UPCOMING EVENTS IN GAME AUDIO

UPCOMING EVENTS

2021 DATE TBD: DIVERSTY EVENT WITH COLIN GRANT

We’ve all had to adapt to this brave new world in different ways with different challenges from fires, racial injustice and more.

We will showcase how those who may have had a more difficult time or more challenges have adjusted to the pandemic in game audio in order to foster more understanding.

24 DECEMBER: HMMA SUBMISSIONS:

Submissions for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards close December 24 at 11:59pm PT.

31 DECEMBER: TEC AWARDS VOTING ENDS

The 36th Annual NAMM TEC Awards will be held on Jan 22, 2021!

31 DECEMBER: AWARDS SUBMISSIONS:

Game Audio Nextwork Guild Awards submissions close December 31 at 11:59pm PT.

11 JANUARY: CES 2021: ALL-DIGITAL

CES 2021 will be a new immersive experience, where attendees will have a front row seat to discover and see the latest technology.

18 JANUARY: NAMM 2021 BELIEVE IN MUSIC WEEK

Believe in Music will feature a mix of comprehensive programming and professional education as well as an interactive marketplace to connect buyers and sellers.

28 JANUARY: TAIPEI GAME SHOW

Taipei Game Show, held by Taipei Computer Association (TCA), is the only game exhibition, which combines B2B and B2C zone. From 2003, it attracts tons of gamers from all over the world

29 JANUARY: MPSE SUBMISSIONS CLOSE 08 FEBRUARY: D.E.W. EXPO

This February, the 8th annual Digital Entertainment World Conference returns for 5 days of online programming! This year, #DEW2021 will explore “Creativity and Innovation in a Changing World” - a theme resonating across digital entertainment and media landscapes. Topics on Television, Streaming, Advertising, Games, Esports, RightsTech, Music & Podcasts

Learn more at dewexpo.com 40

15 MARCH: UNFOLD GAMES AWARDS

Submissions close on March 15. Categories include Best Music, Best Sound Design, and more!

16 MARCH: SXSW 2021: ONLINE

SXSW is launching SXSW Online as part of our 2021 offerings. The dates for SXSW EDU Online are March 9–11, 2021 and SXSW Online will take place March 16–20, 2021.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: LARYSSA OKADA

composer & producer laryssa okada

During her internship at Sony, she was a music editor for titles Mass Effect: Andromeda and Days Gone. When asked what she gained from this internship she said, “This was my

first time seeing a AAA level full group of audio professionals and it totally prepared me for what to expect from the industry. Also, everyone was really nice.”

After her internship at Sony, she went on to briefly work for Sarah Schachner in Los Angeles on Assassin’s Creed: Origins in the same role. Laryssa says this is her favorite project she has worked on thus far. Laryssa’s first project as an independent composer was found on Twitter after she came across a tweet from a Mr. William Chyr, inquiring about hiring a composer for his indie game title Manifold Garden. Her work on Manifold Garden garnered high acclaim and recognition, winning her the Breakout Talent Award at the 18th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards in May of 2020.

While assisting and composing, Laryssa also found work as a QA Tester, then Associate Producer at Hyperkinetic Studios. As her work on Manifold Garden wrapped she moved to Washington state to work on Halo Infinite as an Audio Producer, where she currently works today.

Laryssa says she learned a lot about music and editing at Sony, and though she now focuses on composing, her

Laryssa Okada is a composer, music editor, and audio producer for video games. Like many of her colleagues, Laryssa’s love for video games and video game music took hold through titles like Skies of Arcadia, Final Fantasy IX, and NieR Gestalt. Long before her foray into the world of video games and music therein, Laryssa was musically inclined from a young age. At the age of three, Laryssa’s mom signed her up to classical piano classes. The piano itch stuck with Okada and dedicated her free time to music. Laryssa loved video games from a young age but did not play much because any free time she had she was practicing piano. However, her brother loved playing video games and she would actively watch him do so.

She earned a degree in Film Scoring with a minor in Video Game Scoring from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. During and after her time at Berklee, Laryssa credits game jams for a chance to cut her teeth in the game development industry. After graduating from Berklee in 2016, she went on the hunt for work - as all fresh-out-ofcollege grads do - applying to many opportunities. She took an internship for Sony Interactive Entertainment Music after applying for the position three separate times. In her case, the third time was really the charm.

composing techniques are heavily influenced by the workflow of editing - using half composing and half editing to bring her pieces together. She finds composing the most rewarding and loves setting the atmosphere of a game and “bringing to life evocative nuances that may otherwise be difficult to show on screen.”

When it comes to production, Laryssa expressed, “I love bringing

everything together and serving all members of the team. It feels good to help other people feel good.”

Laryssa is currently an Audio Producer at 343 Industries working on Halo Infinite, but she is also working fulltime on production and composition, spending her free time exploring new music projects that stretch further out, stylistically, and looking for new and unique ways to create music.

Laryssa has been a part of the Game Audio Network Guild since 2016. She says, “It’s inspiring to go to the award shows to see what’s out there and the skill and dedication of the people who are evolving and changing the craft.”

She was a part of the Game Audio Network Guild’s panel at GameSoundCon, Breakout Series: Redefining Career Building Stigmas, where she shared her experiences and advice for building a career, networking, how to avoid careerbuilding pitfalls, and how perception has shifted over time within the game audio industry. Laryssa was also a guest of the Soundtrack Scramble panel at PAX 2020 Online, where she and other guests, including Lena Raine (Celeste), had to rearrange classic video game music themes in entirely new styles in under 40 minutes. She appreciates how everyone in the Game Audio Network Guild community is really good at sharing their knowledge and welcoming everyone into the community.

— GABRIELLA CIARAMELLA & CODY MATTHEW JOHNSON