We now move into our eighth year of history as a formal organization,
and 2009 has left us much to remember and ponder. The following is a brief recap of
some of the highlights of the year, and a heartfelt thanks to those that made it possible:
Pro Branches on the Rise
Hot off the heels of the 2009 GDC launch, the GANG Voice Actors Coalition (GVAC)
has been hard at work evangelizing the very best of the professional dialog and VO
community. Led by co-chairs and industry veterans Chip Beaman, Alexander
Brandon, David Chan, Morla Gorrondona, Jacquie Shriver, and Greg DeBeer –
GVAC hit some profound milestones. Austin GDC served as the backdrop for the first
GVAC-SAG summit, and AES provided the opportunity for the first GVAC sponsored
panels. GVAC also found itʼs way to GDC China for further panel discussions, and
ongoing conversations with unions, publishers, and industry policy makers continue at a
steady clip
The Interactive Entertainment Sound Developers (IESD) branch got a burst of
energy from new Advisory Board Member and IESD policy contributor Rob Bridgett,
whose continued work on reference level standards is uniting the sound development
community from all sides of the industry. Alexander Brandon has also rallied the
troops in the formation of the Realtime Mixing Working Group – uniting people from
both hardware and software camps. Stay tuned for more news from GVAC and the
IESD, and look for a strong showing at the upcoming GDC in San Francisco this March.
Advisory Board
The new advisory board structure has taken shape, and both Europe and North
American branches have been active and productive since the reorganization
announced last March. Regional Directors Tom Salta and Richard Jacques continue
to rally communities across the globe, the impact evident in numerous panels, events,
and speaking engagements in which GANG has championed and participated. A warm
welcome to our newest advisors Tomas Neumann and the aforementioned Rob
Bridgett! The Advisory Board will soon be called to action for the nomination meetings
in support of the 8th Annual GANG Awards to be held at GDC – a lengthy and important
job to say the least.
To recap the process: After the entire membership is invited to nominate their choices for
each award category – it is the job of the Advisors to convene and decide who the final
5-6 nominees will be. GANG is committed to hearing the voices of all of our world
communities, and the participation of the European advisors in particular has added a
new strength and meaning to the awards. Bravo! Donʼt forget to nominate now at
www.audiogang.org Nominations close on January 24th at midnight.
Events
2009 was perhaps the most prolific year for GANG events in our history. More of us
spoke, travelled, shared, and participated in industry conferences and events than ever
before. Our first Summer Summit, hosted at Pyramind Studios proved to be the
perfect model for the GANG event ideal: Don Veca (Deadspace – EA), Jesse Harlin
and David Collins (The Force Unleashed – LucasArts), and Jonathan Mayer
(Infamous – SCEA) spoke eloquently and masterfully about modern audio issues and
process in the top games they produced. This year also saw the birth of Board Member
and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Brian Schmidtʼs GameSoundCon – a two
day audio con format in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Brian brought the best
and the brightest together for an exhaustive two day romp through all things game audio
– Guy Whitmore, Gene Semel, Scott Gershin, Jim Charne, Shawn Lemone, Nile
Rodgers and Keynote Speaker Marty “Golden Goose” OʼDonnell were some of the
headliners in Los Angeles; and Tom Salta, Ken Felton, Mark Tuffy, Savina
Ciaramella, Morla Gorrondona, Brooke Wentz, and Keynote Speaker Chance
Thomas headlined San Francisco. Congratulations to Brian Schmidt for an amazing
debut! Other key GANG events included NAMM, AES, SIGGRAPH, GDC/AGDC, and
an exclusive postmortem with the Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Team, hosted at
Pyramind Studios and featuring composer Greg Edmonson, Leslie Ann Jones
(Skywalker Sound), SCEAʼs Jonathan Meyer, Marc Senesac, Scott Hanau, and
Joel Yarger.
Partnerships and Sponsors
GANG proudly continues itʼs partnership with the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences (NARAS) P & E Wing – and offers a deep thanks to Maureen
Droney, Greg Gordon, Leslie Ann Jones, and new SF Executive Director Chris
Wiltsee for their continued energy and guidance. GANG also thanks UBM/Think
Services and the incredible staff of GDC for their constant support. Thank you Meggan
Scavio, Evelyn Donis, Kara Foley, Ben Veechai, Melissa Andrade, Ahmad White,
and Nahal Agahi!
Despite the economy and the turmoil, GANG continues to thrive because of caring
Sponsors that support our mission. On behalf of all of the Officers and Board Members,
GANG would like to thank 5 Rockets, The American Federation of Musicians,
Sumthing Else Musicworks, APMMusic, TEC
Foundation, Dolby, The Producers and Engineers Wing, BMI,
Epic Games, Heavy Melody Music, Richard Jacques Studios, Pyramind Studios, Capcom, ASCAP, Pinnacle College, Video Games Live,
GameSoundCon, Global Mobility Law, Berklee Music Online, Presonus, and Think
Services.
Final Thoughts
All of you are vital to GANG, and all of you make our industry a vibrant, creative
community. Thank you for being a part of our mission and for staying with us this past
year. We could not have survived without your dedication and patience as we endeavor
to grow further. Please get involved – help us celebrate your achievements and shine a
bright light on the excellent work we do. Send me a private message or email
[email protected]
On behalf of Michelle, Sean, Tommy, Jack, and all the Board Members, Advisors, and
Co-Chairs – stay healthy, stay happy, stay productive. The next chapter has yet to be
written.
Warm Regards, with much love and admiration to you and your families.
Paul Lipson
President
Game Audio Network Guild