demo reel · how to · sound design · Video Games ·Sep 30, 2024

Tips on getting a job in sound design for games

While there is very rarely a magic genie that will give you a job in sound design, there are certain things you can do to greatly improve your chances of getting noticed in the bustling world of Sound Design for video games. We hope that this article can provide you with some good ideas and practical steps to take on your way to becoming a serious contender for a junior sound designer position. It is assumed that you know how to put audio to video, though there are tips for that below as well if you are just beginning to dabble in sound.

In this article we will focus on showing you some key aspects of how to enter into the most difficult and rewarding area that is, capitals intended, Sound Design for Games. So often have I been asked, on behalf of cousins/friends/teachers/etc…. “I have someone who is very interested in learning sound design for games, do you think you have time to meet or chat with them about how to get into the job market for game sound?” I always make time for these conversations and meetings, they are always interesting and it helps me better understand the challenges of the industry as it grows and changes. I want to know who the up and comers are, what they are thinking, what approach they are using for sound design, and hell yeah I have indeed recommended not just a few candidates to fellow old farts. One very, very important tip for your morale is to keep the following in mind; do not be too heartbroken of a “sorry we are not hiring right now” – it’s not you, it’s just where the company and project is at that moment. So anyway, enough people have asked the same question, and some really have benefitted from the advice given, so it seems like it might be useful for you to have the same insight as I have given many other aspiring sound designers looking to get into the game industry.

Sound design is rather amazingly called “the black arts” in many game companies. Non-audio devs (game developers, that is, the people who make games) usually play and develop the “golden” project without listening to the sound in the game. Rather, they listen to their own music for the most part during the making of the game, and who can blame them? Writing code, placing environment blocks or slowly and painstakingly making pixel-perfect images does not require game sound at all. Even pressing play in the game and checking the code, block placement, or the texture on a brick does not require game sound most of the time. These people listen to their own stuff! One fine day, they press play and decide to put on headphones, and are immediately transported into another world. What the hell just happened? Yep, that’s us, the masters of the black arts: the wizards: the sound team just made itself known. Ok so I’m being a bit dramatic, but it’s actually not far from the truth at all – ask anyone working in game dev - I’m willing to bet they laugh and say “yep, that’s about right…”! The exclamation point after the quotation mark is put there on purpose. Sound designers must have a secret potion on their hip. Gotta stay positive, as our art is invisible, literally. It’s a fun job - or should be - but a lot of it is not appreciated until the later part of a game development cycle. That said, once you get into a sound design job, it will certainly propel your life in an interesting way, and the rabbit hole gets very, very deep. You will never be bored.

Let’s get down to it then, starting at the basic first impression - the c.v. (otherwise known as a resumé). There are 3 essential things you need on your c.v., and a few other optional and useful things to have on there will be addressed after the big three. The first is a sound design demo reel, the second is Audiokinetic’s Wwise Certification, and the third is experience with a DAW or Digital Audio Workstation and familiarity with audio signal processing. These things might sound daunting to some, but don’t worry things will be clarified below. And of course, if you have done sound design for film or video, add that info in your experience section as well (student films, commercials, sound for friends films, whatever you have done in sound design for image or even podcast sound effects). But first, let’s look at the sound design demo reel a bit.

Your Sound Design Demo Reel

Your sound design demo reel is where you showcase your skills and aesthetic. It is the most important way of demonstrating to a potential employer what you can do. It is also a fun and challenging project that will stay in your memories forever! Your demo should include multiple scenarios such as high action, stealth, adventure, cartoony, moody, and so on. Above all you want to showcase how you express relevant sound to picture. And excellent explainer about how to approach your sound design reel can be found here. Additionally, an example of a great demo reel can be found here.

Game Audio Software you need to know

For a junior sound design position, you don’t necessarily need previous game experience. But there is definitely some audio software you will need to know, as well as having a good knowledge base about audio processing techniques.

Many, many game studios use AudioKinetic Wwise as their audio middleware for the game engine. They offer, for free, three walkthrough audio integration courses that you complete with an actual game to implement the sound into. The first (101) being the beginner course, the second (201) being the more advanced course, the third (301) being more engine integration and coding. It is highly recommended that you complete at least the first course, as that gives you a Wwise training certificate. And more importantly, you will become familiar with audio integration into a real game. Even if the game company you are applying to does not use Wwise, it is still a good idea to do this course if you have never integrated sound into a game. There are fundamental concepts in there that will be the same for any game audio engine, even proprietary engines. Here’s a link for you to bookmark for later:

Audio Software you need to know

The second piece of software you need to know is a Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW.

In the past, most game studios used ProTools, but many have since moved to other DAWs because of stability issues, compatibility issues, and price. Other DAWs that game studios use are, in the approximate order of recent popularity; Reaper, Nuendo, Cubase, Studio One, and possibly Ableton Live, though Live is probably quite rare. The reason Reaper is at the top these days is because of it’s ultra-customizable workflows, stability, the fact that it’s lightweight and always improving via updates, decent video support, and price. If you are not yet using a DAW, you can even use Reaper for free as long as you like, with full functionality. Use it to create your demo reel if you don’t already have a DAW of choice!

Finally a word about digital signal processing using audio plugins. There are a million resources about audio processing. Make sure you have a solid applicable understanding of EQ, Reverb, Delay, Compression, and Limiters. For a great understanding of EQ, along with some YouTube videos that you can find in 5 seconds flat, you will want to check out SoundGym. It is a free workout for your ears that helps you identify frequencies and compression, and is an absolutely excellent resource. For getting to know and understand reverb, delay and compression/limiters, YouTube is your best bet. There are also a ton of free VST or AU (Mac) plugins for each of these categories, which you can also find from a quick search. For a good one in 2024, bookmark this link here for later.

Use your connections

Another part of hitting the pavement (or, today, browsing the internet) for a job is to leverage your existing connections if you have any. If you have someone in your circle in game dev, don’t be shy to ask if they might be willing to put you into contact with someone in the sound department. All game companies have a stack of CVs that they refer to when a job posting opens up, but if you are able to have a chat with someone who is willing to do so, it greatly increases your visibility and chances of getting an interview. Also, once you have sent in your c.v. to a company, it is perfectly ok to email every 6 months or so to submit an updated c.v. or to see if there are any prospects coming up. Don’t be overly persistent, but just the right amount of persistent also increases your chances of an interview and demonstrates your interest. A fellow Audio Director writes this about the topic; As an Audio Director looking to hire, it's kinda cool to see applicants that never give up, sending some updates to their applications and or demos once in a while. It's not perceived as rude, but rather like someone who never gives up! We receive a lot - and I mean a lot of spontaneous applications at work. An application that stands out will be kinda bold and a bit funny. We're in 2024!

Know Thyself

Besides the resume, one esoteric, but very real part of this, is the inescapable fact that you are… YOU. And finding a fit for you is incredibly important. A normal sound design job will be around 40 hours per week, so you want to be sure that you get a good vibe that matches your sensibilities from a company. You will be working with the same people for a significant part of your life, so make sure you feel that the place and job is the right fit for you! Additionally, many projects have “crunch” periods which can rack up to 50-70 hours a week. That said, make sure to inquire about overtime policies at your interviews. It’s not a bad question! It shows that you know a bit about something.

You might be the master of all things sound design, but attitude plays a part – you will be a team member, and team is a serious word in game dev. Most workplaces have a growing emphasis on “team”. Being great is great, but being great AND being a great team player, this is something game companies cherish. As mentioned above, 40+ hours at a workplace is a significant chunk of anyone’s lives. Better to spend it in a positive-minded atmosphere, right?

So what if you get an interview?

Here are some things you should definitely do before an interview:

Know why you are going to the interview - it’s your life, why do you want to go down this path? This is a powerful question to ask yourself, and be able to clearly answer.
Research the company, familiarize with their philosophy, go through their website, see what products they have done in the past if any.
Get a good sleep the night before(!)
Be prepared to talk a bit about yourself in front of a couple of people. Speak clearly, and give yourself the time to express yourself. They will want to know about you, you do not have to rush.
Do a mock interview with someone you trust (it will be strange a bit maybe, but try it out - it works!)
Get inspired by videos or podcasts on how to do well in an interview - so many tips out there on this!

As promised, here are a few other things that make a c.v. stand out, and disclaimer, some of these do require a lot of time.

Video game development schools are a growing industry, and having academic training is very helpful to make your c.v. noticed. Online courses can be taken as well and are another aspect that can tilt in your favour.
A university degree is also very helpful, as it demonstrates that in theory you know how to be organized, can think and speak clearly, and are adept at using writing software, which is also helpful. A degree in music, sound design, or electroacoustic music production is clearly going to get you noticed.
Doing a small sound design integration project in Unreal or Unity game engines and demonstrating that in a video is also going to help strengthen your c.v.. If you are technically inclined and are ready for the challenge, you can get free basic characters, environments and so on to do your sound design in an actual game engine. Here you would want to do a small walkthrough video, with various environmental elements, maybe some interactions, and sound ambiences, footsteps, reverbs, and so on, but again this is not necessary but will boost your chances of getting noticed. It will take time, but you will learn a lot and it will be a learning experience that is enjoyable. There are plenty of tutorials that can help guide you if you choose to do this.
Learning FMOD, another popular video game audio middleware, is another plus that you can put on your c.v..
If you have read books on sound design, why not add that in there as well?
Regarding your pre-professional life, if you have been in a role with any responsibility in the earlier par of your life, such as school president, chess team organizer, captain on the volleyball team, you can include that - not in bold, but it is ok to list it! It shows that you have people skills. Same thing for a first job. If you were head stock person at a local grocery store, or head prep cook, include these things as they show that you understand a work environment.

We hope that you have found this article useful. If you have any specific questions or feedback we would love to hear from you. We wish you the best of luck!

-Paul

I'm co-founder of SilverPlatter Audio. We provide sound effects packs for sound designers, film editors and music producers.