The Sounds of... Jason Graves
Every month, we discuss the unique process of making music for video games. This month, Chris Wallace explores the musical universe of Jason Graves, who’s behind games such as Tomb Raider, Far Cry Primal, Until Dawn, The Order: 1886 and Dead Space music. I really do enjoy getting in on the ground floor and having the chance to craft the basic tenants of the score while the game is also coming together for the first time. In fact, some of my more unique scores started very early in the game’s development – Dead Space, Tomb Raider, Far Cry: Primal and The Order: 1886 were all conceived very early in the development process of the game. What type of material do you request from a studio before starting to write the score? I honestly try and get my hands on anything and everything the developer will let me have. A lot of times there are, of course, certain things that have to remain in-house. But I can usually get my hands on concept art, scripts and sometimes even rough level playthroughs. I’m often treated to early builds and get to play through as the music is being implemented. Really, the more the merrier when it comes to information about the game. I’m crafting every aspect of the music around their world, so every little bit makes a difference. How early in a game’s development process do you usually start working on the score? As early as I can! I’m a true believer when it comes to being a team player. Music can be a very lonely and isolating experience, but that doesn’t mean the creative process needs to exist in a vacuum, with the composer all by themselves. I very much enjoy collaborating with the developer and having them as involved as they possibly can be with musical choices. Quite often this means bringing me on board before there is even any gameplay to see, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to talk about
64 | MCV/DEVELOP May 2020
Do you work closely with the sound designer(s) of the game, to ensure there’s cohesion between the score and the sound effects? If there is time, absolutely. Many of my favorite projects have been a result of that marriage of music and sound design – Moss, Dead Space, Tomb Raider, just to name a few. Of course, sometimes schedules do not permit as much collaboration. But when they do it’s definitely a win-win for the audio in general!
