Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1524863
've known Daniel since the tail end of his college days… As a concert pianist, a composer, a music editor, and sound designer/editor, Daniel was never one to shy away from any opportunity presented to him or be anything less than fearless when it came to carving out his own career path. Having introduced him to the MPSE several years ago, it was with particular delight that I was able to reconnect at the 2023 Golden Reel Awards (GRAs) and see him holding a statue in his hands—winning for his work on the sound team for Sony PlayStation's God of War Ragnarök. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to check in with him and explore some of the aspects of his burgeoning and successful career so far. I I M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 41 Daniel, please share with us a little bit about your background, and the various events and opportunities that led you from the pursuit of a career in music to where you are now—working in sound for video games and interactive media. D: On Christmas Day 2006, I received a GameCube with two games: Luigi's Mansion and The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition. As a 10-year-old, I didn't realize that one game would influence me greatly, kicking off what would be a lifelong hobby and, later on, a career. The other deepened my fear of ghosts (I challenge y'all to guess which one's which). Later in my youth, I used the little skill in music I had acquired through my parents' attempt to get me out of the house—music lessons—to create piano and digital orchestral covers of my favorite video game music, using a legitimately acquired copy of FL Studio. While my works weren't great, they gave me an initial understanding of DAWs. The thought that games were made by people and not just grown out of the ground never really crossed my mind.