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Breaking Into The Game Industry
Article George Spanos
Article George Spanos
© 2009, 2010 gamesounddesign.com
Becoming properly educated in the basic principles of sound design and audio production is a definite asset to your career and to
your first opportunity with a new employer. While not absolutely necessary, an education with a recognized sound design, audio
recording, film school, or related arts school is a definite asset. Why? Firstly, you will meet other like-minded people who are headed
in the same direction as yourself and who can become lifelong colleagues. These same people will enable you to forge strong
partnerships based on a common interest. This is a very small industry and meeting new people is crucial to your success. Secondly,
many employers want to see that you have the required background in the fundamentals of audio recording with which you can
grow and become a valuable asset to their company. The more knowledge you have about recording techniques, fundamentals of
sound, microphone technique, foley, and the business in general is an asset to both you and your potential employer.
Your drive to break into the industry must be great. Only in the most
unusual of circumstances will an aspiring sound designer be able to drop
off a couple of resumes and be hired for that dream job. It will require
web searches for companies in your area that are actively involved in
sound, phone calls, emails, demo reels, and many interviews. You have
to really want this or you won't be given the chance. The reality is that
there are a large number of aspiring sound designers and not as many
vacancies in the industry. But, if you really want to make sound for a
living you can definitely find a way to do it. So here are a couple of tips:
This is definitely one of the hardest parts of the career search. In order to
be effective at it, decide what part of the industry you want to be involved
in. Is it games? Film? Television? Whatever it is, seek out that niche. It will
be a lot easier for you to pin-point employers this way. Start reading the
trade magazines like Mix, Game Developer, etc. to gain insight into what
people in the industry are working on and where they are working on it. You
may have to move and relocate to a bigger city. If you are currently living
in a small town without much of a sound industry then be prepared to move
to a city where there is more opportunity for you. Knock on many doors,
send out emails and make follow-up calls once you have landed an
interview. I'm not going to get into too much detail regarding the basics of
job searching here, as there are a plethora of websites devoted to this on
the internet.
The Education
The Tenacity
Finding Prospective Employers
The demo reel is one of the most important aspects of the total package that you should have prepared before knocking on
doors. This little gem should be exactly that: a nugget of sound and visuals that are compelling and speak of your talents.
Only put your best work on your demo reel. Seriously. Do not "fill it out" with less than perfect material. It is FAR better to
have three one-minute pieces that are captivating than 10 one-minute pieces that are mediocre. Keep it simple and to the
point. Think of the demo reel like your face. You always want it to look the best it can because that's what people will
remember the most about you (although attitude is a definite close second!).
This is one of those areas that is not so obviously quantifiable. How does one judge talent? Your ability to come up with
new and interesting ways to mould sound for a given purpose is one of the hallmarks of a great sound designer. There is
definitely a bag of tricks that you will learn to use once you have gained more experience in the industry, but
experimentation will keep your ideas new and fresh. Talent is greatly augmented by the desire and willingness to learn.
You must be flexible enough to try new ideas and recognize when a sound is working and when it isn't. Don't be afraid to
start over. In fact, make a point of it. Often we have to throw as much paint on the canvas as possible while new ideas
are germinating and then start stripping away the unnecessary layers to reveal the finished piece.
I hope you have found some helpful take away points in this article about breaking into the industry. A career in sound
design can be very rewarding and full of new challenges!
Your Demo Reel
The Talent