Resume

Joey Kuras – Sound Designer

Summary	I am a seasoned Sound Designer with over 31 years of experience crafting and implementing audio for games, having contributed to more than 100 titles. My passion for video games and sound began at the age of 10 with the Atari 2600, and then later the Commodore 64. The dream of working on video games sparked while working at an arcade during my teen years. Since 1993, creating game sounds has been my life’s work. What I find most fulfilling is the process of taking recorded or designed sounds and seamlessly integrating them into gameplay. I thrive on crafting custom sounds that are uniquely tailored to each game, enhancing the overall player experience.
Skills	Extensive experience implementing sound in Unreal Engine 4 & Unreal Engine 5. Experience with Unity & GameMaker with sound implementation in game objects and animation Extensive experience with Reaper, Sound Forge, Acoustica 7, and SoundMiner for sound design Experience with Sonar, Cubase, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Sony Acid, Wavelab, Digital Performer, Nuendo, Cakewalk TestTrack, Perforce, Jira, Shotgun, Azure Devops TFS
Experience	Sound Design & Implementation – Joey Kuras Sound Design (independent contractor) Clayton, NC – April 2018-present IRA – Nicalis, Inc (sound design, implementation, mixing) Critadel – Nicalis, Inc (Sound Design) Army of the Dead: Viva Las Vengeance VR Experience – Pure Imagination Studios (sound design, implementation, mixing) The Cramped Room Of Death – Nicalis, Inc (sound design) The Legend of Bum-Bo – Nicalis, Inc (sound design) The Binding Of Isaac: Repentance – Nicalis, Inc (sound design) Crystal Crisis – Nicalis, Inc – Audio Director (as sole sound designer on project, I designed all sound effects, implementation of all sounds in Unity, dialog editing, mixing and mastering) Sackboy: A Big Adventure – Sumo Digital, Ltd (sound recording, editing, design, implementation in Wwise and UE4) June 2018-present Technical Sound Designer – Epic Games Cary, NC – August 2012-April 2018 I designed and implemented audio for every part of the games. I used Reaper and Sound Forge to design and edit the sounds, and implemented with Unreal Engine 4. Working closely with designers, FX artists, and animators, I created soundscapes that matched the game’s feel and actions. Projects worked on included: Fortnite (additional sound design, memory optimization, custom sound recording) Paragon (design and implementation of sounds for all aspects of the game, including ambient sound, front end UI, in-game UI, hero abilities, weapons, footsteps, body movements, enemies, gameplay events, victory cinematic, and dynamic sound mixing) Infinity Blade 3 (all sound design and implementation) Infinity Blade Dungeons (sound design and implementation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OA8dzAIaNc GDC and tech demos including: Kite Demo (design and implementation in Matinee) Showdown (VR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyAkE-8Y3dc Matinee Fight Scene (all sound design, mixing, and implementation in Matinee) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO0k92iVMjE Zen Garden (iOS) (sound design and implementation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK_gtNJ0Olk Thief In The Shadows (sound implementation through Matinee and blueprints) Technical Sound Designer, Independent Contracting Clayton, NC — 2007-2012 I worked primarily, during this period, designing sound for Epic Games and ChAIR Entertainment. I worked closely with the audio team as well as design and FX. All sound was implemented using Unreal Engine 3. I used the Unreal Editor extensively to implement ambient sound, reverb zones, matinee sound, playsound in kismet, triggered sound, animation notifies. Cinematic sound and implementation – Gears of War 3, Shadow Complex, Infinity Blade 1 and 2 Ambient sound design and implementation – Infinity Blade 1 and 2, Gears of War 2 and 3, Shadow Complex Non interactive scripted events design and implementation – Gears of War 2 and 3, Infinity Blade 1 and 2 Dialog editing and processing and implementation – Infinity Blade 1 and 2 Monster and enemy sound design and implementation – Infinity Blade 1 and 2 Accomplishments 2012 G.A.N.G. Awards: Infinity Blade II – Winner: Best Handheld Audio 2012 G.A.N.G. Awards: Gears of War 3 – Nominated for Audio of the Year 2012 G.A.N.G. Awards: Gears of War 3 – Nominated for Best Cinematic/Cut-Scene Audio Lead Sound Designer, Tommy Tallarico Studios San Juan Capistrano, CA— 1994-2006 I was responsible for creating all sound effects, dialog editing, cinematic sound design, custom sound recording, sound effects editing, processing and optimization for the intended platforms. Accomplishments Created all sounds in SFX Kit sound library for Sound Ideas 2003 G.A.N.G. Awards: The SFX Kit – Winner Best Sound Library 2003 G.A.N.G. Awards: Tonka: Rescue Patrol Winner, Best Edutainment/Children’s Audio 2005 G.A.N.G. Awards: Advent Rising – Nominated for Audio of the Year 2005 G.A.N.G. Awards: Advent Rising – Nominated for Best Cinematic Audio 2005 G.A.N.G. Awards: Advent Rising – Nominated for Sound Design of the Year 2003 G.A.N.G. Awards: War of the Monsters – Nominated for Sound Design of the Year 1998 Nominated Finalist: Wild 9 – Best Sound in a Video Game – Interactive Academy of Arts & Sciences 1995 Best Music and Sound FX: Earthworm Jim 2 – Sega 3rd Party 1994 Best Sound Effects: Earthworm Jim – Video Games Magazine Sound Designer, Virgin Interactive Entertainment Irvine, CA — 1993-1997 I was responsible for sound design and implementation. Some notable titles included Spot Goes To Hollywood and Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book. I was responsible for implementation of all sounds in the Super Nintendo using a custom built audio engine, and on the Playstation using Sony’s Scream tool.
Credits	2017 Fortnite, Epic Games (additional sound design for searching objects, pickaxes, neon weapons, clinger grenade, abilities, traps, vending machine, ambient sound, and memory optimization for iOS) 2016 Paragon, Epic Games (implementation of all sounds in Unreal Engine 4. Lead Sound Design: hero weapons and abilities, UI, ambience, gameplay events, emotes, body foley and footsteps) 2015 Showdown, Epic Games, VR experience (sound design and implementation) Open World Kite Demo, Epic Games (sound design and implementation: ambient sound, foley and footsteps, and implementing all sounds in Unreal Engine 4) 2014 Zen Garden, Epic Games (sound design and implementation of all sounds) Matinee Fight Scene, Epic Games (tech demo sound design and implementation of all sounds) 2013 Infinity Blade 3, Chair Entertainment (sound design and implementation of all in game sounds, dialog editing and processing, cinematics) 2011 Bulletstorm, Electronic Arts, Inc. (ambient sound design, cinematic matinee sound design) Gears of War 3, Microsoft Game Studios (ambient sound design, dialog editing, matinee sound design, scripted kismet sound design) Infinity Blade II, Epic Games, Inc. (enemy character vocal sound design, ambient sound design, foley and object sound design, anim set sound design of all characters, matinee sound design) 2010 Infinity Blade, Epic Games, Inc. (enemy character sound design and implementation in animset of all characters, matinee sound design, ambient sound design and implementation into editor) Monster Mayhem: Build and Battle, Crave Entertainment (sound designer) Flip’s Twisted World, Majesco Entertainment (sound designer) 2009 Shadow Complex, Microsoft Game Studios (ambient sound design and implementation in editor, sound design of weapons, enemies, UI sounds) 2008 Gears of War 2, Microsoft Game Studios (ambient sound design, dialog editing, cinematic matinee sound design and scripted event sound design) Line Rider 2: Unbound, Genius Products Inc. (design of all sound effects and cinematics) Baby Pals, Crave Entertainment (design of all sound effects) 2007 Unreal Tournament III, Midway Home Entertainment, Inc. Lineage II: The Chaotic Throne – The Kamael: The 1st Throne, NCsoft – North America (new character and magical skill sound design) Purr Pals, Crave Entertainment (design of all sound effects) 2006 AND 1 Streetball, Ubisoft, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Pac-Man World Rally, Namco Bandai Games America Inc. (design of all sound effects) Snoopy vs. the Red Baron, Namco Bandai Games America Inc. (design of all sound effects) Exteel, NC Soft (sound design) 2005 Advent Rising, Majesco Entertainment Company (design of all sound effects) The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer, THQ Inc. (design of all sound effects) Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict, Midway Home Entertainment, Inc. (weapon, ambient, UI, gameplay, stinger sound design, implementation in Unreal Editor) 2004 The Bard’s Tale, Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. (design of all sound effects) SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie, THQ Inc. (design of all sound effects) The X-Files: Resist or Serve, Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle, NCsoft – North America (new character and player and enemy skill sound design) Fight Club, VU Games (sound design and dialog editing) Unreal Tournament 2004, Atari (additional weapon sound design) 2003 Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis, TDK Mediactive, Inc. (design of all sound effects) SpyHunter 2, Midway Home Entertainment, Inc. (cinematic sound design) Unreal II: The Awakening, Infogrames, Inc. (enemy, weapon, ambient, and cinematic sound design) War of the Monsters, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. (design of all sound effects and creature sounds, and implementation into Sony sound engine) Maximo vs Army of Zin, Capcom Co., Ltd. (design of all sound effects) Tonka Rescue Patrol, TDK Mediactive, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Fugitive Hunter: War on Terror, Encore Software (design of all sound effects) 2002 MX Superfly Featuring Ricky Carmichael, THQ Inc. Scooby-Doo!: Night of 100 Frights, THQ Inc. (design of all sound effects) Spec Ops: Airborne Commando, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Street Hoops, Activision Publishing, Inc. (design of all sound effects) 2001 Casper: Spirit Dimensions, TDK Mediactive, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Knockout Kings 2001, Electronic Arts, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Twisted Metal Small Brawl, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee, Oddworld Inhabitants Inc. (cinematic sound design) Maximo: Ghosts to Glory, Capcom Co., Ltd. (design of all sound effects) Time Crisis: Project Titan, SCEE (sound design and cinematic sound design) MTV Sports: T.J. Lavin’s Ultimate BMX, THQ (sound design) 2000 Evil Dead: Hail to the King, THQ Inc. (design of all sound effects and enemy creature voices) Messiah, Interplay Entertainment Corp. (design of all sound effects) Sacrifice, Interplay Entertainment Corp. (design of all sound effects) Spider-Man, Activision Publishing, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Activision, Inc. (design of all sound effects) NCAA March Madness 2001, EA Sports (design of all sound effects and cinematic sound) NFL Blitz 2001, Midway (sound designer, dialog editing) Army Men Air Attack, 3DO (design of all sound effects and cinematic sound) 1999 007: Tomorrow Never Dies, Electronic Arts, Inc. (design of all sound effects) BassMasters 2000, THQ Inc. (design of all sound effects) Unreal Return to Na Pali, GT Interactive (additional weapon sound design) Knockout Kings 2000, Electronic Arts, Inc. (design of all sound effects) R/C Stunt Copter, Titus France SA (design of all sound effects) Pac-Man World (1999), Namco Hometek Inc. (design of all sound effects) NCAA March Madness 2000, EA Sports (design of all sound effects and cinematic sound) Wheel of Time, GT Interactive (sound design) Test Drive 6, Accolade (sound design) 1998 Test Drive: Off-Road 2, Accolade, Inc. (design of all sound effects) WarGames: DEFCON 1, MGM Interactive (design of all sound effects) Adrenix (1998), Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Hardball 99, Accolade, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Apocalypse, Activision, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Wild 9, Interplay (design of all sound effects) Beavis & Butthead Bunghole in One, GT Interactive (all sound design and dialog editing) Beavis & Butthead Do U, GT Interactive (all sound design and dialog editing) Test Drive 5, Accolade (sound design) 1997 Duckman: The Graphic Adventures of a Private Dick, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Grand Slam, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) MDK, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) VMX Racing, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. Treasures of the Deep, Black Ops Entertainment (design of all sound effects) Battle Arena Toshinden 3, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (dialog editing) NHL Face-Off 98, SCEA (design of all sound effects, dialog editing) Test Drive 4 (sound design), Accolade 1996 Powerslave, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. Creature Shock, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (additional sound design) NeoHunter, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (sound designer) Spot Goes to Hollywood, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Toonstruck, Sold Out Sales & Marketing Ltd. (design of all sound effects) Skeleton Warriors, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) 1995 Earthworm Jim 2, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Madden NFL 96, Electronic Arts, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. Agile Warrior: F-111X, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Demolition Man, Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Zone Raiders, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. Hyper 3D Pinball, Virgin Interactive Entertainment (design of all sound effects) 1994 Earthworm Jim, Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (design of all sound effects) Demolition Man, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (sound design and implementation) Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book, Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (sound design and implementation) 1993 Cool Spot, Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd. (sound design and implementation) Unreleased/Cancelled Infinity Blade Dungeons, Epic Games (sound design and implementation) Black 9, Majesco (design of all sound effects) Moto X, Konami (design of all sound effects) Deuce (design of all sound effects) Felix the Cat (design of all sound effects) Major Damage (design of all sound effects) Little Blue, InXile Entertainment (design of all sound)