Creating Sound: 3x5 Interview With Alexandre Saba

3x5 Interview with Alexandre Saba

[George heads north to Montreal, Canada, to visit Funcom's sound designer, Alexandre Saba. While he's working on their MMO, The Secret World, he seeks to improve the world of sound with his mantra, "DSP Everything!" Additional video is available at the original source, creatingsound.com]

Alexandre Saba's Website | Alexandre on Twitter

IN FIVES

1) Starting with the word “one” and increasing by increments of one thereafter, list 5 points that describe yourself.

2) If you could have a five-finger discount on any piece of software, what would it be?

Nuendo

3) Describe what the number 5 would sound like if it were in human form.

5 looks red and red sounds harsh. Probably needs a de-esser as well.

IN FOURS

1) If you were to replace one of the Beatles, who would it be? Who would you put in his place?

Paul McCartney with Michael Jackson and rename the group to The Beat Its.

2) What are your four favorite sound design tools?

Human voice, Portable recorders, DSP, Automation

3) Finish the countdown: 4...3...2...1...

Zero.

IN THREES

1) What are three reasons you’re working with sound?

When done right, it’s the greatest thing on earth!

It sways peoples emotions.

One day get a 3x5 interview.

2) Of the following, what would you buy if you had a spare $100 and why? 3-piece suit, 3 super cheap mics, 3 blind mice?

3 super cheap mics hoping they're "cheap" because they're on sale.

3) What are three games that are your go-to examples for great sound design?

GTA IV

Half- Life 2

Mass Effect, all of them

IN TWOS

1) Two issues that invariably come up when working are...

Things break

Roadmap changes

2) What are two pieces of advice you would give to someone eager to get into sound design?

Make your demo sound better than the people you're sending them to.

Don't tell them it's better.

3) Finish the line: “Two sound designers walk into a bar...”

One of them puts earplugs in, the other gets shit faced and laughs.

IN ONES

1) Name one sound design task that could be improved with technology.

#dspeverything

2) “This one time, I was working on a project and...”

Everything went to plan.

3) What is the first thing you do after completing a project?

Vacation, I need a vacation.