I recently rediscovered an interview that I gave to an aspiring audio engineer in 2006. Three years later I’ve found that some of my views and opinions have changed and others have stayed the same… <\/p>\n
2006<\/p>\n
1. What is a sound designer?<\/strong>
\nGenerally speaking, a Sound Designer creates sound effects for different types of media. A sound designer can create sounds for Films, Television, Sound Effect Libraries, Radio, even laser guns that you can purchase at a toy store.
\nThe term \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sound Designer\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is one that connotes many different meanings depending on it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s context. Anyone can make a sound and record it, but a true Sound Designer in my opinion has an understanding and control of the relationship between sound and the context it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s presented in.
\nWhat I mean by that is that you need to have the appropriate sound for the emotion or idea you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re trying to convey. A very basic example would be that you wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use an elephant mating call for a footstep sound. It would confuse your audience.
\nThe sounds you create need to speak clearly and appropriately, communicating what you had in mind. Think of sound effects as a universal language, unharnessed by the constraints of words. Ask yourself, what is the sound of the color green? If I created that green sound I heard in my head and played it for someone, would they say, that sounds very green?
\nThe sound should be believable. When I see and hear a giant spaceship entering the atmosphere in a film, I want to believe that a giant spaceship entering the atmosphere right in front of me. One of the issues sound designers have is that when we do our best work, nobody notices because they were so enthralled by the experience.
\nThe idea of the sound being appropriate for it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s context can be applied to music as well. Would I use a flute if I wanted to communicate Rock and Roll? Maybe, but the chances are that drums and guitars would communicate that idea a little more efficiently.
\nProfessional Sound Designers not only control the relationship of sound and context but they should also have the ability to visualize any sound in their mind and then actually create that sound exactly as they imagined it.
\nAt my current job, the title of Sound Designer means that not only do I create sound effects, but I also record and process dialog, edit music, create ambiences, design the behavior of sound within a video game and then actually implement the behaviors using special set of game development tools.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2009<\/p>\n
1. What is a Sound Designer?<\/strong>
\nToday, my description of the term Sound Designer is the same as it was in 2006, the only exception being that I would also reference music, performance and installations as examples of Sound Design where the sound would not accompany another form of media.
\nI also find myself making more of a personal distinction between Sound Design and Audio Design. These are terms that are used interchangeably but now I view Sound Design as being the process of creating audible content, for example, an explosion sound effect. To me, Audio Design relates to the creation of systems and interaction, how that sound effect is modified on playback by specific events or the state of things.<\/p>\n2006<\/p>\n
2. What made you decide to become a sound designer?<\/strong>
\nIt was less of a decision and more of a realization that working with sound was what I loved to do. Once I figured that out, I just had to work out the details of how to get paid to do something that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be doing anyway, even if I was unemployed. I suppose you can get paid to do anything in this country if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re good at it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2009<\/p>\n
2. What made you decide to become a sound designer?<\/strong>
\nAfter reading Outliers by Malcom Gladwell, I now feel that my decision was also based on seizing the opportunities that were available to me at the time due in part, to circumstance. Had there been no opportunities to work as a full time sound designer, I would still be working in sound but most likely in some slightly different creative capacity.<\/p>\n\n 2006<\/p>\n
3. What kind of education did your job require?<\/strong> A solid understanding and experience with both recording and synthesis. Also, a familiarity with computers and some basic understanding of programming. Though a college degree wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t necessary for the work I do now, it definitely helped me to get into my current position. I double majored in Music Technology and Social Science and I use the things I learned in college every day at work. Experience and understanding is much more important than the paper degree which represents it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
2009<\/p>\n
3. What kind of education did your job require?<\/strong>
\nI completely missed an important point in my answer to this question. For Game Audio, it’s essential to have played a wide variety of video games. It’s also the same for television or film. Knowing the state of the art from the perspective of the audience is required for creating the best experience for them.
\nThe line “Experience and understanding is much more important than the paper degree which represents it.” resonates with me. It reminds me of the screenplay, “A Few Good Men” where Lt. Daniel Kaffee says to Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson, “You don’t need a patch on your arm to have honor.”<\/p>\n\n2006<\/p>\n
4. What were your expectations after you graduated? Did you have a job set up, or some other plan?<\/strong>
\nFunny you should ask. I felt completely lost after I graduated. One day I woke up and realized that all my roommates had just graduated with me and that they were all moving out in two weeks. I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t afford to rent a three bedroom house on my own so I packed up all my belongings and moved from Olympia to Seattle where I slept on floors and couches for about three months before getting an apartment.
\nDuring that time I really struggled to get a gig. I had my degree but I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have a whole lot that I could show for my experience. I landed an internship at a local recording studio by emailing them repeatedly and finally showing up at their door when they opened at 7:30am asking for an internship. Around the same time I got a job working as a touring roadie for a local sound and light company. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never heard so much country music in my life as I did working as a roadie but I was learning and gaining experience. I began DJing at every art opening or club I could. That resulted in me getting a job working at the Aurafice Caf\u00c3\u00a9 on capitol hill. More on that later.
\nWhile none of these audio jobs paid my bills, I hunted like mad to find more jobs that would give me experience. I ended up cold calling a local DJ Software company and pitched them on the idea that they should hire me. To my astonishment, they did! I worked as a contractor doing research for them on DVD technology and music visualization and 5 years later I still work for them on the side.
\nOver the next few years I worked at Guitar Center, a radio station, got heavily involved with supporting the local electronic music scene, and put myself in situations like Laptop Battles where I had to be creative. I traveled to game conferences, audio conventions and tried to meet every one who could help me. One of the people I met was Kris Larson.
\nIn 2002, I joined the Game Audio Network Guild and posted my resume on the message board. At this point I had been sending my resume anywhere and everywhere not getting any responses. I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t expect to hear from anyone but six hours after posting my resume I got an email from Kris, the head of Interactive Audio at Dolby Laboratories in San Francisco. He was interested in the audio work I had done but more interested in the fact that for the past few years I had worked at the Aurafice Caf\u00c3\u00a9 for his friend Paige. Kris and I kept in touch after that. Paige was a long time friend of his and a year later he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d moved to Seattle, fallen in love with her, moved in with her, and got hired to build the Audio Department of Cranky Pants Games.
\nNeedless to say, when he needed an intern to hire on, he asked me if I would be interested in applying. I did, and I got the job. Over time I was eventually promoted to Associate Audio Designer and then again as a full Sound Designer. The moral of this story is that having knowledge and skills is essential for doing this work but that being ruthlessly persistent and building true friendships will get you jobs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2009<\/p>\n
4. What were your expectations after you graduated? Did you have a job set up, or some other plan?<\/strong>
\nKris and Paige were married in 2008. I still believe that ruthless persistence and personal relationships go hand in hand with success.<\/p>\n2006<\/p>\n
5. What is the range of salary one can expect in your field?<\/strong>
\nThe salary range varies widely depending on the demand for experienced audio designers and the availability. It also depends on the talent and reputation of the designers themselves. In-house Sound Designers can expect to receive benefits like health insurance while contractors can negotiate higher pay. Game industry salary polls are taken by Gamasutra yearly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2009<\/p>\n
5. What is the range of salary one can expect in your field?<\/strong>
\nYep. That’s still accurate. I’d also add that a hiring manager’s belief in someone’s potential can also affect salary. This can be related to reputation but isn’t always.<\/p>\n2006<\/p>\n
6. Any current projects that you’re working on?<\/strong>
\nYes, and I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t talk about them unfortunately. I will say it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pretty awesome and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be announcing it in January. The last project I worked on was Evil Dead Regeneration for Xbox, Playstation 2 and PC. I learned about the joys of chainsaws.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2009
\n6. Any current projects that you’re working on?<\/strong>
\nThe project I was referring to was the beginning stages of a Destroy All Humans title. I ended up transferring to Zipper Interactive where I spent about two years working on Core Audio systems and MAG – Massive Action Game.<\/p>\n2006<\/p>\n
7. What do you love about your job? Whats not to love?<\/strong>
\nI love that I have someone else buying software and hardware for me to create with. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve worked a day since being in this job. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve just gotten paid to do what I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be doing anyway while being given pressure to produce and support to keep getting better.
\nWhat I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t love is what we call crunch time. Crunch time is the end of a software development cycle where we work at a feverish pace for about 4 months. We sometimes work as many as 90 hours in a work week which can cause things in one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s personal life to slip. Game development is really something that requires dedication of mind, body and soul.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n2009<\/p>\n
\n7. What do you love about your job? Whats not to love?<\/strong>
\nI hope I never lose