Objective:
To obtain a position at a AAA game development studio as an Lead Audio Designer. Also, to gain an even greater knowledge of the video game industry, sound design methods and techniques, and to utilize the skills I've learned over the course of my career.
Experience:
SURVIOS, INC., Marina Del Rey, CA
August 2021 - February 2024
Lead Sound Designer
Promoted to Lead Sound Designer to help direct the overall sonic vision for Survios’ untitled Alien project as well as other unannounced projects
Designed and implemented high quality sound effects for various VR and flat screen projects.
Worked with external partners on asset request lists and ensuring the quality of deliverables.
Worked with the Production team to schedule and scope audio tasks and milestone deliveries for various projects.
Planned and directed gun foley and weapon fire field recording sessions.
Trained members of the Audio team on the new features of Epic’s Unreal Engine 5.
Trained members of the Audio team on the new features of AudioKinetic’s Wwise middleware.
Trained members of the Audio team on how to design and implement audio-based haptics for the PS5 and PSVR 2.
Worked with members of the Engineering team to plan out and design various audio systems for upcoming and current projects.
Planned and designed a custom version of Wwise’s Rooms & Portals acoustics system for the (untitled) Alien project.
Directed final mix session on CREED: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition (Oculus & PSVR2)
Delegated tasks to members of the team as well as provided feedback.
Worked with the Dialogue and Narrative teams on casting VO talent for various projects.
Helped to design the Dialogue/Narrative pipeline for the CREED: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition and (untitled) Alien projects.
Worked with the Production team to plan out the Audio team’s budget for current and future projects.
Worked with Dialogue and Narrative on casting VO talent.
Directed voice talent during VO, ADR, and PCAP sessions.
Worked with and directed our contracted composer for the (untitled) Alien project on music deliverables by providing context and feedback.
Interviewed 3rd party outsource groups, potential composers, and sound designer candidates.
SURVIOS, INC., Marina Del Rey, CA
July 2020 - August 2021
Senior Sound Designer
Hired on to design sound effects for various VR and flat screen titles
Worked with external partners on asset request lists and ensuring the quality of deliverables
Directed final mix session on various titles including The Walking Dead: Onslaught (VR platforms) and Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey (Oculus Quest 2, PSVR, and PS5)
Worked with Audio Programmers on the design and implementation of new audio systems
Helped with interviewing and training new hires
Delegated tasks to members of the team
RESPAWN ENTERTAINMENT, Chatsworth, CA
May 2019 - May 2020
Senior Sound Designer
Hired to create and implement sound effects for Respawn’s exclusive Oculus VR title; Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond! While there, my other duties included:
Directing Foley recording sessions
Creating and implementing a convolution reverb system via UE4 and Wwise
Assisting the Dialogue Director during VO sessions
Helped with the creation of an enemy AI VO reaction system
Interviewing potential candidates and training new hires
FRONTWIRE STUDIOS, Online Studio
February 2017 - May 2019
Audio Director
Hired on to be the Audio Director for the indie game, Galaxy In Turmoil.
Tasked with hiring and managing the Audio Department.
In charge of all dialogue for the game; casting, directing, editing, processing, implementation, and mixing.
In charge of assigning tasks on a weekly basis and approving all SFX before they can be implemented into the game.
Helps out with sound design tasks when needed.
Works with the Programming Department on the development features for the audio engine within UE4.
DISNEY INTERACTIVE, Glendale, CA
May 2017 - September 2017
Contract Sound Designer
Hired on as a Contract Sound Designer to help out with Disney's new AR game, Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, as well as any overflow work that was assigned to me.
Duties included: sound design creation, dialogue editing and processing, and music editing.
Also was in charge of sound design, music, and dialogue on a few episodes for Disney's Junior Appisodes App.
RESPAWN ENTERTAINMENT, Chatsworth, CA
November 2015 - September 2016
Contract Sound Designer
Hired on to work on Titanfall 2 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC
Tasked with the creation and implementation of AAA sound effects using industry standard software and plug-ins as well as proprietary tools developed by the studio's core engine team
Worked on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for a short time implementing SFX and scripting the game's material based footstep system
Debugged, tested, and solved issues related to the audio engine, Miles Studio
LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE, Annville, PA
January 2016 - January 2024
Adjunct Professor of Game Audio
Hired part time as an Adjunct Professor to teach students, in an online course, the basics of game audio sound design as well as how to implement sound into a game engine. Duties included:
Created a focused curriculum that was taught over a 17 to 18 week semester
Taught students essential sound design techniques
Instructed students on how to use industry standard software and plug-ins
Instructed students on how to implement audio into Epic's Unreal Engine 4 & 5
Created instructional videos to aid with class assignments
Communicated with students via an online classroom
INSOMNIAC GAMES, Inc., Burbank, CA
June 2010 - April 2015
Audio Designer
Created AAA quality SFX using industry standard software and plug-ins
Created a wide array of SFX for weapons, ambience, special abilities, body foley, props and breakables, cinematics/animations, vehicles, scripted events, and creature vocalizations and attacks
Implemented sounds into the game using third party middleware such as Wwise as well as Insomniac's own proprietary tools
Used Insomniac's proprietary level editor to implement sound emitters and sound environments into the game
Was in charge of creating and implementing a real-time reverb system for multiple projects
Was in charge of creating and implementing sounds for the UI & HUD for multiple projects
Created and implemented a system used for pausing and ducking audio during menu pop-ups and when the player switches to the consoles home screen
Debugged issues found within Insomniac's proprietary tools and provided feedback to improve functionality
Cut and edited dialogue when needed
Created vocal processes for characters
Assisted with foley recording sessions
Participated in and provided feedback for company-wide play tests
Projects worked on:
Resistance 3 (PS3) - June 2010 - September 2011
Fuse (PS3/XB360) - July 2011 - March 2013
Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One) - March 2013 - September 2014
Ratchet & Clank (PS4) - September 2014 - April 2015
NEW CREATIVE MIX, Inc., New York, NY
July 2015 - September 2017
Contract Sound Designer
Hired to work remotely and handle any overflow work the studio has. Projects worked on have mainly been internal videos for VIACOM's office in New York City.
INSOMNIAC GAMES, Inc., Burbank, CA
June 21 - September 5, 2009
Game Audio Intern
Spent three months working for Insomniac Games on the AAA title Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time for the Playstation 3. Duties included:
Audio dialogue cutting and editing
Processing and balancing dialogue lines
Creating vocal processes for characters
Creating sound effects for character animations
Training in the use of proprietary software for implementing audio into the game
Syncing audio effect events to character animations
Adding reverb to levels in the game as well as edited reverb settings
Creating ambient emitters for a whole level in the game
Editing foreign territories in-game radio segments in 10 different languages
Creating creature vocals for one of the enemy swarmers that occur throughout the game
Composing a small looping song that appeared in of the levels in the game
Participating in play tests for a future game that was in the beginning phases of production
SATURATION ACRES RECORDING STUDIO, Danville, PA
July to August 2006
Spent the summer after my freshman year of college as a Studio Intern. While there, I observed the tracking sessions of local artists and assisted in the setting up and tearing down of audio gear.
Skills:
Proficient in creating AAA quality sound effects for games
Experienced in visual scripting systems
People management
Experienced with implementing audio in Epic's Unreal Engine 4 and Unreal Engine 5 (via Meta Sounds)
Experienced with UE5’s Synesthesia plugin
Proficient in using SONY's Sound Forge software
Proficient in using non-linear recording software such as Avid's Pro-Tools, Steinberg's Nuendo, and Cockos’ Reaper
Proficient with utilizing AudioKinetic's Wwise middleware
Proficient with integrating Wwise to work with UE4/UE5.
Experienced with Rad Game Tools' Miles Sound System audio middleware
Experienced with utilizing SONY's Scream audio software (2009 to 2013)
Proficient at location/field recording (vehicles, guns, ambience, etc…)
Proficient at Foley recording and directing Foley sessions
Experienced in recording impulse responses for convolution reverb
Experienced with directing voice actors during dialogue recording sessions as well as on PCAP stages
Experienced in audio dialogue editing and balancing
Experienced in creating vocal processes for dialogue lines
Proficient with creating and implementing real time reverb presets for games
Professional Musician - Saxophone, Guitar, Piano, & Voice
Experienced in mixing and tracking with analog recording consoles
Experienced in using and setting up MIDI hardware and software
Experienced with setting up and recording live sound events (large and small ensembles)
Trained in studio maintenance and installation
Knowledgeable in Java Script for websites
Proficient with both Windows (up to version 8) and Mac (OS-X) operating systems
Experienced in Microsoft Office
Skilled in computer repair and assembly (hardware and software)
Education:
LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE, Annville, PA
August 2005 - December 18, 2009
Bachelor of Music majoring in Music Recording Technology with a focus on Sound Design.
THE ATHENS CENTRE, Athens, Greece
September - December 2008
Studied abroad in Athens, Greece during the fall semester of 2008. Learned beginner level Greek, Greek history and culture, and traveled to ancient archaeological sites throughout the country.
Achievements & Accolades:
Titanfall 2
Nominated for "Interactive Entertainment Sound Production" in the Outstanding Creative Achievement category at the 33rd Annual NAMM TEC Awards (2017)
Sunset Overdrive:
Won 30 of the 58 nominations it received at E3 2014
Nominated for three G.A.N.G. Awards (Sound Design of the Year, Best Dialog, and Best Original Song: Pop)
Nominated for two Games Critics Awards (Best Original Game and Best Action/Adventure Game)
Five-time guest speaker at the Music Industry Conference (MIC) & Vale Media Conference hosted by Lebanon Valley College in 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, & 2021
Guest Moderator for the “Audio for Games” panel at the 2019 Capitol Royale Tech Expo, hosted at Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA.
References:
Please contact me via my "Contact Me!" page so I can send you my list of references with their contact information.
College Memberships:
Audio Engineering Society (AES - LVC Chapter)
August 2005 - December 2009
Treasurer of AES from 2006 to 2007 and President of AES in 2007
WLVC (Campus Radio Station)
August 2006 - December 2009
Treasurer of WLVC from 2006 to 2009
Hosted a college radio show twice a week called TRLVC (Total Request: Lebanon Valley College)
Music Industry Student Association (MISA - LVC Chapter)
August 2005 - May 2007
General member who helped organize and run student concerts around campus and the local area
Student Programming Board
August - December 2009
Vice President of the advertising team for the Student Programming Board at LVC during the Fall semester of 2009
LaVie Campus Newspaper
August - December 2009
Vice President of the advertising team for the LaVie Newpaper at LVC during the fall semester of 2009
Interests:
Video Games
Music Composition
Playing Instruments - Saxophone, Guitar, & Piano
Playing sports - curling, flag football, basketball, & co-ed softball
International travel (10 countries traveled to so far)