PLEASE NOTE: This program has not been updated with 2012 program information. Information about the 2012 program will appear online shortly. Until then, feel free to browse the information about our 2011 program, to get a sense of what the program is like.

The Film Scoring Department at Berklee College of Music presents a weekend of intensive workshops with industry leaders in the field of sound and music for video games. Through seminars and panels, attendees will explore the uniquely creative and technological aspects of sound and music for video games, including creation, production, delivery, and business implications in this multibillion-dollar industry. In addition, there will be opportunities to attend professional-level video game scoring sessions in Berklee's scoring studios.

Offerings range from introductory to intermediate levels of skill and preparation. No previous composition or music technology background is required. If you are looking for hands-on composition opportunities please see the Video Game Composer Institute.

This program has a limited enrollment; we encourage you to apply early in order to secure a space.

Who are the instructors?
Seminars and workshops will be conducted by members of Berklee's internationally renowned faculty and industry professionals. Previous Berklee guests include Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy), Norihiko Hibino (Metal Gear Solid), Chance Thomas (Avatar), Wataru Hokoyama (Afrika), Go Shiina (Tales of Legendia), Duncan Watt (Brothers in Arms), Olivier Deriviere (Alone in the Dark), Gerard Marino (God of War), Jack Wall (Myst, Mass Effect), Paul Lipson (President of G.A.N.G.), Clint Bajakian (executive, Sony PlayStation), and Tommy Tallarico (cocreator, Video Games Live).

Workshop topics include:

• History of Interactive Music and Sound– A look back at interactive music and sound from its roots in the early 20th century, through the MIDI sounds of the 1980s, to today's modern theater-quality sound experiences.
• Dramatic Scoring Techniques– An in-depth exploration of the musical attributes that create a moving, dramatic experience for a viewer/player.
• Approaches to Interactive Scoring– Using current game models, exploration of the ways in which game music requires unique designs, applications, and deliveries.
• Implementation and Middleware Engines– Discovering how sound and music are triggered by game events in current game engines.
• Sound Design in Video Games– A look at the rest of the world of sound in video games and how music fits into the total mix.
• Professional Issues Related to Music for Video Games– Several respected industry professionals discuss the critical role of music in the rapidly exploding game industry and the related professional career opportunities for musical artists, craft workers, and entrepreneurs in the United States and abroad.
• Guest Lecturer Presentations– Several respected industry professionals deliver special lectures on scores and soundscapes that they have created for recent games.
• Studio Sessions– Sit in the studio or the control room to witness firsthand how an interactive score comes alive with top players, conductors, engineers, and producers during the Video Game Composer Institute sessions.
• Closing Event– Original, interactive music written and recorded in the studio by Video Game Composer Institute participants will be screened in synch and critiqued by faculty and guest artists.

Program content subject to change.

Where will I eat and sleep?
Applicants will be sent information and an application for residence hall housing once accepted to the program. Most program participants elect to stay in the Berklee residence halls; however, space is limited. To optimize your chances for on-campus housing, you must return the housing application immediately upon receiving it.

If you apply to the program after mid-May, please call the Housing Office at 617 747-2292 to find out if residence hall space is still available.