004, I moved to the Netherlands and continued working with Motek and other studios on various projects, mostly animated series for kids such as Sprookjesboom.

Between 2005 and 2010, games became more cinematic and motion capture was becoming essential. At the time I was working with motion capture technology, so that pulled me into the gaming industry very quickly.

My wild gaming journey truly began in 2007, and since then I’ve contributed to a wide range of projects, including The Witcher III, Battlefield, Mad Max, Alan Wake, FIFA, World of Tanks, Bulletstorm, Kane & Lynch, Atomic Heart, Desperados III, Mirror’s Edge, and many others.

» What skills or habits have helped you grow the most in your career?

The “marriage” between technical knowledge and artistic perception is the best skill I can think of. No tutorial can teach you how to nurture your artistic perception or how to design a complex production pipeline. That requires passion and experience. Simply put: I always have something to learn or do.

Aside from that, teamwork is a golden skill. Playing in a band was always more interesting to me than having a solo career.

» What drew you to apply to Mad Head Games, and how familiar were you with our projects beforehand?

I’ve known MHG since its early days and always admired its teamwork. Our paths aligned on a AAA project, and working with a good team has always been my main motivation.

EXPERIENCE AT MAD HEAD GAMES

PIPELINE, TOOLS, AND CREATIVE FREEDOM

» What struck you most about MHG when you joined?

Everyone at MHG cares about the team, and you can feel the respect on a daily basis. People are open to learning and adapting, and there are no “hard walls” you might hit as a junior or a senior. Overall, the feeling is that everyone loves what they do – working hard while also having fun.

» How does MHG’s animation pipeline differ from the other studios you’ve worked at?

Pipelines are like the bloodstream of every studio, requiring good habits – like exercise, healthy food, and solid DNA – to stay clean and efficient, and MHG exemplifies these practices. At the same time, animation tools are evolving faster than ever, and MHG stands out as an early adopter, successfully tackling the complex challenge of quickly integrating new technologies.

» What have been the biggest challenges and most rewarding aspects of working as an animator at MHG?

One of the most interesting challenges has been implementing the MetaHuman Animator facial solver into large-scale production and setting up the entire animation pipeline for the Cinematic Department. On the rewarding side, staying up to date with new tools and collaborating with a team of skilled professionals across different departments has made the work truly fulfilling.

» How do you approach growth, and how has MHG supported it?

It’s simple: I always keep myself busy. Working on a large project takes time to connect all the dots, and I always look for the bigger picture. I go beyond animation itself, trying to understand how decisions in other departments affect the animation pipeline.

Game development has many cross-department dependencies, and understanding these interactions helps me refine my animation skills and better fit into the team. MHG is a great playground to develop this skill.

» How does cross-department collaboration shape the creative process?

This collaboration is incredibly valuable – and essential at a lead level. On the technical side, animators need to exchange constraints and requirements with other departments, and then use those to bring creative ideas to life.

A couple of examples:

• The requirement to share animations in real time between characters of different proportions demands collaboration between riggers, programmers, and animators. If the solution comes from only one party, it’s usually not the most efficient. But when all sides understand the retargeting system and how it’s used, the team can agree on the best solution.
• A Cinematic Director can save animators an enormous amount of time by carefully choosing actions for background characters or paying attention to complexity. Most often, clear communication is key to getting the best from both teams.

» If you had to sum up the MHG animation team in three words, what would they be?

Open-minded, diligent, positive.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF ANIMATION

» What makes our studio a great place for animators, particularly senior-level talent?

MHG offers a huge variety of animation work across cinematic and gameplay departments – keyframe, mocap, humanoids, monsters, robots, procedural systems – you name it. We use the latest industry tools, and the team leads are patient, knowledgeable guides who really support your growth.

» Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of animation at MHG?

A wild dream would be collaborating with the MHG team on an animated movie or cinematic series. Beyond that, I’m always inspired by the quality of current and upcoming game IPs and the creative freedom they bring.

» How do you see the animation industry evolving, and how is MHG adapting to these changes?

Animation is transforming fast, especially with AI and emerging tools – often faster than teams can keep up. Mad Head Games is an early adopter, using these technologies to empower the team rather than replace it. Thoughtful integration helps us work smarter, achieve more, and explore new creative possibilities. Growing with MHG is exciting because you get to ride that wave of innovation.

We hope Slobodan’s story gave you a peek behind the keyframes – and a feel for the passion driving our Animation team.

We’ve got more stories like this in the works, so if you’re curious about life (and art) at Mad Head Games, find us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook – or just send us an email.

We’re always game (pun intended) for a chat.