This is How to Stand Out in Game Audio

In 2015, I went to a big ol' networking event in Seattle. It was one of those "business-focused" ones that had a lot of talks on monetization, with a website showing a bunch of people wearing grey suits and shaking hands.

I was sure I could go and get some gigs, because no other audio folks would be at this kind of event, right?

So, I get there a bit early, and as I was picking up my badge, the fellow next to me in line asked me what I did for work.

"I work in audio!" I said, excitedly. Snapping my imaginary suspenders and puffing my non-existent cigar with pride, fully expecting him to hire me right then and there. 

"Oh yeah," he said flatly "There are SO many of you audio folks here. I just met like 3 others on the elevator up."

And he wasn't kidding. I met a ton of other audio folks that day. Not a bad thing considering audio people are great, but that day definitely made me feel like I was just one generic audio person of many.

It's in moments like these where we feel like the world of game audio is way too saturated and there's no way to stand out.

After all, we see a game audio job get posted publicly, and immediately, it gets hundreds of applicants.

Or we scroll by a post saying "we're looking for a composer!" with thousands of replies. 

And while yes, game audio (like any other creative field) is saturated with a lot of folks, it's not as terribly competitive as it might seem at first glance. 

After all, a pro audio person does a lot of stuff that a non-pro doesn't. Things like:

• Practice regularly, whether they have work or not

• Show up at networking events, online or off

• Learn to negotiate and interview well

• Find teachers, mentors, and peers to help them, regardless of how skilled they are

• Manage their tasks well

• Show their work publicly, even if it's in progress

• Have systems to bring in clients, keep them informed, and deliver for them

• Have small bits of psychic powers where they can take feedback and distill it into what people actually want

• Not sending their reel/resume to strangers hoping it will get them a job, but instead foster real, human relationships

• Create well-written emails to bring clients in

• Realize that no one is actually buying "sound" or "music" but instead are buying "safety."

• And about a million other things that most people simply never even try

It's rare indeed to find someone who checks all of those boxes and more. 

So if you're doing the above, or are on your way to learning as much as you can, you'll be fine. 

Is there something specific you're working on this year beyond the basics? Email me here and let me know!