CONTENT COURTESY APRA AMCOS
With a booming games industry comes a demand for the music that soundtracks a player’s experience. As part of Melbourne International Games Week,APRA AMCOS, in partnership with Creative Victoria, will present its popular High Score: Composition and Sound Art for Gaming, a full day dedicated to the craft and business of composing for games. Tickets are on sale now.
Taking place at Southbank’s game development hub The Arcade on Saturday 20 October, and facilitated by host of ABC ME’s Spawn Point Angharad ‘Rad’ Yeo, High Score will kick off with a keynote from London-via-Perth composer and arranger Kevin Penkin.
“Video game music is really coming into its own, and I am so thrilled to be heading to Melbourne to talk about the nuances, skills and the process of composing for games,” said Penkin, whose credits include collaborations with legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and the scores to the anime series Made in Abyss and Melbourne-based craft game Florence.
“High Score is the kind of event I wish I could have attended when I was just starting out,” he said.
With a program mix of quick talks on hot topics like AI and how to work with developers, to in-depth industry panels covering royalties, grants, licensing and beyond, composers and music creators of all skill levels are encouraged to attend.
Also announced for the event are BAFTA-winning composer Jeff van Dyck and audio designer Anne-Marie Weber, the creatives behind the sound world of Hand of Fate 2.
Co-founders of Melbourne’s Girl Geek Academy, Sarah Moran and Lisy Kane will be sharing insights across topics including diversity in teams, project management, and how to break into the industry.
A slate of industry pros from Remote Control Records, Film Victoria, Pozible, The Otherworld Agency and more will also take part, and the day will include ample time for networking.
Jana Gibson, Head of Member Services, APRA AMCOS said: “Composing music and sound for games is by no means a niche speciality. It is a very viable professional opportunity, and we’ve produced High Score to help composers make inroads into this growing and diverse sector.”
“It’s fantastic to have music as part of a really dynamic offering of programs at Melbourne International Games Week,” says Gibson.
HIGH SCORE: COMPOSITION AND SOUND ART FOR GAMING
9am-6.30pm October 20
The Arcade, 164 Kings Way, South Melbourne
TICKETS
APRA AMCOS Members: $60
Non-members: $80
(includes lunch and refreshments)
Tickets are on sale now. For more information on the day’s program and to book: http://bit.ly/2O9aJWW
High Score: Composition and Sound Art for Gaming is presented by APRA AMCOS and supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
