Alan Koda
- Audio & Design for Media
- mail: alan@alankoda.com
- phone: 817.308.5446
Welcome to my website.
I make sounds for pictures and games and art.
And I design.
Glad to see you here. I do sound. Whether it's effects, design, composition, narration, or even location sound, I make sure that my audio work meets the vision of my clients.
I'm also a visual, interaction, and experience designer, and I make web sites, code Max/MSP patches, and try to make software better.
When I'm not knee-deep in Pro Tools or Coda, I doodle in Illustrator, follow indie games, and play whatever instrument happens to be in front of me.
→ Download my Visual Design Portfolio
The Blog
About Me
I am an audio designer for film, television, and games.
I hold an MFA in Sound Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. My work there centered on audio for short films, animation, and sound art. However, I have a longstanding passion for video games, and so I hope to find my way into that neck of the audio woods as well.
My thesis work at SCAD focused on redesigning Digital Audio Workstation interfaces for post-production, and how to effectively develop interaction with audio software beyond analog hardware emulation. Based on research, interviews, etc., I made several prototype designs for touch-based audio software, utilizing novel interaction paradigms. I will continue developing my design into a functional prototype, and hopefully delve deeper into designing products for creative media-making people.
→ Download a copy of my thesis
Résumé
Summary of Skills
- Postproduction sound effects, foley, dialog/ADR/dubbing, mix, and sound team supervision for film, television, and games
- Composition, editing, and mixing for music (including music for picture)
- Implementation of audio, video and audio/visual control methods in Max/MSP/Jitter
- Pro Tools 8 certified Post Operator
- Visual design, graphic design, digital illustration
- Web design, user interaction and interface design
Experience
Freelance Sound and Graphic Design
(2011 — current)
- Recorded production sound, designed sound assets, and mixed final soundtracks
- Designed posters, flyers, logos, and icons
Sound Recordist/Designer/Composer
Blue Goggles Films (2011 — current)
- Co-owned production and postproduction sound duties for short video and webisode productions
- Composed original music and score
Virtual Assistant
Om Freely (2011 — 2012)
- Managed audio assets, including editing and exporting to appropriate formats
- Maintained daily front-end web presence; updated daily page content and media assets
Web Designer
Brown & Koda Web (2011 — current)
- Conceptualized and designed site and page layouts; crafted brand logos and identities; generated site assets for web integration
Animator
Allure Energy, Incorporated (2011 — 2012)
- Wrote, animated, narrated, and scored six ‘Energy Saving Tips’ videos for use with smart thermostat product
Team Lead, 3M-Sponsored Design Project
Savannah College of Art and Design (2011)
- Led a design team to develop new concepts for touch interaction, utilizing 3M’s emerging multitouch technologies
- Developed collaborative multitouch picture editing concept for large multitouch hardware
- Illustrated concepts via mockups, scenario enaction, and demonstration videos
Master’s Thesis — Cutting the Cables: Developing DAWs Beyond Analog Methods
Savannah College of Art and Design (2011)
- Analyzed past and current postproduction sound methods and workflows to pinpoint user experience issues
- Developed several prototypes for a novel alternative touch interaction DAW system
Notable Activities
Quality Assurance & Engineering Intern
The Kitchen, dubbing and subtitling services (September — November 2010)
- Converted casting sheets into online digital cast database, allowing for quick assessment of casting needs and recording progress per episode
- Crafted guide for The Kitchen’s engineering process, including use of proprietary dubbing software and talent billing, for use by future interns
Treasurer, Professional Audio Student Organization (PASO)
Savannah College of Art and Design (2009 — 2010)
- Doubled allocated funds between September and February, winning the club’s largest grant for a single proposal.
- Coordinated travel, accommodation, and venue arrangements for four guest lecturers – Martin Atkins, Jeff Wexler, Ed Greene, and Alexander Brandon – as well as creating all promotional material and coordinating marketing.
- Coordinated two-day interdepartmental event CoMotion with Motion Media club.
Sound Design and Math Tutor
Savannah College of Art and Design (2009 — 2010)
- Tutored students in Pro Tools, production and postproduction workflow, Max/MSP/Jitter, and college algebra and geometry
Interactive Max/MSP Projects — various personal projects
(2009 — current)
- Designed interactive audiovisual systems (audio processors, audio/video sequencers, etc.); created UI for various input (keyboard, mouse, video tracking, MIDI via wifi) for live interaction
Awards and Honors
- Nominee for 2012 Verna Fields Award (for Secret Number), awarded by the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) for excellence in student film sound editing
- Nominee for 2011 Verna Fields Award (for En Route), awarded by the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) for excellence in student film sound editing
- Recipient of Artistic Achievement Award for an Outstanding Body of Work, for special recognition by SCAD film department faculty at 2010 SCADemy Awards
- Recipient of Outstanding Achievement Award at 2011 SCAD Commencement
- First Place winner in Sound Art for ‘Videodrums’ audiovisual concept, at 2011 CoMotion Contest
Education
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Sound Design
3.9 GPA, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia (2011)
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Radio/Television/Film
magna cum laude, 3.9 GPA, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas (2007)
Awards and Recognition
Nominee for Verna Fields Award in Sound Editing for Student Filmmakers for Secret Number (student film)
Golden Reel Awards, Motion Picture Sound Editors, 2012
Nominee for Verna Fields Award in Sound Editing for Student Filmmakers for En Route (student film)
Golden Reel Awards, Motion Picture Sound Editors, 2011
Nominee for Student Academy Award for The Girl and the Fox (student film)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2011
Outstanding Achievement Award
Sound Design department, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2011
Artistic Achievement Award for an Outstanding Body of Work
SCADemy Awards, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2010
Nominee for Best Sound for Atrophy (student film)
SCADemy Awards, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2010
Nominee for Best Sound for En Route (student film)
SCADemy Awards, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2010
1st Place, Sound Art Category for Videodrums (interactive work)
CoMotion Student Contest, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2010
Sound
Filter by category:
2012
BIT Parts, web series
produced by Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, dialogue editor, mixer
De-Pixelated: Assassin's Creed, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, dialogue editor, music editor, mixer
De-Pixelated: Borderlands, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, effects editor, music editor, mixer
De-Pixelated: Super Smash Bros. Brawl, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, effects editor, mixer
Original song from credits:
De-Pixelated: Viva Piñata, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Composer, music editor, effects editor, mixer
De-Pixelated: Diablo 3, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Location mixer, boom operator, composer, music editor, effects editor, mixer
Original song from credits:
De-Pixelated: Max Payne 3, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, music editor, effects editor, mixer
Original song from video:
De-Pixelated: Operation Raccoon City, web short
De-Pixelated, web series
produced by GameTrailers and Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, dialogue and ADR recordist, Foley recordist, effects editor, mixer
Mass Effect: Secret Crew Romance, web short
Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, dialogue recordist, effects editor, mixer
Original song from video:
Twisted Metal: Be Mine, web short
Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, foley recordist, effects editor, mixer
Original songs from video:
Skyrim Intervention, web short
Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, foley recordist, effects editor, mixer
Allure Energy Saving Tips, animated video content for smart thermostat
Allure Energy, Inc.
Engadget's first hands-on look at CES
Composer, sound branding, narrator
2011
A Very Arkham City Christmas, web short
Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, composer, foley recordist, mixer
Original song from video:
Office Rehab, short film
www.kickstarter.com/projects/mediajuicestudios/office-rehab
Mediajuice Studios
Boom operator, effects editor, mixer
BIT Parts, web series pilot
Blue Goggles Films
Boom operator, effects editor, foley recordist, mixer
The Space Jockey Pursuit, independent film
www.thespacejockeypursuit.com
Boom operator, effects editor, sound co-supervisor, foley artist, foley engineer, music supervisor (pending)
'Behind-the-scenes' webisodes
Mixer
Last Gasp, student film, SCAD
Effects editor, mixer
Greg Prime, student web series, SCAD
www.indiegogo.com/Greg-PRIME
Production mixer, boom operator, foley engineer
- Nominated for Best Sound, 2011 SCADemy Undergraduate Awards
Secret Number, student film, SCAD
secretnumber.colinlevy.com
Foley engineer
- Nominated for for Verna Fields Award, 2012 MPSE Golden Reel Awards
- Won Best Sound, 2011 SCADemy Undergraduate Awards
- Also won Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Picture
The Sun’s Leggings, student film, SCAD
www.thesunsleggings.com
Production mixer, boom operator, sound supervisor, effects editor, foley engineer
4th Street, student film, SCAD
Production mixer, boom operator
2010
Falling Makes You Blue/I Want it Back, music videos for The Bloodsugars
www.thebloodsugars.com
Boom operator, utility sound, effects editor
Blue Bitch, student project, SCAD
Boom operator
The Girl and the Fox, student animated film, SCAD
Base14
Sound supervisor, effects editor, foley artist, mixer
- Finalist for 2011 Student Academy Awards
- 2nd Place in Animation, 2011 College Television Awards
- Recipient of 2011 Geena Davis Award for Diversity and Gender Equality in Children’s Media
- Official Selection, Palm Springs International Shortfest
- Nominee for Best Short Subject, 2012 Annie Awards
- Excellence in Design, 2012 ASIFA-East Awards
CoMotion, student symposium, SCAD
Titles composer
Bring On the Wonder, student film, SCAD
Boom operator, sound supervisor, effects editor, dialogue editor, foley engineer, mixer
Inkblots, student film, SCAD
inkblotsfilm.blogspot.com
Boom operator, effects editor
- Official Selection, 2010 Route 66 International Film Festival
- Official Selection, 2011 Beloit International Film Festival
- Official Selection, 2011 Macon Film Festival
- Won Best Actress, 2010 SCADemy Undergraduate Awards
- Also nominated for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, and Best Costume Design
- Recipient of FotoKem Grant
- Recipient of Kodak Student Filmmaker’s Grant
Crowded Company, student film, SCAD
Effects editor
- Won Best Director, 2010 SCADemy Graduate Awards
- Also nominated for Best Graduate Narrative Film, Best Sound Design, and Best Production Design
- Official Selection for Student Filmmakers Section, 2010 Savannah Film Festival
Makeshift, student film, SCAD
vimeo.com/21724409
Sound supervisor, effects editor, mixer
- Finalist for 2010 Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker’s Award
Life of Crime, student film, SCAD
Production mixer
Queen of the Sea, student film, SCAD
Production mixer, boom operator, sound supervisor, dialogue editor, foley artist, music editor, mixer
Bout, student film, SCAD
Boom operator
Taming the Kitchen, student film, SCAD
Boom operator
Spare Room, student film, SCAD
Boom operator
En Route, student film, SCAD
enroute.colinlevy.com
Production mixer, effects editor
- Nominated for Verna Fields Award, 2011 MPSE Golden Reel Awards
- Official Selection for Student Filmmakers Section, 2010 Savannah Film Festival
- Won Savannah Film Commission Award
- Won Panavision Student Cinematography Award
- Won Silver Screen Society Filmmaker Award
- Won Best Graduate Narrative Film and Best Visual Effects, 2010 SCADemy Graduate Awards
- Also nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, and Best Production Design
2009
Atrophy, student film, SCAD
Sound supervisor, foley engineer, effects editor, mixer
- Nominated for Best Sound Design, Graduate Film, 2010 SCADemy Awards
Public service announcements, Clean Coast
Effects editor
Robot and Ghost, student film, SCAD
Production mixer, boom operator
Frozen, student film, SCAD
Utility sound, sound design
My Way, student film, SCAD
Production mixer, boom operator
Pick Up, student film, SCAD
Production mixer, boom operator, effects editor, music editor, dialogue editor, mixer
Birds, student animated film, SCAD
Effects editor
Baker Acted, student film, SCAD
Dialogue editor
The Boys at Brunner Lake, student film, SCAD
Boom operator, utility sound
Duck Heart Teslacoil, student animated film, SCAD
base14.com
Effects editor, foley engineer, mixer
- Won Saturday Audience Choice Award for Animation, and Honorary Mention for Student Animation, Smogdance Film Festival
- Official Selection, 2010 Best of Animation Block Party
- 2nd Place for Student Reel Awards, Animation Magazine
Planting Friends, student film, SCAD
Production mixer, boom operator, sound design
2008
Blue Shift, student film, UNT
Composer
2007
Deception, student film, UNT
Production mixer, boom operator, utility sound, dialogue editor, mixer
Software
Max/MSP is a visual programming language. It's like code, but with objects and patch cables and sliders where brackets and semicolons usually are. I've used Max/MSP for the past three years to develop concepts to bridge the gap between audio and video. Check back for updates soon.
Motion Music (in conjunction with Stephen Fortunato)
Motion-based Mixing
SCAD Sound Art Showcase 2011
Uses motion detection to dynamically mix tracks in an audio file; more motion causes more tracks to sound.
Ambience
Reactive Audiovisual Stimulus
A field of color squares and a set of oscillators are driven by a semi-random algorithm. Both visual and aural stimulus are dynamically altered via detection of motion, ambient light, and color. The squares more or less reflect the averaged color of the camera's input. Intended as a sort of reactive wall art.
Download 'Ambience' (standalone Mac app)
Video Organ (in conjunction with Stephen Fortunato)
SeeqTrem
Multistage Amplitude Manipulation
Inspired by the ZVex SeekTrem — using either a file or microphone input, generates custom tremolo effects, stepping sequentially through 2 to 8 level controls.
Download 'SeeqTrem' (standalone Mac app)
VideoDrums
Musical Video Sequencing
SCAD Sound Art Showcase 2010
Uses an 808-style step sequencer to drive the playhead of a video; the video (and its audio) is 'played' like a sequenced instrument. Keyboard shortcuts allow the user multiple options during play for DJ-style live manipulation. Markers can also be placed on the fly for instant recall of any point in the video.
- Won 1st Place for Sound Art, 2010 CoMotion Contest
Download 'VideoDrums' (standalone Mac app)
Design Work
→ Download my Visual Design Portfolio
Filter by category:
Interaction Design
Animation
Web Design
*My current lightbox plugin isn't playing nice with jQuery. For now, clicking on web screenshots will open a larger version in a separate window.*
Claytone Website Concept
www.claytoneproductions.com
Corey Critser Photography Concept and Design
coreycritser.alankoda.com (prototype build)
Merrill Benfield Interior Design Concept and Design
Personal Website, Original Flash Concept
You can also check out my original site, as well as another work in progress, The Law Office of Sean T. Flynn.
Other Projects
Artwork concept for Christmas on Neptune children's book
Artwork for Blue Goggles/De-Pixelated original songs
Illustrator design/Photoshop texturing
Illustrator vector
Photoshop color correction and compositing (fictional book)
Title design (fictional film)
photography by Control Images
Image filtering and titles (fictional film )
