Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538144
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 69 what suits the story. For sci-fi-based games like the Star Wars Jedi series, the sound effects are definitely more stylized, but there is still a need for organic sounds to tie it all together and bring you into the game with the character—which is where I think Foley shines and helps bring the characters to life, to feel like they are existing inside the world. With the convergence of cinematic storytelling in games, how has your role evolved to meet the demands of both mediums? Caron: The focus of narrative storytelling in games has evolved a lot—especially in the past 10 to 15 years—as technology has advanced, enabling more realistic-looking character animations and blurring the line between animation and live-action human performances. Also, PCs and game consoles have faster processors than ever before, which allows greater bandwidth and more memory to handle much more content. This enhances the viability of having a longer game and a more complex storyline. The Last of Us is a great example of this, as well as the Uncharted series from Naughty Dog, which won many narrative awards for character acting and dialogue performances. Many other games also have a narrative focus, like the Star Wars Jedi series, God of War, Mass Effect, and the Metal Gear Solid series, to name a few. Due to my experience in film, I have always been drawn to working on narrative, story-based games, and it is fantastic that more games of that genre are being made—thanks in part to these technological advances. Cross-Pollination: Film Meets Game Audio "There is a lot of crossover in Los Angeles between Foley work for film/TV and game Foley teams." Working on projects like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Dead Space 3, how have your experiences in film Foley informed your techniques in game audio and vice versa? Caron: Having the fortunate experience of working on Foley and sound design for films, I was introduced to many award-winning Foley artists over the years. This later resulted in working on Foley stages with Gregg Barbanell, and the WB Foley team with Alyson Dee Moore, Chris Moriana, and mixer Darrin Mann. I have also worked with the previous Technicolor Foley crew, including mixer David Jobe and Foley artists Alicia Stevenson and Dawn Lunsford. I have learned so much about the art of Foley over the years through working with these amazing industry legends. With the AAA games I have worked on, we were fortunate enough to have had the budget to be able to hire these top Foley teams. There is a lot of crossover in Los Angeles between Foley work for film/TV and game Foley teams. The in-game Foley process is a bit different, as that requires more prep work in advance—getting a spreadsheet together listing all the surfaces, materials, and number of variations needed for the Foley stage, as well as visual captures from the game for reference, since it isn't linear like the game cinematics. How does collaboration differ between film and game audio teams, and what have you learned from each that enhances your overall workflow? Caron: On film projects, the audio teams are often smaller and work on the film for a shorter period of time than in AAA games. Often, there is one main audio post company handling the majority of the sound for the film, with no staff audio roles. Foley editing in Pro Tools with Zeus the Cat 2022.