From the Official Press Release
Game Art Connect Ltd today revealed several sessions for its debut Game Music Connect live symposium event to be held at Southbank Centre's Purcell Room, London on September 9, 2013. Game Music Connect is created for fans of music in games, aspiring and professional composers of all backgrounds and those interested in learning about the art and science of creating today's cutting edge video game soundtracks. Early-bird tickets are now available here.
The first sessions to be announced include:
"SOUNDCARD TO SYMPHONY"
Eminent video game composers on the past, present and future of their craft.
Six of the world's leading game composers outline their personal journeys into scoring videogames, together with their inspiration and influences, reflecting on the past, present and future of game music design and application.
Speakers:
Martin O'Donnell (Destiny, Halo series)
Jesper Kyd (Assassin's Creed series, Hitman series, Borderlands series)
Jason Graves (Tomb Raider, Dead Space series)
James Hannigan (Dead Space 3, Command & Conquer series, Harry Potter series)
Joris de Man (Killzone series)
Richard Jacques (Mass Effect, James Bond 007: Blood Stone, LittleBigPlanet 2)
Chair: John Broomhall
"MUSIC MACHINE"
Leading audio directors from Bungie, Jagex, Sony and Electronic Arts discuss technical, business and creative aspects of music within the game development process. Game Music Connect asks the game audio department's key decision-makers and influencers to explain the who, what, when and where of commissioning, managing and implementing music content within a game team, including an overview of working culture, technical challenges, hiring and briefing composers together with process and scheduling.
Speakers:
Adele Cutting (Founder of SoundCuts and former EA Audio Director)
Steve Lord (Head of Audio - Jagex)
Alastair Lindsay (Music Production Manager - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)
Martin O'Donnell (Audio Director/Composer - Bungie Studios)
Chair: John Broomhall
"PLATFORMERS' PERSPECTIVE"
Setting the music bar for next-gen games - Microsoft and Sony's big picture.
Both companies behind the world's leading console game platforms maintain centralised service groups to support and augment game development teams, with music as a key component. They also play an active role in setting and maintaining standards. Alastair Lindsay and Paul Lipson discuss their roles within these organisations and how they go about sourcing and working with both in-house and freelance composers including advice on the kind of skills, qualities and portfolio they expect from aspiring game music composers.
Speakers:
Alastair Lindsay (Music Production Manager - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)
Paul Lipson (Audio Director - Microsoft Studios)
Chair: John Broomhall
"GAME MUSIC REACT!"
An introduction to 'interactive music' techniques.
A player's actions and progress in an interactive videogame are inherently unpredictable. Length of time spent within scenes and the timing of the events within them is therefore indeterminate - creating headaches for composers and game teams alike who a) wish to avoid annoying music repetition and b) want music to respond to the action like a movie score might. Historically, this has led to concerted efforts to create so-called 'interactive music systems'. Game Music React! will explore some of the ways music can be conceived, scored and structurally delivered to facilitate both variation and reactive replay behaviours.
Speakers: Richard Jacques, Jason Graves, Joris de Man, James Hannigan
More sessions will be announced leading up to the conference. For all sessions announced today and in the future, visit www.gamemusicconnect.com/sessions/.
Game Music Connect is created by BAFTA award winner and five-time Original Music nominated composer James Hannigan and veteran game audio director, composer, sound designer and industry commentator John Broomhall, to celebrate and explore the music of video games together and the extraordinary talent behind it. For more information and to register for Game Music Connect, visit www.gamemusicconnect.com.