Haunted Behind Design

#29: Virginia joins the show to break down the reality of building a sustainable game audio career. We chat about her work on The Baby in Yellow, why indie horror hits so differently, and what makes game dev so rewarding.You can follow Virginia's work here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@virginia-leo

Website: https://www.virginia-leo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginxel/?hl=en

#28: In this episode, James and I tell our stories about our recent work situations. We talk about navigating a layoff and leaving a toxic workplace. We also express our frustration with the state of Halo as a franchise, and where it will go from Campaign Evolved.

You can follow James and his work here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JKPRising

Website: https://jkprising.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkprising/

#27: Joshua Carro, the in-house music composer for Gearbox, has worked on the music systems in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands and is currently working on Borderlands 4.

In this episode, we discuss Josh's path to becoming Gearbox's composer and the trend of leaving a 9-5 job to go freelance, whether that is composing, sound design, or developing your own indie game. We cover the uncertainty behind the games industry with the ongoing layoff announcements from both AAA and AA game studios and our reasoning for finding joy in going back to playing older games.

Find Joshua here:

Website: https://www.joshuacarro.com/media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundinglight/

#26: Samantha van der Sluis is a composer for the indie games Cloudscape, Petit Island, Love, Ghostie, and Islands & Trains. She also works in the music department for films such as Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Here, we talk about composing in your niche and how that can get you work you enjoy as a freelancer. We will cover this year's GDC, where you can get opportunities to make new friends and get more work. And lastly, we talk about the state of the game industry with the recent layoffs.

Find Samantha van der Sluis here:

Website: https://www.samanthavandersluis.com/

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7589991/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SamanthavanderSluis9

#25: Jesse Zuretti and Cody Matthew Johnson are Video Game Composers who started Nocturne Heretic, a company specializing in Music composition for Video Games.

Jesse has worked on many horror film projects and worked with Marvel from 2018-2023, and is now working with Riot Games on 2XKO aka Project L. Cody previously worked on Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Resident Evil 2, and recently Star Wars Outlaws.

We will be talking about their experiences starting a Video Game Music Company, our favorite horror influences in film and games, and the music nominees for this year's Game Awards 2024.

Find Jesse & Cody Here:

Jesse's Website: https://www.jessezuretti.com/

Jesse's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessezuretti

Cody's Website: https://www.codymatthewjohnson.com/

Cody's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codymatthewjohnson/

#24: Ross Tregenza does both Composing and Sound Design for video games. Tregenza is known for his work on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Helldivers 2, Cyberpunk 2077, DEATHLOOP, Dead Island 2, and many more.

We will be talking about the layoffs going on in the video game industry. We also discuss the nuances of Generative AI in how it affects the industry.

Find Ross Here:

Website: https://www.rosstregenza.com/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCprppoNiupcRw9KTlUHqy1AInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tregenza_music/

#23: Jalyssa has worked in various media throughout her career. She started as a Project Manager with IGN, then became an Operations Coordinator with Netflix, and a Creative Producer with Twitch.

Jalyssa and I talk about the challenges of the Games Industry regarding layoffs, and how making friends in the industry goes a long way in finding the next job.

Find Jalyssa Here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalyssaeliasen/

#22: Megan McDuffee is an Award-Winning Video Game Composer who is well-known for her compositions in the River City Girls' games, APEX Legends: Mobile, Atari Recharged, and many more! She also worked in film with projects such as Annihilation, and The Predator (2018) trailer.

Megan and I talk about her process when it comes to getting paid work as a Video Game Composer. Megan talks about how challenging it was in the beginning, and her thoughts on unlocking your own brand as a Composer in Video Games.

Follow Megan here:

Website: https://meganmcduffee.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megmcduffee/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/meganmcduffee

#21: Cindy Tran is the Social Media Specialist with Obsidian Entertainment.

Cindy and I chat about transitioning from Medicine to working as a Social Media Specialist in the Games Industry. We cover how important authenticity is when creating content with a team like Obsidian. Cindy also tells her story of different interview processes she experienced.

Find Cindy Tran here:

LinkedIn:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idspuds_

#20: Rachel Hardy is known for her music covers on YouTube. Rachel is a trained vocalist and has also composed music for films and video games.

Rachel and I chat about her process of being a YouTuber and talking about her growth as a Musician and Content Creator. We also chat about learning to be okay with our early work as creatives to showcase the growth of our work.

Follow Rachel Hardy here:

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcxZOARrMHXpKCsP4WnJLAQ

Website: https://www.rachelhardymusic.com/