Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546054
20 M PS E . O R G BREAKING ENTERING & everything but recording dialogue and writing the score for in game NIS's (non-interactive sequences), cinematics, and trailers. This has become a fun niche I've recently found myself in and I'm pleased to say it's been creatively rewarding to keep telling stories with sound while continuing to develop the skills of our craft. And while things lately have been a little slower than I would like with the state of the world and our industry, I can still say the work is consistent enough to be sustainable. Being a radio production assistant, engineering ADR sessions, picking stock library music for variety TV shows, and early FX/BG editing led me into early studio work and post- secondary education in media and broadcasting. The practical experience I got and recommendations I received from my mentors kept snowballing into bigger projects and studios taking a chance on me getting involved with their own work. Eventually, my generally well-rounded experience in post got me my big break contributing to AAA cinematics with Source Sound, and THOSE credits are what's opening the most doors for me in the game audio world as I continue to navigate freelancing and learn more about implementation and middleware platforms. I would not be doing what I am now at the level I find myself without all the professionals who brought me on to contribute to their projects, the filmmakers and content creators who trusted me with the sonic vision of the stories they wanted to tell, and mentors who helped me along the way while recommending me to their peers. And of course, the unending support of my parents as I navigated the early stages of my education and career. All I want to do is tell stories with sound, and I do miss working in film, TV, and animation … but with game cinematics and trailers the pillar of sonic storytelling is still a major cornerstone of my work. I've yet to feel like I've "broken in" to "the industry." I count myself as one of the luckiest people on earth to do what I want for a living, making noises and telling stories, but I haven't arrived at a predestined place where I can confidently state that "I've made it!" … but it's been a wild ride that's nowhere near finished and I feel the best is yet to come. Maybe someday I can say, "I've made it!" but my journey continues and I'll keep working hard to get there (wherever that is). I think the most important thing any of us can do is to lend a hand to anyone who's looking to climb up the ladder in their own journey. You never know how a kind word of encouragement, the time you take for a chat over a coffee (or pint), or recommendation you can make for someone who wants to do what we are so fortunate to do will pay off for them down the line. Just pay it forward! Nicholas Papaleo MPSE Cinematics Sound Designer/ Re-recording Mixer ow did I get here? I grew up in Chicago playing in bands, and for a long time, that was the entire plan. Not a detailed plan, exactly—more of a loud, poorly funded dream with a lot of keyboards. Music was everything. But when college came around, I felt completely lost. I wasn't sure I had the talent for composition or H performance, and somehow "indie rock" was not listed in the course catalog. Then a friend mentioned recording, engineering, and something clicked. I hadn't even known schools offered programs like that, let alone that it might be a path my parents could hear about without staring silently into the middle distance. That suggestion led me to the Audio Arts program at Columbia College Chicago, and suddenly, the future felt possible. The school had taken over a historic downtown studio, complete with a beautiful Neve console, shag carpeting on the walls, and more gear than I had ever seen outside of a catalog I couldn't afford. I fell in love with it immediately. At the time, I was sure my life would be spent recording bands & playing music. Then an internship at Chicago Recording Company (CRC) changed everything. CRC placed me in its post- production department, mostly working on commercials, and I discovered a version of studio life I hadn't known existed. You could be creative, work with sound, keep somewhat normal hours, and even make a better living. This felt suspiciously practical. After the internship ended, I took odd jobs while trying to land an assistant position at a studio. Two years passed with almost no traction. Then just when I was close to giving up, persistence finally turned into opportunity. EA Chicago was developing the sequel to its hit boxing game, Fight Night, and had recorded all of the voice talent at CRC. When CRC's team was asked whether anyone wanted to take on the dialogue editing and implementation, they passed—but they recommended me. It was only a six-month temp job, but to me it felt like a door opening. I jumped at it, even hauling my personal Mac G4 tower, CRT monitor, and Digi001 interface into their offices like a very determined traveling computer museum. Working on that game was thrilling. It introduced me to the world of gaming, a