In Place Of Sound - I Am Alive — Raygun Brown
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Raygun Brown
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In Place Of Sound Podcast
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04.10.13
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In Place Of Sound - I
Am Alive
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In certain cases, music can determine the feeling and lasting
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memory of a game. It is more important than we realise because
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how certain music is used and implemented can be subtle and yet
extremely emotional. In this series of features, I get a chance to
interview some of the most effective video game composers of
recent times and try to understand where and how their work
became so important.
I have written once or twice about 2012's I Am Alive. About its
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In Place Of Sound - I Am Alive — Raygun Brown
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themes, innovative gameplay and voice acting. However, one
element that is deceptively emotional is its soundtrack. Used
sparingly but effectively, each part of the score drives home both
the gut-wrenching desperation and unbreakable hope featured
in the story. The main character's struggle through the crumbled
ruins of Haventon was at the forefront of composer Jeff
Broadbent's mind when he was composing the music. Classically
trained and Los Angeles-based, Broadbent was keenly aware of
the emotional nature that I Am Alive was set to deliver.
"When I began composing, the development direction for the
game was well defined," Broadbent tells me, "the developers
provided me with a very clear description of the various settings
and chapters in the game, as well as the musical needs for these
scenarios. The development team provided me with a creative
overview of the game, including concept art, backstory, and a
description of the emotional tone of the game. What really
impressed me was the personal nature of the game, with the
protagonist searching for his family and also protecting the
young Mei. Having this understanding of the game’s creative
vision – a violent struggle in a post-apocalyptic survival situation,
combined with a sense of humanity and personal emotion –
helped me find a musical tone that would best serve the
narrative."
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It's one thing to know what the game wants to achieve but the
process of injecting these kinds of emotions via music can
present its own challenges. Tone is very important and making
sure it fits with the tiniest details in I Am Alive can make or break
the emotional weight of each gameplay section or cut-scene. Go
too over the top and you risk distracting the player. On the other
hand, heightening the tension without the player realising can be
a very powerful skill to have. Broadbent clearly gives these
aspects his full attention. "When I compose for a game, I try to
understand as much as possible about the creative vision for the
project. Concept art, backstory, watching gameplay, and
discussing with the developers all help me gain a sense of how to
craft the music to best support the game. In the case of I Am Alive,
I happened to be reading the book The Road, by Cormac
McCarthy, while composing for the game. The tone of the book
helped inspire me while composing, as it conveyed a sense of
abandonment, loss, and also muted optimism. McCarthy’s work
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circumstances, and of humanity surviving against great brutality
and depravity. It had quite an effect on me, and certainly was an
inspiration."
In terms of specific tracks, "Mei's Theme" is easily the most
layered and effective. Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, it
provides closure for the main character after caring for the young
girl Mei. After building a relationship and protecting her from the
agonising outside world, "Mei's Theme" comes at an emotional
time in the game.
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"Composing "Mei’s Theme" was one of my favorite pieces for the
game. I was told that this track was a 'farewell' track of sorts for
the moment when the protagonist says goodbye to Mei, the
young girl he has protected, after reuniting her with her mother.
To me this moment in the game was one of great contrast – it
illustrated the gentle humanity and care still present in a world
that was largely ravaged by violence and depravity. It was a
symbol of the emotion and bonds that tie us together. I chose
solo oboe to be the musical voice of Mei. Oboe is a beautiful
instrument – its tone is rich and at times somewhat plaintive. It
provided a bittersweet timbre for this moment. I accompanied
the oboe with gentle piano motifs and lush yet understated
strings, providing a gentle accompaniment to the melody. In
addition, I created some subtle ambient synthetic elements,
which play a large role in the rest of the game’s music, as a
means of sonically linking "Mei’s Theme" with the remainder of
the score."
Make no mistake, there are things in Haventon that the player
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depraved locale for gangs to prey on helpless women who are
routinely used as sex slaves and tossed aside. Broadbent had not
seen the finished section of the game before composing the
music but he had enough material to work with to provide the
right level of dread and foreboding needed. "I was provided
concept art, some gameplay screenshots, and text descriptions
of the Blue Hotel, which helped me to understand the great
danger, depravity, and oppression of this environment. Because
I Am Alive is a game focusing heavily on realism, the music
needed to highlight the terror and fear of the situation. As such, I
composed the music to be very tense, containing heavily
processed percussion, noise elements, and a high level of
dissonance."
Jeff Broadbent Hotel Of Horrors
Broadbent's memories of the entire process are nothing but
positive. To successfully deliver an effective score after the chaos
of I Am Alive's development is an achievement in and of itself.
But to walk away satisfied with your work is the best you can
hope for. "I was hired in winter of 2011, after creating a demo
theme for the game, as well as some demo gameplay music, that
the developers were very fond of. This was after development for
the game had shifted from the original developer, Darkworks,
into the hands of Ubisoft Shanghai, with audio director Zhang Lei
heading the audio team."
"All of the music I composed was placed into the game. We did
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they were in final form. One unexpected surprise was how well
the tension music that occurs when you are losing stamina while
climbing worked. This piece of music is a sonic layer that is
triggered when you are about to fall, due to fatigue, while
climbing. It added a lot of suspense and urgency to those
situations in the game."
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"Another pleasant surprise was a piece of music I composed
called Henry’s Refuge, which is a poignant moment where the
protagonist finds temporary solace in the abode of Henry, a man
who provides Adam and Mei respite from the brutal world. This
music, like Mei’s Theme, is a moment of peace and rest amidst
very difficult circumstances."
"These parts of the score explore an emotional side of gaming
that is a wonderful, and often rare, treat to work on. It is a
reminder to me that games can not only entertain, but function
as art and touch the soul. They are among the pieces of game
music I’ve composed that I’m most fond of."
Jeff Broadbent's score of I Am Alive can be found on iTunes.
His current work can be heard on the soundtrack to
Planetside 2.
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