Ever wondered what it takes to score original music for AAA video games? Learn from four of the industry’s most accomplished composers with diverse musical backgrounds as they share their experiences and discuss the craft of scoring music for some of the biggest franchises in interactive entertainment.
Featuring multiple award-winning composers Jesper Kyd (Darksiders II, Borderlands 2, Assassin’s Creed I & II, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood & Revelations, Hitman 1-4); Michael McCann (Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Splinter Cell: Double Agent); Inon Zur (Dragon Age I & II, Prince of Persia, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, RIFT); Sam Hulick (Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3).
Moderated by Emily Reese, Host & Producer of Minnesota Public Radio’s “Top Score” podcast. Plus giveaways and a surprise guest!
The panel will be held during Pax Prime in Seattle, WA on September 1st, 2012 @ 10:30am – 11:30am and will be followed by a Meet & Greet / Signing session.
Jesper Kyd www.jesperkyd.com
Best known for composing the unique, thematic music soundtracks for multi-million selling franchises ASSASSIN’S CREED, BORDERLANDS and HITMAN, Kyd’s compelling and distinctive scores feature a diverse array of instrumentation including orchestra, choir, soloists, acoustic manipulations and electronic soundscapes, immersing audiences with emotional depthand often described by critics as ‘rousing,’ ‘surreal’ and ‘beautiful.’ Spanning from his iconic electronic and symphonic scores for the HITMAN series which won him a BAFTA for Best Original Music, to the post-apocalyptic wasteland themes of BORDERLANDS, and his evocative Middle-Eastern and Renaissance-era scores for the history-inspired ASSASSIN’S CREED series, Jesper Kyd constantly evolves his craft as a leading artist for creating memorable and inspirational original soundtracks. His latest scores include the action/adventure DARKSIDERS II and the role-playing-shooter BORDERLANDS 2.
Michael McCann www.behaviormusic.com
Renowned for his ambient cinematic scores and emotionally-charged organic soundscapes, Michael McCann has established himself as an uncompromising musical force in video games, television and film. His universally acclaimed score for DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION, which fuses industrial, choral, world and ambient elements into an epic cyber-noir, tour-de-force soundtrack, earned him nominations from the British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Spike TV VGAs, Hollywood Music in Media Awards, and landed him on IGN‘s list of the top 30 people working in video games in 2011. Michael’s diverse work in film, TV and games has also earned him nominations from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for SPLINTER CELL: DOUBLE AGENT (Game), 2 Genie nominations & 2 Leo Award nominations for sound design IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG (Film), and a second HMMA nomination for his opening theme to the syndicated sci-tech drama series REGENESIS (TV). Michael continues to evolve his diverse resume, expanding on his work done in multiple fields with companies that have included Paramount Pictures, 2K / Firaxis, Discovery Channel & Alliance Atlantis.
Inon Zur www.inonzur.com
Inon Zur composes emotionally dynamic music for film, television, anime and video games. A graduate of the Music Academy of Tel Aviv in Israel, Inon moved to Los Angeles to study the art of film music at the Dick Grove School of Music and UCLA with such luminaries as Jack Smalley, Alan Ferguson and Henry Mancini. His scores for film and television include AU PAIR, ESCAFLOWNE, DIGIMON, POWER RANGERS, STATE OF GRACE and GHOST WHISPERER: THE OTHER SIDE. Zur’s Hollywood scoring expertise combined with his flair for powerful melodic writing is widely recognized in the world of interactive entertainment. Composing cinematic orchestral music for blockbuster franchises such as DRAGON AGE, PRINCE OF PERSIA, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, RIFT, TERA, EVERQUEST, LINEAGE, CRYSIS and FALLOUT, he has received international acclaim including award nominations from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and Spike TV as well as top honors at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Variety named Inon Zur one of the top music talents in interactive entertainment.
Sam Hulick www.samhulick.com
Sam Hulick is a BAFTA award nominated and multiple award-winning composer, best known for creating the signature music for BioWare’s epic sci-fi franchise MASS EFFECT. Sam composed the iconic “Mass Effect Theme” as well as “Uncharted Worlds,” “From the Wreckage,” “Sovereign’s Theme,” “Victory,” “Uplink,” and many other compositions for the original MASS EFFECT. The ’80s inspired electronic score was lauded by critics as “One of the most memorable and unique soundtracks in gaming,” (Game Informer) and won Best Original Score awards from IGN, GameSpy and GameSpot. For MASS EFFECT 2, Sam was again tapped for his adept skill of inventive blending of analog synths with orchestral instrumentation. The soundtrack features a suitably darker and more cinematic musical experience to complement the sequel’s heavier subject matter. MASS EFFECT 2 received British Academy (BAFTA) and Spike TV VGA nominations for Best Original Score. The only composer to have worked on all three games in BioWare’s blockbuster sci-fi trilogy, Hulick’s compositions for MASS EFFECT 3 include “Mars”, several key emotional scenes in the game (“I Was Lost Without You”, “I’m Proud of You”) and the epic finale (“An End, Once And For All”). Hulick also recently provided the new original score for MASS EFFECT 3: Extended Cut. The DLC includes new and extended cinematics that feature more of the emotionally impactful material Hulick was responsible for in MASS EFFECT 3. Sam is currently scoring music for BALDUR’S GATE: Enhanced Edition.
Source – Gamepress.com
