27 international game audio creators to be interviewed for documentary
Last week, pioneering musicologist Karen Collins launched a crowdfunding campaign to develop the documentary film BEEP: A History of Game Sound and an accompanying guidebook. This documentary film will take viewers on a rich audio-visual journey through the history of game music and sound, from the minimalist sounds of 1970s and 1980s arcade classics through to the surround sound orchestral soundtracks of 2014’s latest epics. It will be published together with a book that will provide an in-depth perspective on the evolution of game audio, packed full of interviews with the pioneers of game sound.
Just a week into its Kickstarter campaign, BEEP is almost halfway there thanks to the help of close to 500 backers. The campaign has also inspired the attention of international press, gained the support of big-name sponsors, and added reputed managers and artists to its team. It has also organised the involvement of numerous big-name composers and sound creators. 27 names have been confirmed to be interviewed so far, among them historic game music pioneers, influential technical pioneers, insight authors, and, of course, today’s biggest freelancers. There will also be interviews with current and former audio leads at the biggest game publishers, such as Sony, Microsoft, Namco, Taito, Ubisoft, EA, and Atari.
Asian Creators
– Shinji Hosoe: Namco Sound Director Turned Label Creator (Ridge Racer series, Dragon Spirit, Virtue’s Last Reward)
– Goo-Min Nam (aka Nauts) and Jin-Bae Park (aka ESTi): Leaders of the Korean Game Music Field (Granado Espada, TalesWeaver, DJMax)
– Shota Nakama: Artistic Director of Video Game Orchestra (Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Ace Combat 3D)
– Hisayoshi Ogura: Creator of Zuntata (Darius series, The Legend of Kage, The Ninja Warriors)
– Tenpei Sato: Pioneer of Vocal Music in Video Games (Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, Disgaea series, Valis)
– A special tribute to Ryu Umemoto: Late Composer of Visual Novels (EVE: Burst Error, YU-NO, Akai Katana)
– Plus many more to be announced in coming weeks
American Creators
– Clint Bajakian: Former Senior Music Manager of SCEA (Uncharted series, Outlaws, Star Wars)
– Alexander Brandon: Vice-President of the Game Audio Network Guild (Deus Ex, Unreal, Neverwinter Nights 2)
– Brad Fuller: Former Director of Audio at Atari (Marble Madness, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, RBI Baseball)
– Steve Horowitz: Co-Founder of the Game Audio Institute (Super Size Me, Nickelodeon Games, Essential Guide to Game Audio)
– Peter McConnell: Everyone’s Favourite Harvard Graduate (Sly series, Psychonauts, Grim Fandango)
– Winifred Phillips: Versatile Freelance Composer (Assassin’s Creed: Liberation, LittleBigPlanet 2, A Composer’s Guide to Game Music)
– Emily Ridgway: Former Music Director at Double Fine (BioShock, Destroy All Humans!, Brutal Legend)
– George Sanger (aka The Fat Man): Legendary Game Audio Guru (Wing Commander, 7th Guest, Zombies Ate My Neighbours)
– Brian Schmidt: Former Manager of Xbox Audio and Voice Technologies (Pinball titles, EA Sports, GameSoundCon)
– Tommy Tallarico: Co-Creator of Video Games Live (Advent Rising, Earthworm Jim, MDK)
– David Thiel: Run-Time Audio Creator and Programmer (Pinball Titles, Winter Games, Q*bert)
– David Warhol: Sound Creator Since 1982 (Bard’s Tale, Maniac Mansion, Skate or Die)
– Keith Zizza: Former Director of Audio at Sierra (Lord of the Realm 2, SimCity Societies, Caesar IV)
European Creators
– Allister Brimble: Composer of Over 100 Amiga Titles (Project-X, Superfrog, Alien Breed)
– Peter Connelly: Sound Director at Ubisoft (Tomb Raider series, Watch_Dogs, The Crew)
– Charles Deenen: Former Audio Director of Electronic Arts (Maniacs of Noise, Baldur’s Gate, Need For Speed series)
– Chris Huelsbeck: Popular on Record and in Concert (Turrican series, Great Giana Sisters, R-Type)
– Frederic Motte: Demoscene Legend Turned Pro (Nightmare Creatures, Fury of the Furries, Gobliins)
Chiptune Creators
– Anders Carlsson (aka goto80): Chiptuner on the International Circuit (Commodore Grooves, Files in Space, Chiptuned Rockman)
– Raheem Jarbo (aka Mega Ran): Chip-Hop Pioneer Currently on Tour (Black Materia, American Gamer, Mega Ran 9 & 10)
From August 15 to September 30, Ehtonal are raising $40,000 CAD (~$37,000 USD/ €27,000 / £22000 GBP) to develop the documentary film BEEP: A History of Video Game Sound. Every dollar raised will go back into the film, financing production, post-production, travel, and legal costs. The film will be developed on a tight schedule over the subsequent 18 months, with backers receiving an insider’s look during the development. Depending on the amount pledged, those who back the campaign will receive the BEEP film, book, poster, and T-shirt, together with the Retro City Rampage soundtrack and other goodies. BEEP is currently seeking the support of backers through Kickstarter. Donate to the campaign by visiting the Kickstarter and official site now.
Posted on August 25, 2014 by Chris Greening. Last modified on August 25, 2014.
About the Author
Chris Greening I've contributed to websites related to game audio since 2002. In this time, I've reviewed over a thousand albums and interviewed hundreds of musicians across the world. As the founder and webmaster of VGMO -Video Game Music Online-, I hope to create a cutting-edge, journalistic resource for all those soundtrack enthusiasts out there. In the process, I would love to further cultivate my passion for music, writing, and generally building things. Please enjoy the site and don't hesitate to say hello!
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