A trailblazer in the sound industry, this young and talented sound designer is redefining excellence with every project. Passionate about crafting immersive audio experiences for games, he approaches each challenge with a relentless drive and unwavering work ethic. Turning obstacles into opportunities for growth, he is committed to delivering extraordinary results that elevate the gaming experience. With a unique perspective that sets him apart, he is poised to make a significant impact in the field. Get ready to dive into his inspiring journey and discover what fuels his creativity.

Q. What Qualifications do you have?
A. Bachelor of Arts Honours in Visual Communication with specialisation in Sound Design

Q. When did you graduate?
A. Nov 2020

Q. What did you major in?
A. Sound Design

Q. How did your passion for sound design evolve, and what led you to pursue a career in this field? Were there any specific experiences or influences that played a significant role in shaping your journey?
A. My sound design “Journey” began at Open Window. I actually wanted to be more of a video editor when I first started studying, with the dreams of editing gaming content for a living. However, after attending a few “compulsory” sound design classes I soon fell in love with the creative medium. If I were to pinpoint a specific moment where I knew I wanted to be a sound designer I’d say it was watching a video of Ben Burtt explaining how he made the sounds of Star Wars.

Q.Sound design is a diverse field with various applications, from film and video games to virtual reality and live events. Can you tell us about the area of sound design that you find most fascinating and the projects you’ve worked on within that domain?
A. I think all areas of sound have their own fascinating aspects. However, I’d have to say that the sound of the game is what I enjoy most. Probably due to the fact you control what happens on screen and however, you choose to interact with a character and the environment in which the character lives. In regards to what projects I am working on, I am currently working for BOOM Library where I mostly create Strata Sound Effects libraries for game audio sound designers. My first library (Close Combat) has actually just been released.

Q. Technology has been rapidly advancing in recent years. How do you stay updated with the latest tools and techniques in sound design, and how important do you think it is for professionals in the field to keep evolving with technology?
A. It’s very important to keep up to date with technological advances in the audio world and actually in the creative space in general. I mostly do this by reading and engaging in audio-specific Discord servers or Facebook forums.

Q. Collaboration is often essential in sound design, as it involves working with directors, producers, composers, and other team members. How do you approach collaborative projects, and what advice would you give to students on effective teamwork in sound design?
A. My approach changes depending on the project. However, it always starts with research. For example, when I did my Close Combat sound effects library for Strata. I started the project by researching and compiling punch sound effects across different genres and content formats. This can help establish the project’s overall mood and direction. From here you can present your findings to the team and prepare accordingly.

Q. Sound design can be both a technical and artistic process. How do you strike a balance between the technical aspects, such as working with software and equipment, and the creative aspects of designing sounds that evoke emotions and enhance storytelling?
A. For me personally, the technicalities and artistic processes go hand-in-hand. Great sound designers know how to technically manipulate their software or recording techniques in order to achieve their desired effects.

Q. Throughout your career, you must have faced various challenges. Can you share an example of a particularly demanding or memorable project and how you overcame the obstacles to achieve a successful outcome?
A. My goodness, various projects have almost made me cry or re-evaluate my career choices but I’d say on-set location audio has to be the most stressful audio job I have ever done. Working with actors and directors can be tricky so developing people skills is a must for this line of work. Especially because you are all up in the personal spaces of the actors. So pro tip: Make sure you are good at making friends fast. Work on those people skills.

Q. Top 3 Podcasts?
A.Tonebenders, Sound Matters and Startalk. (If you are looking for a cool sound-designed audio experience podcast check out 3D Escape Room: Frequency.)

Q. Sound design can be an invisible yet powerful element of storytelling. Are there any unique techniques you’ve used to create subtle but impactful soundscapes that may not immediately stand out but greatly contribute to the overall experience?
A.REVERBERATION !!! I wrote my honours paper about reverberation and its effects on driving the narrative of a story. I think my Honours paper is still somewhere in the OWI library.

Q. In the realm of sound design, field recording plays a crucial role in capturing authentic sounds. Can you share your approach to recording and your favourite or most unusual field recording experience?
A. I had no idea how in-depth you can plan for a recording expedition until I worked at BOOM Library. So my approach has completely changed. Checking the weather and even how busy the air traffic is in the area in which you’ll be recording is key to recording good-quality source material. I’d say the most unusual field recording experience I still have is when I record with a Binaural Dummy head, everyone just stares or ruins my recordings by asking about the dummy head.

Q. Do you have any favourite free resources you can share?
A.Smartsound, BOOM Library and Strata from Audiokinetic.

Q. What’s your go-to creative snack?
A. It has to be peanut or peanut butter M&M’s.

Q. Any favourite hobbies?
A.I love to game but I have recently started playing some Padel.

Q. With the rise of virtual reality and immersive media, sound plays an even more significant role in shaping the user’s experience. How do you approach sound design for immersive technologies, and what opportunities do you see for the future of sound design in this area?
A. This area of sound design is extremely exciting but also quite complex. I’m no expert in this particular field of sound design but more and more opportunities are on the rise for spatial audio. These opportunities can range from “normal” 360 Audio to Mixed Reality (MR) Extended Reality (XR) or even Simulation Training etc. I’d like to see what Apple do with the Apple Vision Pro.

Q. As an experienced sound designer, what advice would you give to aspiring sound designers who are just starting their journey in the industry? Are there any resources or learning approaches that you found particularly valuable in your own development?
A. Find a mentor that you trust. Establishing a good mentor-mentee relationship is essential to developing within the industry. This can help you constantly refine your skills and provide alternative perspectives on projects and approaches. So shoutout to my mentor Florian Bodenschatz you are that guy pal.