Post Magazine

December 2010

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/21561

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 43 of 51

OUTLOOK Sound Thankfully, the economic downturn of 2009 is a thing of the past. 2010 has been a year of economic recovery and even expansion in some cases thanks to new media apps and 3D stereo work. As a result, a more positive outlook can be seen throughout the audio post industry. SCOTT GERSHIN Supervising Sound Editor Soundeluxe Design Music Group www.soundeluxdmg.com Hollywood Scott Gershin has been involved with audio for the videogame industry for nearly 20 years. Soundelux is responsible for such titles as Fable II and III, Prince of Persia and Gears of War 2. STRENGTHS:“Interactive entertainment is still a very young in- dustry, although it has grown immensely in the years I have been in- volved in it, and it continues to grow.The industry is no longer limited to hardcore gamers. Today, there are games on Facebook and the iPhone that appeal to casual gamers. Every- where you go now you can whip out a mobile de- vice and play a game. While game consoles are huge and will continue to be huge as new genera- tions of consoles are de- veloped, future growth will be increasingly driven by mobile technology.” WEAKNESSES: “While being a young industry is a strength, it’s also a weakness. Young industries involve certain types of risk that can affect indi- viduals and companies. I feel for- tunate to have been involved in this industry for 18 years and to have had the opportunity to see it evolve, almost from the very be- ginning.This industry has just graduated from college.The people in it were like kids who were having a good time and making a little bit of Scott Gershin has worked on many game titles, including the new Fable III. 42 Post • December 2010 www.postmagazine.com BUSINESS money.Now, they are part of large public companies and have the fi- duciary responsibility to create infrastructures that can stand the test of time and support organizations on par with Hollywood movie studios. It can be a rocky road.Things can expand and contract as people try to find the right formula.” OPPORTUNITIES: “While the film and television industry is con- centrated in a few cities, gaming is spread out all over the world.There is no central city where gaming is done.There is a lot of activity on the two coasts of the United States, but there are also a lot of gaming companies in the Carolinas,Texas, in the Midwest. It creates opportu- nities for people who don’t happen to live in New York or LA.” THREATS: “I personally have observed a lot of layoffs recently among audio people. Sales are down in the gaming industry, as they are in other parts of the economy.The industry has always been volatile.That could grow worse with the advent of entertainment on demand, which could affect the business from a structural stand- point much the way it has affected the music industry.The industry needs to come up with a workable fiscal model to accommodate this new reality. I believe the advent of entertainment-on-demand offers the opportunity to develop episodic gaming and, once con- sumers buy into that, the business could expand tenfold through steady demand for new product.” OUTLOOK ON 2011: “Historically, the entertainment industry has fared well in recessions. People gravitate toward things that make them happy. Gaming, however, can be more expensive than movies and TV were in the past, so it remains to be seen how that will affect the industry’s fortunes.Will people gravitate to more ca- sual games? Will they continue to support tent pole, high-produc- tion value games? Will publishers change their model to accommo- date the economic realities of the world?” JERRY PLOTKIN Composer/Sound Designer/Mixer/Owner Headroom Digital Audio www.headroomdigi.com New York Headroom Digital Audio provides original music and audio post for broadcast commercials for clients such as Target, Se- lect Sector SPDRs,Verizon, Ricola and Victoria’s Secret. STRENGTHS: “The industry is benefitting from its own evolu- tion.Audio post used to simply mean combining elements into a co- herent, deliverable format.Today, it means much more than that. With the tools and talent available to us at this moment in time — both have evolved — we can be super-creative and incredibly fast. AUDIO By Ron DiCesare

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Post Magazine - December 2010