Gina Zdanowicz
Main focus: Game Audio
Twitter handle: @seriallab
Website/blog: http://www.seriallab.com
Languages: English
City: New York City Metro Area
Country: United States
Topics: game audio, interactive audio design, game music, women in audio, women in games, sound design
Gina Zdanowicz is an Emmy-Nominated sound designer and music composer for games, film and TV. Her love for video games, sound and technology began at a very early age and grew into a decade long career in the games industry. After graduating from Berklee College of Music with a degree in music synthesis, Gina focused on a career in game audio working in-house for developers as well as operating her own independent sound studio, Serial Lab Studios. Her work can be heard on over 100 game titles from award winning AAA to casual such as Paladins, Just Cause 3, Bioshock2, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, Runewards, and Cartoon Network. In addition to her work as a sound designer and composer, Gina is a Game Audio Course Author, Instructor, Lecturer and tutor.
Examples of previous talks / appearances:
Spoke to NYU undergrads and grad students about the technology and theory behind game audio.
This talk is in: English
Spoke to Berklee Students about our game BestLuck and how sound can tell the story and lead the player through the game.
This talk is in: English
Spoke to indie developers and audio designers about the pro's of using middle-ware for game audio implementation.
This talk is in: English
Spoke to Berklee students about a day in the life of a game audio designer
This talk is in: English
Panelist with Spencer Bambrick and Alyssa Menes speaking about building the skills needed to work in game audio.
This talk is in: English
Abstract
In addition to sound design, composition, and production supervision, game audio requires skill sets that are rarely encountered elsewhere, including interactive audio programming and implementation. This broad array of work types provides for an equally broad range of career opportunities. Whatever your background and area of specialized expertise might be, there is room for you in this rapidly growing industry. In this session a panel of accomplished industry veterans will discuss how to begin and develop a successful career in game audio with a focus on the new opportunities available in the booming mobile gaming and web apps marketplace. Audience members will take away a comprehensive understanding of the many opportunities available to audio professionals in the video game industry, as well as valuable suggestions and insights into how to land that first gig.
Spoke to indie developers about the pro's of using middle-ware for game audio implementation.
This talk is in: English
Abstract:
This event is specially suited for students, recent graduates, young professionals, and those interested in career advice. Hosted by SPARS in cooperation with the AES Education Committee and G.A.N.G., career related Q&A sessions will be offered to participants in a speed group mentoring format. A dozen students will interact with 4–5 working professionals in specific audio engineering fields or categories every 20 minutes. Audio engineering fields/categories include gaming, live sound/live recording, audio manufacturer, mastering, sound for picture, and studio production. Listed mentors are subject to change.
The List of Mentors
Studio Production: Mark Rubel, David Kahne, Craig Schumacher, Chris Mara, Glenn Lorbecki, Drew Waters, Barry Rudolph, Pat McMakin, Kevin Killen, Todd Whitelock
Sound for Picture: Leslie Mona-Mathus, Eric Johnson, Jamie Baker, Bill Higley, Jun Mizumachi, Rick Senechal
Gaming: Tom Salta, Gina Zdanowicz, Scott Selfon, Randy Coppinger
Live Sound/Live Recording: Erik Zobler, Jeri Palumbo, Rick Camp
Theatrical Sound: Peter Hylenski, Nevin Steinberg, Kai Harada, Simon Matthews
AES New York 2015
Student / Career Event
Saturday, October 31, 12:30 pm — 2:00 pm (Room 1A07)
SPARS Speed Counseling with Experts—Mentoring Answers for Your Career
Abstract:
This event is specially suited for students, recent graduates, young professionals, and those interested in career advice. Hosted by SPARS in cooperation with the AES Education Committee and G.A.N.G., career related Q&A sessions will be offered to participants in a speed group mentoring format. A dozen students will interact with 4–5 working professionals in specific audio engineering fields or categories every 20 minutes. Audio engineering fields/categories include gaming, live sound/live recording, audio manufacturer, mastering, sound for picture, and studio production. Mentors are subject to change.
Mentors: Scott Adamson, Live; Jamie Baker, Post; Jeff Greenberg, Studio Operations; Bill Higley, Post; Kirk Imamura, Studio Operations; Eric Johnson, Studio Operations; Chris Mara, Mixing; Leslie l. Mona-Mathus, Broadcast; Jun Mizumachi, Post; John O'Mahoney, Mixing; Barry Rudolph, Mixing; Gina Zdanowicz, Tom Salta & GANG, Gaming; Tony Schultz, Production
This talk is in: English
Presented at the thinking creatively conference on working in game audio.
This talk is in: English
Spoke about getting into Game Audio to the Masters Program Students
This talk is in: English
Spoke to Berklee Students about what it takes to work in game audio.
This talk is in: English
Spoke to Berklee students about writing adaptive music for games; sound design for games and implementation.
This talk is in: English
Teamed up with Spencer Bambrick to speak about the audio of our game BestLuck and how audio tells the story.
This talk is in: English
< b >Abstract< /b >
This session will be booming as Gina Zdanowicz explores effect plug-ins, layering and editing techniques for creative sound design and music with a punch. Audio directors and game producers are always looking for bigger sounds that stand out in the mix or make a trailer feel charged. Join Gina as she shares techniques she learned working in the field to satisfy those demands. She will get up close and personal with tools like tremolo to move sounds, transient designers to sharpen the attack and add more punch, automation for more control and more.
< b >Takeaway< /b >
This talk will provide both sound designers and composers tips on using various plug-ins along with layering and editing techniques to add more punch to their sound. From weapon sounds to trailer style music there will be videos, images and audio examples to demonstrate Gina's punchy tips.
Hosted by Tom Salta; Gina Zdanowicz presented on the technology and the theory of adaptive music in a 5 day work shop.
This talk is in: English