High Score: Composition and Sound Art for Gaming goes virtual for the second year in a row and expands to two days and multiple streams of keynotes, panels, feedback sessions and more with the industry's most influential music and audio creators. The free, online conference streams on Saturday 2 October-Sunday 3 October and is open to worldwide participants.
For its sixth year, High Score’s theme is “No Game is an Island” focusing on collaboration, freelancing, and the sharing of knowledge and experience across the industry. Joining us this year are our keynote speakers: Julie Buchanan (Say No! More, Rocket League) speaking to creating and mixing synths, and Jordan Chin (Monster Train, Death’s Door) speaking about sonic storytelling.
High Score brings together both music creators and game developers to explore the important role that audio and sound plays in game design and experience. Anyone who would like to learn more about game audio and composition is welcome to register.
High Score is presented by APRA AMCOS, in partnership with the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, as part of Melbourne International Games Week
Start planning your day. The full program is available now.
| Day 1 - Saturday 2 October 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Stream 1 | Stream 2 | A&R |
| 9:15-9:30 | Acknowledgement of Country & Welcome Angharad Yeo | ||
| 9:30-10:30 | OPENING KEYNOTE: No-ing Your Way Around Synths Julie Buchanan + Angharad Yeo Composer and sound designer Julie Buchanan walks us through her workflow from Say No! More and what lessons she brought with her, from designing instruments in her previous work on Rocket League. | ||
| 10:30-10:50 | Morning tea | ||
| 10:50-11:50 | PRESENTATION: From Surviving to Thriving: How to Make Money as a Freelancer Chel Wong + Angharad Yeo Freelancers are oftentimes found in a position where they're constantly working to make ends meet, or go through long periods of drought with no paid work. US composer Chel Wong will go through the necessary changes in mindset, negotiation, and business skills to help freelancers beyond just surviving, and creating a sustainable career. | PANEL: Going For Gold Zoe Pepper, Nathan Nisbet, Simon Hanna + Jini Maxwell AGDA 2020 Winners for Best Sound and Best Music show why they got the nod at last year’s awards! | A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (8pax) Belinda Coomes, Jesse Harlin, Jules Bain 8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers. |
| 11:50-12:00 | SOUND CHECK!: Innchanted Meena Shamaly, Paulina Samy, Phoebe Watson | ||
| 12:00-13:00 | MULTIPLAYER SESSION: Where the Snow Settles – Creating a Sonic Journey Adam Scott-McGuinness, Alisha Stone + Angharad Yeo Adam Scott-McGuinness and Alisha Stone from Myriad Games Studio, take us through the process of creating both ambient and featured sound in Where the Snow Settles. | TECH MASTERCLASS: Ready To Face the Dark: Equipping audio for survival in Age of Darkness: Final Stand Chris O’Neill, Zachary Zuluaga + Jini Maxwell Procedurally generated RTS Age of Darkness: Final Stand throws up to 70,000 terrifying units on screen at one time. From gruesome combat audio to dynamic music and more, Audio Lead Chris O’Neill and Audio Designer Zachary Zuluaga from PlaySide Studios will demonstrate UE4 audio pipelines, creative strategies in designing (and keeping) the balance, as well as methods for providing players with important gameplay feedback amidst the chaos...all while sonically bringing a forsaken world to life. | |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch break | ||
| 14:00-15:00 | TECH MASTERCLASS: Upping Your WWise Skills David Weaver + Angharad Yeo Technical Audio Designer David Weaver from Playside Studios uses Wwise to develop engaging dialogue systems with callbacks, place actors in a space and have your audio systems informed about your game's geometry. Demonstrating pipelines used in some of Playside's new titles, you'll gain key takeaways across asset management and audio programming responsibilities in the games industry. | ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: What To Expect When Jamming Giselle Rosman, Abby Phillips, Matt Schenkel + Jini Maxwell What is a game jam, why are they a great starting point for your games portfolio and how do they work for audio peeps! | A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (8pax) Belinda Coomes, Lisy Kane, Jules Bain 8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers. |
| 15:00-15:10 | SOUND CHECK!: HOPE – Playing to the Music Maize Wallin, Cecile Richard, Jenny McKechnie | ||
| 15:10-15:50 | MULTIPLAYER SESSION: Beethoven & Dinosaur - The Artful Escape Johnny Galvatron, Josh Abrahams + Angharad Yeo Developer Beethoven & Dinosaur tell us all we need to know about how they integrated wicked licks, and shredding tones in to the much anticipated, and all Victorian game, The Artful Escape. | ||
| 15:50-16:00 | Close of Day 1 Angharad Yeo | ||
| Day 2 - Sunday 3 October 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Stream 1 | Stream 2 | A&R |
| 9:45-10:00 | Acknowledgement of Country & Welcome Angharad Yeo | ||
| 10:00-11:00 | PRESENTATION: The Art of the Score Kevin Penkin + Angharad Yeo BAFTA-nominated games and anime composer Kevin Penkin, walks us through his process for producing orchestral music and how that impacts the writing, recording and final mixing of a soundtrack. | ||
| 11:00-11:20 | Morning tea | ||
| 11:20-12:20 | TECH MASTERCLASS: Creating Ambience Zander Hulme + Angharad Yeo Zander Hulme breaks down practical ways to create ambient environmental tracks how to implement them in game, referencing his most recent project, Windbound. | PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – What to Prepare Nicolette Fraillon, Jessica Wells, Timothy Francis, Daf Camp, + Jini Maxwell Panel discussion on the preparation needed before a recording session with an orchestra – and putting together a cheat sheet to ensure you get what you need. | A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (8pax) Belinda Coomes, Jesse Harlin, David Nash 8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers. |
| 12:20-12:30 | SOUND CHECK!: Cult of the Lamb Narayana Johnston, Julian Wilton | ||
| 12:30-13:30 | ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: Exclusively Yours – Licensing Your Rights Suzanne Derry + Angharad Yeo ArtsLaw’s Suzanne Derry talking through why contracts are important, what to look for, where to get help and some new templates available from ArtsLaw themselves. | PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – How to Record Nicolette Fraillon, Austin Wintory, Erica Kennedy, Stuart Riley + Jini Maxwell Panel discussion on the different processes in recording an orchestra what to consider to get the sound you want. | |
| 13:30-14:20 | Lunch break | ||
| 14:20-15:20 | PANEL: A Taste of Reality Brendan Keogh, Morgan Read, Meredith Hall + Angharad Yeo The real nature the games industry (Aus and abroad) and sound’s place in it. | A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (8pax) Belinda Coomes, Lisy Kane, David Nash 8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers. | |
| 15:20-15:30 | Short break | ||
| 15:30-16:30 | CLOSING KEYNOTE: Sonic Storytelling in Games Jordan Chin + Angharad Yeo Singer-songwriter and games composer, Jordan Chin, showcases a common thread in his musical work, telling stories. Listen as he weaves together his own narrative from threads in his work on indie roguelike deck builder, Monster Train and VR experience, Zenith. | ||
| 16:30-16:45 | Close of Day 2 Angharad Yeo | ||
Keynote: 1-hour session discussing a topic across multiple game projects. We recommend aiming for 45 minutes of presentation and 15 mins of Q&A facilitated by one of our hosts, Angharad “Rad” Yeo.
Based on previous livestreamed events, we’re asking our presenters to pre-record their presentations, so we only need to account for internet issues between our streaming provider and the platform. But we’ll have them interacting with you in our chat throughout and they'll jump onto the stream after the video is completed for live Q&A.
Presentation: 1-hour session focused on a single game project or topic. We recommend aiming for 50 minutes of presentation and 10 mins of Q&A facilitated by one of our hosts, Angharad “Rad” Yeo or Jini Maxwell.
Based on previous livestreamed events, we’re asking our presenters to pre-record their presentations, so we only need to account for internet issues between our streaming provider and the platform. But we’ll have them interacting with you in our chat throughout and they'll jump onto the stream after the video is completed for live Q&A.
Panel: a livestreamed 1-hour discussion of a topic lead by our moderator, Angharad “Rad” Yeo or Jini Maxwell – discussion will begin with some pre-prepared questions before opening up to questions from the audience.
A&R: a feedback session on previously provided audio, sessions will be limited to participants only and we aim get through 8 people in each 1-hour block.
SoundCheck: A short pre-recorded video series produced by Jam Nawaz focusing on why it’s great to work with local composers on your game. Videos feature gameplay, music, group interviews conducted by High Score convenor Cameron Lam.
Freelance Composer and Sound Designer
Award-nominated game composer and sound designer whose work can be found in Say No! More, Rocket League, Godfall, and more.
I'm super honored to be asked to speak at High Score alongside some really talented audio peers and to be able to contribute to making game audio info more accessible.
Freelance Composer/Sound Designer
Composer, sound designer, and singer/songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. He's worked on game titles such as Monster Train and Zenith: The Last City, and is passionate about telling stories with sound.
I love what High Score is doing for the game audio world, and am thrilled to be among such amazing company. See you there!
Freelance audio and sfx composer / chiptune nerd
Abby is an 8 year GGJ veteran with a focus on audio since Melbourne's GGJ2017.
ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: What To Expect When Jamming
Giselle Rosman, Abby Phillips, Matt Schenkel + Jini Maxwell
What is a game jam, why are they a great starting point for your games portfolio and how do they work for audio peeps!
Freelance Composer and Sound Designer. Audio Lead on Where the Snow Settles by Myriad Games Studio
Twitter: @az_gameaudio
My name is Adam Scott-McGuinness and I'm a composer for video games based in Hobart Australia. I discovered my love of composing music for games by accident in 2014 when a casual discussion online with a sound designer led me to writing an adaptive piece of music for a student game. It wasn't long after that I secured my first contract with an indie studio in Melbourne called "Good Game Productions." From then I was hooked on trying to discover innovative ways to implement audio and enhance emotion in the gaming medium. Past studios I've worked with include Storm in a Teacup, Good Game Productions, Sirius Games, One Rat Games and more. Most recently I worked with Myriad Games Studio on their title "Where the Snow Settles" (music composition, sound design and audio implementation).
MULTIPLAYER SESSION: Where the Snow Settles – Creating a Sonic Journey
Adam Scott-McGuinness, Alisha Stone + Angharad Yeo
Adam Scott-McGuinness and Alisha Stone from Myriad Games Studio, take us through the process of creating both ambient and featured sound in Where the Snow Settles.
Creative Director, Myriad Games Studio
Twitter: @alishast_
Hi, I’m Alisha—a maker of digital things and someone who enjoys playing games to relax and escape. I’m the Creative Director at Myriad Games Studio, and I’m also a Business Analyst at RACV for my day job. My role at Myriad Games Studio is constantly varied—I find myself working on the narrative, level design, or art aspects of the game one week, and then I’ll be focusing on planning, documentation, or marketing the next. My experience sits at the intersection between art and tech, so I love that game development is the careful fusing together of so many disciplines and perspectives. Games are a powerful medium for connection and engagement—and I’m passionate about harnessing this to tell stories and create unique experiences.
MULTIPLAYER SESSION: Where the Snow Settles – Creating a Sonic Journey
Adam Scott-McGuinness, Alisha Stone + Angharad Yeo
Adam Scott-McGuinness and Alisha Stone from Myriad Games Studio, take us through the process of creating both ambient and featured sound in Where the Snow Settles.
Presenter
Twitter:@angharadyeo
Angharad "Rad" Yeo is an award-winning television presenter, podcaster, video game critic, musician, and entertainer. She is the host of ABC ME's Good Game Spawn Point, and host/founder of Australia's #1 technology podcast Queens of the Drone Age
Host
Freelance Composer
Twitter:@BelindaCoomes
Music composer specialising in composing for games including Ring of Pain and Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun Rising. Additionally is the Ingestion Coordinator at Instyle Music, a music library providing music for Film, Television, and media, where she is involved in the music submission process.
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes + 2 Guests 8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
Saturday 2nd October 2021:
10:50 – 11:50 AEST: Jesse Harlin, Jules Bain
14:00 – 15:00 AEST: Lisy Kane, Jules Bain
Sunday 3rd October 2021:
11:20 – 12:20 AEST: Jesse Harlin, David Nash
14:20 – 15:20 AEST: Lisy Kane, David Nash
Lecturer, School of Communication, QUT
Twitter:@brkeogh
Brendan Keogh (he/him) is a researcher at Queensland University of Technology in the Digital Media Research Centre, and the co-organiser of the Squiggly River Game Collective. He has been active in the Australian gamemaking community for over a decade as a critic, educator, researcher, and amateur gamemaker. He is the author of A Play of Bodies: How We Perceive Videogames; Killing is Harmless; and The Unity Game Engine and the Circuits of Cultural Software (co-authored with Benjamin Nicoll)
PANEL: A Taste of Reality
Brendan Keogh, Morgan Read, Meredith Hall + Angharad Yeo
The real nature the games industry (Aus and abroad) and sound’s place in it.
Digital Artist
Twitter:@haraiva
A Short Bio: Cecile Richard is a graphic designer, zine maker and game designer living in Melbourne whose artistic work often revolves around the themes of memory, connection and belonging. Their most well-known works include award-winning short Bitsy games novena, ENDLESS SCROLL, and UNDER A STAR CALLED SUN.
SOUND CHECK!: HOPE – Playing to the Music
Maize Wallin, Cecile Richard, Jenny McKechnie
Co-organizer of Game Audio Boston, and Founder & Producer of the Charity EP Jam for AbleGamers
Twitter:@ChelWongAudio
Award winning freelance composer, Co-organizer of Game Audio Boston, and Founder & Producer of the Charity EP Jam for AbleGamers. She is known for her work on Kine, OnlyCans: Thirstdate, currently writing for Whisker Squadron and doing sound design for She Dreams Elsewhere.
PRESENTATION: From Surviving to Thriving: How to Make Money as a Freelancer
Chel Wong + Angharad Yeo
Freelancers are oftentimes found in a position where they're constantly working to make ends meet, or go through long periods of drought with no paid work. US composer Chel Wong will go through the necessary changes in mindset, negotiation, and business skills to help freelancers beyond just surviving, and creating a sustainable career.
Audio Lead at PlaySide Studios
Twitter:@playsideaudio
Lead music maker, explosion engineer and creature creator at PlaySide Studios. Chris has worked with clients such as Google, Square Enix, Warner Bros and IBM, but personal highlights include remixing 'Snake Eater' for Metal Gear Solid V, designing audio for the BBC's first ever VR documentary, and getting eaten by a T-Rex as the voice of the 'Trapper' class in Primal Carnage: Extinction.
TECH MASTERCLASS:
Ready To Face the Dark: Equipping audio for survival in Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Chris O’Neill, Zachary Zuluaga + Jini Maxwell
Procedurally generated RTS Age of Darkness: Final Stand throws up to 70,000 terrifying units on screen at one time. From gruesome combat audio to dynamic music and more, Audio Lead Chris O’Neill and Audio Designer Zachary Zuluaga from PlaySide Studios will demonstrate UE4 audio pipelines, creative strategies in designing (and keeping) the balance, as well as methods for providing players with important gameplay feedback amidst the chaos...all while sonically bringing a forsaken world to life.
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – What to Prepare
Nicolette Fraillon , Jessica Wells, Timothy Francis, Daf Camp, + Jini Maxwell
Panel discussion on the preparation needed before a recording session with an orchestra – and putting together a cheat sheet to ensure you get what you need.
Head Of Catalogue & Operations
Twitter:@NativeTonguePub
David has been a member of the Native Tongue Music Publishing team for over 12 years, after graduating from Victoria University with a Bachelor Of Business (Music/Events) in 2008. During that time he began working in Copyright & Royalties, before eventually managing that Department. Currently, he continues to oversee the Administration side of the business while being responsible for Operations at Native Tongue. David’s current role continues to also include an active participation with Native Tongue’s screen composition roster, including signing new talent, seeking opportunities for existing talent, negotiating fees & executing agreements on behalf of their writers.
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Jesse Harlin, David Nash
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Lisy Kane, David Nash
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
Technical Audio Designer at Playside Studios
Twitter:@playsideaudio
Lord of APIs and Slayer of Voice Counts at PlaySide Studios. David has applied his audio programming know-how to everything from interactive installations and personal-care VR simulators to tool development for Ghosts of Tsushima and Watchdogs 3. This has taken him from swanky Sundance screenings to sweltering days at the track, praying to the microphone gods whilst recording high-powered drift cars.
TECH MASTERCLASS: Upping Your WWise Skills
David Weaver + Angharad Yeo
Technical Audio Designer David Weaver from Playside Studios uses Wwise to develop engaging dialogue systems with callbacks, place actors in a space and have your audio systems informed about your game's geometry. Demonstrating pipelines used in some of Playside's new titles, you'll gain key takeaways across asset management and audio programming responsibilities in the games industry.
Associate Principal First Violin, Orchestra Victoria
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – How to Record
Nicolette Fraillon, Austin Wintory, Erica Kennedy, Stuart Riley + Jini Maxwell
Panel discussion on the different processes in recording an orchestra what to consider to get the sound you want.
Director, Locomojam and Melbourne Global Game Jam
Twitter:@jazzrozz
Giselle has been making jams with games since 2011 as Melbourne Global Game Jam Director, at times global Global Game Jam Producer, and more recently started Locomojam : Australia's first train jam. Her day job is Recruitment Manager at Big Ant Studios.
ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: What To Expect When Jamming
Giselle Rosman, Abby Phillips, Matt Schenkel + Jini Maxwell
What is a game jam, why are they a great starting point for your games portfolio and how do they work for audio peeps?
Singer and guitarist in Cable Ties
Jenny McKechnie is a songwriter who has spent the last 10 years playing in Melbourne punk bands. She is most well known for her vocal wallop and guitar pyrotechnics in Cable Ties.
SOUND CHECK!: HOPE – Playing to the Music
Maize Wallin, Cecile Richard, Jenny McKechnie
Music Supervisor at Cloud Chamber, 2K
Twitter:@oogew
Jesse's career in interactive audio spans two millennia. He is currently the Music Supervisor for Cloud Chamber, the 2K studio behind the next BioShock game. Before that, he was a freelance composer and the the staff Composer/Music Supervisor for LucasArts for 10 years where he invented the Mandalorian language and wrote space pig folk music (no lie). He also wrote the monthly "Aural Fixation" column for Game Developer Magazine for six years. His credits include titles such as Valorant, Star Wars: Republic Commando, the BAFTA-winning Yoku’s Island Express, Mafia: Definitive Edition and Mafia III, lead composer on Star Wars: The Old Republic, as well as contributing music to both League of Legends and Counter Strike: Global Offensive.
DAY 1
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Jesse Harlin, Jules Bain
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
DAY 2
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Jesse Harlin, David Nash
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
Composer and Director of Jigsaw Music
Twitter:@jessjigsawmusic
Jessica Wells is a versatile composer, orchestrator, and arranger for concerts, films, theatre, and album recordings. Since obtaining her Master of Music in Composition (Sydney Conservatorium) and Master of Arts in Screen Composition (AFTRS), her career has gone from strength to strength. Her business of 15 years, Jigsaw Music, provides music preparation services for clients all over the country and overseas. Jessica has orchestrated over 70 films and wrote the theme music for ABC TV’s “Q&A” program – which makes her kids think she’s famous. She was a 2017 Finalist in the APRA Art Music Awards, in the category of “Instrumental Work of the Year” for her piece “Moon Fire” for the National Carillon and electronic track. From 2017-2020 she has been the Musical Director of the APRA Screen Music Awards, and she is the current Vice President of the Music Arrangers’ Guild of Australia.
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – What to Prepare
Nicolette Fraillon, Jessica Wells, + 2 more, + Jini Maxwell
On Orchestra Victoria’s history of working with dance, theatre and film and how that translates into work on games.
Games Reporter at Screenhub
Twitter:@astroblob
Jini Maxwell is is a writer and curator based in Melbourne. They're the games and digital content lead for screen industry publication Screenhub, where they write about the people and circumstances that create videogames. They also write a monthly games criticism column for The Saturday Paper, and host ACMI's Women and Non-Binary Gamers Club.
Host
Creative Director
Twitter:@johnnygalvatron
The Artful Escape is composed by Johnny Galvatron and Josh Abrahams. Johnny and Josh met when Josh Abrahams randomly rocked up at Johnny's apartment and said, "I heard you're making some weird Van Halen shit. Can I hear it?" They've worked together for nearly 20 years now. Johnny toured the world in the Galvatrons. Josh had Australia's biggest ever dance hit, and composed music for films, including Moulin Rouge, but they were always in the studio together, making everything from sci-fi guitar odyssey's to haunting synth requiems for glimmering deserts. Together on the same project at last they've made the soundtrack for the Artful Escape, the debut game from Johnny's studio, Beethoven & Dinosaur. They both enjoy Devo, synthesizers, the Roland GR 300 and doing covers of pop songs in Bob Dylan's voice.
MULTIPLAYER SESSION: Beethoven & Dinosaur - The Artful Escape
Johnny Galvatron, Josh Abrahams + Angharad Yeo
Developer Beethoven Dinosaur tell us all we need to know about how they integrated wicked licks, and shredding tones in to the much anticipated, and all Victorian game, The Artful Escape.
Freelance Composer/Sound Designer
Twitter:@jordanchinmusic
Composer, sound designer, and singer/songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. He's worked on game titles such as Monster Train and Zenith: The Last City, and is passionate about telling stories with sound.
CLOSING KEYNOTE: Sonic Storytelling in Games
Jordan Chin + Angharad Yeo
Singer-songwriter and games composer, Jordan Chin, showcases a common thread in his musical work, telling stories. Listen as he weaves together his own narrative from threads in his work on indie roguelike deck builder, Monster Train and VR experience, Zenith.
Composer
The Artful Escape is composed by Johnny Galvatron and Josh Abrahams. Johnny and Josh met when Josh Abrahams randomly rocked up at Johnny's apartment and said, "I heard you're making some weird Van Halen shit. Can I hear it?" They've worked together for nearly 20 years now. Johnny toured the world in the Galvatrons. Josh had Australia's biggest ever dance hit, and composed music for films, including Moulin Rouge, but they were always in the studio together, making everything from sci-fi guitar odyssey's to haunting synth requiems for glimmering deserts. Together on the same project at last they've made the soundtrack for the Artful Escape, the debut game from Johnny's studio, Beethoven & Dinosaur. They both enjoy Devo, synthesizers, the Roland GR 300 and doing covers of pop songs in Bob Dylan's voice.
MULTIPLAYER SESSION: Beethoven & Dinosaur - The Artful Escape
Johnny Galvatron, Josh Abrahams + Angharad Yeo
Developer Beethoven Dinosaur tell us all we need to know about how they integrated wicked licks, and shredding tones in to the much anticipated, and all Victorian game, The Artful Escape.
Head of Sync, The Mushroom Group
Jules began her music industry career in 1992, working at Virgin Records UK in London, on artists including The Spice Girls, George Michael, Lenny Kravitz and Massive Attack. She set up Virgin’s first Sync Department in the mid 90s and worked on campaigns for global clients such as Adidas, Pepsi, Pirelli and Peugeot. Following a 5 year stint at Warners UK she returned home to Australia and has been working with The Mushroom Group since 2007 where she is the Head of Sync across publishing and labels.
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Jesse Harlin, Jules Bain
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Lisy Kane, Jules Bain
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
Creative Director at Massive Monster
Twitter:@JulianWilton_
A Short Bio: Julian Wilton is Creative Director at Massive Monster who has a passion for drawing faces on things. He is a multi-disciplinary artist working in visual communication, installations and games and loves making things that make people feel weird inside.
SOUND CHECK!: Cult of the Lamb
Narayana Johnston, Julian Wilton
Freelance Composer and Sound Designer
Twitter: @jbuaudio
Award-nominated game composer and sound designer whose work can be found in Say No! More, Rocket League, Godfall, and more.
A Media Quote on why you’re excited to speak at High Score: I'm super honored to be asked to speak at High Score alongside some really talented audio peers and to be able to contribute to making game audio info more accessible.
OPENING KEYNOTE: No-ing Your Way Around Synths
Julie Buchanan + Angharad Yeo
Composer and sound designer Julie Buchanan walks us through her workflow from Say No! More and what lessons she brought with her, from designing instruments in her previous work on Rocket League.
Composer
Twitter: @kevinpenkin
PRESENTATION: The Art of the Score
Kevin Penkin + Angharad Yeo
BAFTA-nominated games and anime composer Kevin Penkin, walks us through his process for producing orchestral music and how that impacts the writing, recording and final mixing of a soundtrack.
Production Director at League of Geeks and Co-Founder of Girl Geek Academy
Twitter:@lisyk
Lisy Kane is the Production Director and Melbourne indie studio, League of Geeks and has seen through the development of the internationally successful games-as-a-service title Armello. From here, she has grown a production department to support exciting new projects by a talented team. As well as this, she has co-founded social good startup Girl Geek Academy as a response to wanting to see what the world would look like if technology wasn't just built by men. She is also a classically trained musician who once wanted to be a full-time tragic rockstar.
Day 1 :
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Lisy Kane, Jules Bain
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
Day 2:
A&R SESSIONS: Feedback Frenzy (10pax)
Belinda Coomes, Lisy Kane, David Nash
8 participants get direct feedback on their work from games industry and music publishers.
Technical Sound Designer
Twitter:@hxctropius
Melbourne-based muso and audio generalist specialising in sound design and implementation for video games. Co-founder of Sub-Zero Sound, a game audio studio servicing the local creative industries. Passionate about the Australian games industry and has worked with independent studios on games for mobile, PC, Nintendo Switch, Oculus Quest, and more.
ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: What To Expect When Jamming
Giselle Rosman, Abby Phillips, Matt Schenkel + Jini Maxwell
What is a game jam, why are they a great starting point for your games portfolio and how do they work for audio peeps!
Freelance Composer, Vocalist, Multi-Instrumentalist, and Radio Presenter
Twitter:@musophrenic
Meena Shamaly is a composer, session musician, poet, and host of Game Show on ABC Classic. He creates music for stories in games, film, and the live stage, with special attention to true cultural engagement. He is also sought for his Middle Eastern vocal and oud performances, recently featuring on Christopher Tin's soundtrack for the game Old World. Meena is the composer of Innchanted, developed in Victoria by DragonBear Studios, in collaboration with some of Australia’s finest First Nations musicians.
SOUND CHECK!: Innchanted - Cultural integrity and Indigenous collaboration
Meena Shamaly, Paulina Samy, Phoebe Watson, Allara Briggs Pattison
Independent Producer
Twitter:@merryh
Meredith is a multi-award winning producer and marketer. She is the cofounder of Accessibility Unlocked, Communications Director & Lead Producer on HoloVista and a frequent public speaker and advocate. She spent three years at Film Victoria supporting the local independent games industry, was named one of 50 under 50 in InGames 2019 Gender Equality in Games list, and was named Rising Star at the 2020 Australian Game Developer Awards.
PANEL: A Taste of Reality
Brendan Keogh, Morgan Read, Meredith Hall + Angharad Yeo
The real nature the games industry (Aus and abroad) and sound’s place in it.
Sound Designer and Composer at Mighty Kingdom
Morgan Read is an Adelaide-based games composer, sound designer, musician, and producer who has been working with Mighty Kingdom since 2013. Morgan applies his years of experience performing in bands, working in film, and producing award-winning remixes, to the sound design and musical scores for all of Mighty Kingdom's games.
PANEL: A Taste of Reality
Brendan Keogh, Morgan Read, Meredith Hall + Angharad Yeo
The real nature the games industry (Aus and abroad) and sound’s place in it.
Audio Director on Cult of the Lamb
Twitter:@RiverBoyBeats
Music producer, composer and songwriter. Background in pop as one half of Willow Beats and solo project River Boy. Toured Australia multiple times and played festivals such as Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival. Played support for Tash Sultana, Flume, Alison Wonderland and more. Currently scoring and producing music for Cult Of the Lamb.
SOUND CHECK!: Cult of the Lamb
Narayana Johnston, Julian Wilton
Sound Designer & Composer
Producer and sound engineer based in Perth, Australia. Recorded mixed 14 releases under his own name and artist names, Captn K and Blind Tiger via his own record label Picnic Records Australia. Additionally composed music and sound design for theatre and short film. Nathan is sound engineer at his own live music venue Rodney's Bait n Tackle.
PANEL: Going For Gold
Zoe Pepper, Nathan Nisbet, Simon Hanna + Jini Maxwell
AGDA 2020 Winners for Best Sound and Best Music show why they got the nod at last year’s awards!
Music Director & Chief Conductor, The Australian Ballet; Artistic Director, Orchestra Victoria
Nicolette grew up in Melbourne, a child of immigrant parents of French Huguenot, Sicilian and Austrian Jewish origins. Music runs in the family as both grandfathers were cellists, and her great uncle was principal bass player with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
She started violin and piano studies as a child, deciding aged 12 that she wanted to become a conductor. Her pathway to this took her through a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Melbourne and then further studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria. In 1992 she was a prize winner at the Kondrashin International Conductors Competition of the Netherlands resulting in her conducting debut with the Nederlands Dans Theater. This was closely followed by the offer of the position of Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Dutch National Ballet and engagements with the National Ballet of Finland, the San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet and multiple European symphony orchestras.
In 1995, Nicolette guested with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first Australian woman to conduct an Australian symphony orchestra. Then, in June 1998, she was appointed Director of the School of Music at the Australian National University in Canberra. In 2002 she was invited by then Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister, to guest with the Company, becoming its Chief Conductor and Music Director of The Australian Ballet in 2003. Over almost 19 years with the Company Nicolette has conducted hundreds of performances for The Australian Ballet and toured with them to Paris, London, New York, Tokyo and China.
Throughout Nicolette’s career she has been a trailblazer for women in classical music, being the first female conductor for most of the companies and orchestras with whom she worked and is still the world's only female Music Director of a ballet company.
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – What to Prepare
Nicolette Fraillon, Jessica Wells, Timothy Francis, Daf Camp, + Jini Maxwell
Panel discussion on the preparation needed before a recording session with an orchestra – and putting together a cheat sheet to ensure you get what you need.
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – How to Record
Nicolette Fraillon, Austin Wintory, Erica Kennedy, Stuart Riley + Jini Maxwell
Panel discussion on the different processes in recording an orchestra what to consider to get the sound you want.
Creative Director
Twitter:@paulinapunlina
Paulina is an independent game designer, artist, and the Creative Director of DragonBear Studios. She is a passionate advocate of accessibility and diverse representation across industry. Best known for her work on the upcoming game Innchanted, Paulina is enjoying the complexity of using narrative design to explore serious social issues within the context of humour and adorable art styles. In the past she has worked in a few industries across in government, NGO, and private sector. In her leisure time Paulina can be found practising historical sword fighting, and playing video & tabletop games.
SOUND CHECK!: Innchanted - Cultural integrity and Indigenous collaboration
Meena Shamaly, Paulina Samy, Phoebe Watson, Allara Briggs Pattison
Game Designer
Twitter:@PhoebeJaneW
Phoebe is a proud Yarrer Gunditj woman of the Maar Nation from Australia. Since graduating from RMIT with a bachelors degree in game design, she has continued to work in the games industry doing writing, game design and consultations.
SOUND CHECK!: Innchanted
Meena Shamaly, Paulina Samy, Phoebe Watson, Allara Briggs Pattison
Video Game Music Composer & Creator of OST Tabletop Music Companion
Twitter:@GrandPrizeBF
Award Winning Composer of the RITE soundtrack and creator of OST TABLETOP MUSIC COMPANION. Currently working with Immutable on the digital trading card game GODS UNCHAINED.
PANEL: Going For Gold
Zoe Pepper, Nathan Nisbet, Simon Hanna + Jini Maxwell
AGDA 2020 Winners for Best Sound and Best Music show why they got the nod at last year’s awards!
Section Principal Bass, Orchestra Victoria
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – How to Record
Nicolette Fraillon, Austin Wintory, Erica Kennedy, Stuart Rile + Jini Maxwell
Panel discussion on the different processes in recording an orchestra what to consider to get the sound you want.
Senior Solicitor/Director of National Partnerships and Programs
Twitter:@ArtsLawAU
Suzanne Derry is the Senior Solicitor at the Arts Law Centre of Australia, where she has worked for over 10 years. Suzanne has worked for a number of community legal centres and a boutique entertainment law practice. Suzanne provides legal advice on a copyright, contract, defamation, debt and business structures. Suzanne enjoys educating artists about their rights and providing practical advice across a range of arts areas.
ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: Exclusively Yours – Licensing Your Rights
Suzanne Derry + Angharad Yeo
ArtsLaw’s Suzanne Derry talking through why contracts are important, what to look for, where to get help and some new templates available from ArtsLaw themselves.
Associate Principal Trumpet, Orchestra Victoria
Timothy grew up in Brisbane and began trumpet lessons with his father at the age of six. After his initial studies in Australia he moved to Germany where he would study and work professionally as a trumpet trumpet player for a little more than a decade. In January 2020 Timothy moved his life to Melbourne and since then has had the privilege of holding the position of Associate Principal Trumpet with Orchestra Victoria. Timothy is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium, Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and most recently received a Master of Music degree from the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin.
PANEL: Achievement Unlocked: Writing for Orchestra – What to Prepare
Nicolette Fraillon, Jessica Wells, Timothy Francis, Daf Camp, + Jini Maxwell
Panel discussion on the preparation needed before a recording session with an orchestra – and putting together a cheat sheet to ensure you get what you need.
Audio Designer at PlaySide Studios
Twitter:@playsideaudio
Sound sculptor, mix magician and hardware fiend at PlaySide Studios. Zach has progressed from wrangling bands in studio and live sound engineering settings, to wrangling thousands of VO assets for DC's latest Batman AR release, to wrangling a mix of tens of thousands of screeching nightmares for PlaySide's upcoming RTS release Age of Darkness: Final Stand.. .which is honestly not all that dissimilar to wrangling the bands.
TECH MASTERCLASS: Ready To Face the Dark: Equipping audio for survival in Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Chris O’Neill, Zachary Zuluaga + Jini Maxwell
Procedurally generated RTS Age of Darkness: Final Stand throws up to 70,000 terrifying units on screen at one time. From gruesome combat audio to dynamic music and more, Audio Lead Chris O’Neill and Audio Designer Zachary Zuluaga from PlaySide Studios will demonstrate UE4 audio pipelines, creative strategies in designing (and keeping) the balance, as well as methods for providing players with important gameplay feedback amidst the chaos...all while sonically bringing a forsaken world to life.
Director at Supertonic
Twitter:@zanderhulme
Director of Australian game audio company Supertonic, his true passion is in designing and optimising interactive sound and music systems. Recently he was Audio Lead on 5 Lives Studios' Windbound – a sailing/crafting/survival game featuring a sophisticated adaptive music system and a menagerie of fantastical squeaking, roaring, and belching creatures.
TECH MASTERCLASS: Creating Ambience
Zander Hulme + Angharad Yeo
Zander Hulme breaks down practical ways to create ambient environmental tracks how to implement them in game, referencing his most recent project, Windbound.
Head of Creative at Audioplay
Zoe is a writer and director for film, theatre and immersive media. Zoe’s previous work has secured her numerous awards including an Australian Director’s Guild Award, an Australian Game Developers Award and a Helpmann Award nomination.
PANEL: Going For Gold
Zoe Pepper, Nathan Nisbet, Simon Hanna + Jini Maxwell
AGDA 2020 Winners for Best Sound and Best Music show why they got the nod at last year’s awards!