Jack O'Callaghan

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Here's a pannel I did for Airwiggles in 2023:

My name is Jack, I am a Sound Designer at Northwave Audio, previously at Frontier Developments. My passion lies in crafting immersive audio that tells stories beyond what the player can visually see.I first fell in love with game audio when I could escape into an immersive experience and I believe a massive part of this immersion comes from the audio. Since joining the industry in 2023 I have made it my goal to recreate that feeling in my work. Along with my skills in sound design, I have a large amount of experience using audio middleware and proprietary tools to implement audio creatively.As an Audio Designer at Frontier, I worked on Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, F1 Manager 2023, Jurassic World Evolution 2 and Planet Zoo. Now as a Sound Designer with Northwave Audio, I have been working on Enginefall.I take inspiration from titles that I believe have extremely strong sound design and implementation such as Path of Exile 2, Bloodroots, Insurgency: Sandstorm and Balder's Gate 3.When I am not working on game audio, I enjoy training at the gym, being involved in the game audio community, playing competitive shooters, RPGs, Dungeon and Dragons and Magic the Gathering.

Key Skills:
Unreal Engine 5
MetaSounds
Wwise
Ownership

As a Sound Designer at Northwave, I am working on Enginefall. A PvP survival game based on a post-apocalyptic train. For this project, I have worked on many elements of the soundscape. From calm ambience to powerful weapons. There are a few things I haven't been a part of on this title and the list continues to grow.

Key Skills:
Cobra
Wwise
Adaptation

In my role on Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, I designed a diverse array of impact sounds tailored for different units. These sounds not only provided players with feedback during combat but also enriched the overall audio landscape. Additionally, I designed placement and looping assets for items within the Map Editor. These sound elements play a pivotal role in breathing life into individual components as players craft their unique maps.

Key Skills:
Wwise
Working within a franchise

During my involvement in Jurassic World Evolution 2: Cretaceous Predator Pack, my focus was on the Gigantoraptor's audio design and implementation.  Crafting original, unique vocalisations that stayed true to the Jurassic World Universe was a fascinating challenge. Additionally, I was responsible for designing and implementing the audio for the scenery items featured in this pack, contributing to the immersive experience of the prehistoric world players could build and explore.

Key Skills:
Team Colaboration
Commuication

In my role for Jurassic World Evolution 2: Prehistoric Marine Species Pack, I supported the Nothosaurus by implementing its audio for the lagoon animations. Additionally, I took charge of the comprehensive audio implementation for the Spinosaurus rework and the social interactions among the marine dinosaurs. This involved a meticulous approach to ensure an engaging and authentic experience within the game's prehistoric environment.

Key Skills:
Wwise
Ownership
Time Management
Communication

I lead the audio of the Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Update for Jurassic World Evolution 2. This comprehensive pack featured more than 20 decoration pieces, including a range of items from an MR.D.N.A statue to a new enclosure gate. Managing this pack posed challenges that tested my skills in design, implementation, time management, and communication.

Key Skills:
Wwise
Fast Learning
Time Management
Communication

During my involvement in the Jurassic World Evolution 2: Feathered Species Pack, I played a significant role in an extensive restructuring of Wwise to accommodate a new global game speed feature. Previously, we had supported 2x and 3x times speed with the appropriate state setup. However, the introduction of a slow-motion speed option, aimed at enabling players to capture cinematic moments, posed a fresh challenge for the project. This task demanded a substantial amount of hands-on work directly within Wwise.

Key Skills:
Wwise
Animation Authoring

During my involvement with the Planet Zoo: Eurasia Animal Pack, I was responsible for designing and implementing the audio for the Wild Boar and Wisent. This task demanded a high level of intricacy in foley implementation, particularly considering the heavy fur coats of these animals.

Key Skills:
Research
Sound Design
Listening Skills

During my time on the Planet Zoo: Arid Animal Pack, I took charge of designing and implementing the audio for the Addax and the Black Rhino. Crafting the audio for the Addax presented a unique challenge due to the scarcity of usable recordings for this rare species. Using my keen listening and design skills, I recreated their distinctive vocalications from scratch.

Key Skills:
Wwise
Animation Authoring
Fast Learning

In my role for the Planet Zoo: Oceania Pack, I took charge of crafting and implementing the audio for the Spectacled Flying Fox within the enclosure habitat. This task stood out as a unique challenge because enclosure animals come with limited support tools. As a result, I had to exclusively rely on Wwise for all aspects of implementation. This experience significantly stretched my skills in Wwise and provided immense learning opportunities.

Key Skills:
Animation Authoring
Communication

During my involvement with the Planet Zoo: Tropical Pack, I played a key role in implementing the audio for the Asian Water Monitor. Specifically, I focused on the swiming and water platform enrichment animations, ensuring a meticulous attention to detail throughout the process.

Key Skills:
Dialogue Design

During my time on Formula 1® Manager 2023, I was tasked with transcribing and editing dialogue recordings that served as the communication voiceover between the pit crew and the driver.

Key Skills:
Weapon Design
Thematic Design

For the Elk Rider Kit released for Christmas 2023, I designed the audio for the snowball launcher, a weapon players can use.