BY ANGELO VALDIVIA FOR LEVEL AND GAIN
In early October, I attended High Score: Composition for Sound Art and Gaming, as part of the Melbourne International Games Week. The two-day event, run by APRA AMCOS, provided insight into the minds of some of the most interesting personalities creating music with games.
But it was Takahiro Izutani — whose CV includes Yakuza 2, the Bayonetta series, and Metal Gear Solid 4, and performs under the stage name Dugo — who topped off the weekend with a seminar discussing his experiences in becoming a professional artist.
I say artist, and not composer, because Izutani spoke specifically to the idea of not limiting your skillset as a musician, and keeping yourself open to musical diversity.
“I survived the games industry using my imagination and creativity,” Izutani said in his seminar.
“The big difference between games music and the creation of your own art is where your ideas and concepts come from.”
In his talk, Izutani delved into the process of how he worked with game directors, to understand their motivations behind what they’re trying to depict in a scene, in order to reflect those ideas in the music.
Read the full coverage right here on Level and Gain, a new screen music publication from the creative team behind CutCommon.
Images supplied.
