Sound Design Guidelines

cheeseplus

What to create

Original sound design for a video clip provided by Riot Audio.

• Create a 100% original, from scratch, fully designed,and fully mixed soundscape that brings the video clip to life!

What to keep in mind

• All audio must be original and recorded by you - no SFX from commercially available libraries.
• Please don't include musical accompaniment; SFX and voice only.

What to deliver

• Quicktime video export of your final product.
• Zipped DAW final edit session, (Pro Tools, Reaper or Nuendo.) Don't forget to include all media
• Quick essay (500-1,000 words,) on your approach, methodology and any other pertinent info relating to how you tackled the contest.
• Please provide details of where and how you recorded any original audio.

What Riot will judge
Originality!  Show us something our players have never heard, and blow us away in your finished clip.  Go!

Ready to submit?
http://polycount.com/discussion/196324/submission-guidelines

Porosite

For the zipped DAW session, Nuendo is listed but is a Cubase session file also permitted since it can be opened in Nuendo?

phailable

I really like this challenge, although i would say that the "no SFX from commercially available libraries" seems both daunting and a little bit counter intuitive. I feel like that would be sort of like saying to the concept artists that they were not allowed to use photoshop (or any crucial part of their every day workflow)
Those library in question doesnt make great sounddesign, the combination of great ideas, creativity and skill does.

derschulti

Hey there, so would it be possible to open up the required DAWs - i´m on Ableton live and would like to participate on the contest, but would not want to learn a new DAW.
Thank you!

ms_teo

Hello! I own Logic pro x and PT8LE. I mainly use Logic so i was  planning to create every SFX in logic and then just sync the audio, adjust levels and panning in PT.  Unfortunately i come from Greece and i can not participate 

Riot_Eno

derschulti said:

Hey there, so would it be possible to open up the required DAWs - i´m on Ableton live and would like to participate on the contest, but would not want to learn a new DAW.
Thank you!

Hey there - we need to be able to open and navigate your session, so we've limited it to the DAWs that we use in-house. Check out Reaper!

Riot_Eno

Porosite said:

For the zipped DAW session, Nuendo is listed but is a Cubase session file also permitted since it can be opened in Nuendo?

If we can open it in Nuendo, that shouldn't be a problem.

codycball

I'm an ableton live user but am going to work with Reaper for the first time to do this. My question is, If we use any third party plugins such as fabfilter, waves, kilohearts  etc.  should we bounce the files and have just the rendered version?  Are you not interested in seeing our processing chains?

codycball

If we use third party plugins, should we just render the tracks and assume you don't need to see our processing chains? (Edit) Sorry for the repeated question, couldn't see if the one before posted before or not.

kiranraj

Can we use synthesizers or a instrument in NI kontakt to create ambience and textures ? 

Riot_Eno

codycball said:

If we use third party plugins, should we just render the tracks and assume you don't need to see our processing chains? (Edit) Sorry for the repeated question, couldn't see if the one before posted before or not.

That's a great question - please go ahead and render those clips

Riot_Eno

kiranraj said:

Can we use synthesizers or a instrument in NI kontakt to create ambience and textures ? 

Sure!

Riot_Eno

phailable said:

I really like this challenge, although i would say that the "no SFX from commercially available libraries" seems both daunting and a little bit counter intuitive. I feel like that would be sort of like saying to the concept artists that they were not allowed to use photoshop (or any crucial part of their every day workflow)
Those library in question doesnt make great sounddesign, the combination of great ideas, creativity and skill does.

Commercial libraries are fantastic tools, and something we all make use of, but a big part of this challenge is to "create your own sonic paint." Additionally, most commercial sound libraries prohibit the redistribution of their raw assets - they typically need to be married to moving picture or integrated into an interactive game.

We fully expect this to be a huge challenge - everyone on the team thought it would be a great way to push people outside of their comfort zones and force you guys to experiment with new tools and techniques.

elseniorlopez

Hi! 

I just found out this, when is the submission deadline?   

elseniorlopez

Never mind, I just found the announcement.  

Pablosaitua

Hi, can we ask somebody else to do a voiceover?
- and / or are we allowed to  use our own voice?

KurtOzz

I copy/paste the questions I put on the QA section since I did not receive an answer

Hello !

2 questions : 

- Do we only have to create a topic in the sub-section with name of the contest + keep it updated to enter the contest or are there other ways to officially enter it ?

- How about our "property" rights ? I mean, I want to enter the Sound Design section, and it is specified that we need to create original recordings/sound design + give the DAW project with all audios, etc. Can you use our work freely after the contest ? I don't want to insinuate anything, but just want to understand how does this works. It is a lot of work (1:30 min), abundant scenes, voice overs, etc. All of this will be done on our (at least my) spare time (I'm a sound designer full time), and I don't want that work/workflow being used freely and/or without my permission. Can you give more infos about that ? Once again, no offense intended here, I'm super excited about this contest ! 

Thanks for your answer !

edmatthews82

Is there a link to a PRO TOOLS 12 compatible video? PT12 doesn't use mpeg.... quicktime pro won't open it either. (im on a mac)

Riot_Eno

Pablosaitua said:

Hi, can we ask somebody else to do a voiceover?
- and / or are we allowed to  use our own voice?

Absolutely fine!

Riot_Eno

edmatthews82 said:

Is there a link to a PRO TOOLS 12 compatible video? PT12 doesn't use mpeg.... quicktime pro won't open it either. (im on a mac)

Have you tried using Handbrake to convert it?

cavanaudio

What are the prizes for sound design winners?

cavanaudio

cavanaudio said:

What are the prizes for sound design winners?

Never mind, I finally found them listed in the Official Contest Rules, shown below for anyone else wondering....

PRIZING​ ​FOR​ ​FOLLOWING​ ​CATEGORIES​:​ Sound​ ​Design

First​ ​Place.​ One First Place winning Entry from the Category above shall be awarded:
● One Pair (2 Total) Genelec 8030C Powered Studio Monitors (ARV $695.00 x 2 = $1390.00)

Second​ ​Place.​ One Second Place winning Entry from the Category above shall be awarded:
● Rode NTG-3 Shotgun Microphone (ARV $699.00)
● Rode Blimp2 (ARV $299.00)

Third​ ​Place.​ One Third Place winning Entry from the Category above shall be awarded:
● Zoom H6 Handy Recorder (ARV $349.00)
● Zoom H6 Accessory Pack (ARV $59.00)

The total ARV of all prizes in the Sound​ ​Design​ Category is $2796.00​.

shakkam

Hi ! As a video games compositor I was soooooo happy to see this new contest !

But If I understand, SFX only are asked ?

Alex_audio

Riot_Eno said:

codycball said:

If we use third party plugins, should we just render the tracks and assume you don't need to see our processing chains? (Edit) Sorry for the repeated question, couldn't see if the one before posted before or not.

That's a great question - please go ahead and render those clips

Hi, @Riot_Eno, Guys!

Audio render is a nice project organiser but it will hide some decisions I made.

Can you give us list of 3rd party plugins you use in your sessions?

Maybe I can use the same plugins to keep everything raw as much as I can

Alex_audio

@Riot_Eno
What about loudness levels and dynamic range?
Do you have specifications for master version?

capice

I am interested in the contest, I just learned about it! The downside is I dont use any of the DAW's listen and since Ive upgraded OS on mac PRo tools is not supported unless I buy the software license again. 

I am willing to deep dive on the project but there needs to be a way to accomplish this so those of us that primarily use Logic Pro X to create with. 

I'd even go so far as to provide my login with apple so that you all have a working copy to of Logic Pro X  in order judge the created content. The DAW's listed need to be opened up. Not only can I provide session notes right inside of Logic Pro X off to the right, but I know my organization within it is outstanding. 

Here is an example of some of my most recent work with Uncharted The Lost Legacy. 

Pre-editing notes displayed

Post editing and notes displayed

-SonicBoomin

Riot_Eno

Alex_audio said:

@Riot_Eno
What about loudness levels and dynamic range?
Do you have specifications for master version?

I'd try to adhere to EBU R128
http://www.r128audio.com/

GFSP

Where do we upload the completed sound design for the contest? also, can I upload a Pro-Res video (my system does not work with mpeg)

CastleRush6

Hey guys, I'm excited to be doing this however I do pretty much all of my design and writing in Ableton. I read that you can't open the Ableton session but I was planning on using re-wire to record them into Pro-Tools. Would that be acceptable? I'll include screen shots from my Ableton session as proof.

KurtOzz

Hello Riot, can you tell us where exactly we can send you the video and the files in order to validate the contest ?

underworldguy

Can we use sounds that we recorded earlier? For example I have an idea for blade in the end, but some components I wish to use I recorded a year ago and have no access to that equipment.

Alex_audio

Hi, Guys!
@Riot_Eno
I have the same question about files upload
I found PDF with official rules but link provided in there didn't work
Can you give a link for contest project uploading?

Gabiloko

Hi there, 

I would like to register to the contest. How do I? I've already created an account at polycount but I can't find any link to the contest registration. Thank you. 

Regards, 

Gabiloko

Hello again, 

I can not access the link to the submission download tool either (in the "Riot Creative Contest Rules" pdf). 

KurtOzz

Neither do I...

Riot_Eno

underworldguy said:

Can we use sounds that we recorded earlier? For example I have an idea for blade in the end, but some components I wish to use I recorded a year ago and have no access to that equipment.

That's totally fine

Riot_Eno

Alex_audio said:

Hi, Guys!
@Riot_Eno
I have the same question about files upload
I found PDF with official rules but link provided in there didn't work
Can you give a link for contest project uploading?

KurtOzz said:

Hello Riot, can you tell us where exactly we can send you the video and the files in order to validate the contest ?

Gabiloko said:

Hello again, 

I can not access the link to the submission download tool either (in the "Riot Creative Contest Rules" pdf). 

Hey guys - sorry for the radio silence over the holidays =(

Stand by for the link for entry submissions - thanks for bearing with us

Gabiloko

OK thanks.. 

AndrewDodds

Hello,

If it is ok I'd like to take part in the contest as well! I have created a Polycount account and downloaded the video. Is there anything else I need to do before I start?

Riot_Eno

Hey friends - you can find the submission guidelines here :  http://polycount.com/discussion/196324/submission-guidelines

Eisenhorn

The Dropbox isn't working !!!

I try to click on "transfer" but nothing happens !!!

Only 3 hours left please help !

cheeseplus

@Eisenhorn have you tried a different browser? If not you can upload it someplace that I can get it, DM me and I can upload for you.

tleilan

My upload is at 12% with 7 minutes before 2359...please tell me you guys will still accept it!

Alex_audio

Hi, Guys!

Can somebody tell me when results will be known?

MikeConstante

March 1st, I believe