James Mello - Sound Design & Music

sound designer & music composer

James
Mello

JamesStudioSmall.jpg

Email: JAMESRMELLO@GMAIL.COM

SEATTLE,WA

Sound is the realm I live in!

I am a sound designer who thrives in creating captivating player experiences by supporting the narrative through audio. I have collaborated on a variety of projects providing sound design, audio implementation, and final mixes for AAA and independent studios. This experience has instilled in me the exceptional ability to be a supportive team player as well as a strong self-motivator in creative settings with the ultimate goal of bringing games to life with audio. Thank you for stopping by! Please feel free to check out my reels for video game audio below.

SOUND DESIGN DEMO REEL:

 

SOUND DESIGN & AUDIO IMPLEMENTATION FOR SMITE, HI-REZ STUDIOS

This is a demo of the sound design and audio implementation I created for the BAFTA award-winning game SMITE, developed by Hi-Rez Ventures (formerly known as Hi-Rez Studios).

 

creature-based sound design for SMITE, hi-rez studios

In this demo, I focused on creatures and monster-like spells for SMITE. Spells, abilities, and foley work featured here are Arachne, Charybdis, NPC Fire Giant Boss, Merlin, and Kukulkan.

Sound Design for flowstone saga (Puzzle Explorers):
A Tangledeep Story

Sound Design: James Mello // Music composed by: Andrew Luers

Puzzle Explorers is currently in beta. Please visit the kickstarter page here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zircon/puzzle-explorers-a-tangledeep-story

WWISE DEMO REEL(s)

Sound Design Wwise Demo Reel


Adaptive Music Wwise Demo Reel


SOUND DESIGN & ADAPTIVE MUSIC WWISE DEMO REEL (10 MIN.)


sound design

MECH MEDIC

Sound design & audio implementation by James Mello.
Music composed by Marcy Mezei.

Sound Design and audio implementation for MECH MEDIC created with FMOD and Unreal Engine 4.
In this exploratory platformer, players will traverse a unique and ambient arena, collecting boosts, and finding the light in the darkness of Crater City. Created for the 48-hour Global Game Jam 2020.
More Info and PC download of the game here: https://pupcheco.itch.io/mechmedic

Global Game Jam 2021

Sound design and audio I created in collaboration with 2 awesome teams with very cool games for the 48 hour Global Game Jam:
LOST BIRD: Fly and weather the storm with your flock! https://r0nnie.itch.io/lost-bird
CLAIRVOYANCE: Get your eye back from the bad robots! https://srawls1.itch.io/clairvoyance

FUN WITH FOLEY, synthesis, & Voice-over:

I sang to create alien bird and creature calls!


Creating anime sounds with wavetables, FM synthesis, and a pitch wheel with tried & true Absynth 5!


Making creepy creature sounds with dry ice and cymbals.


Creating creature sounds with bowed cymbals and bears.

SHATTERED

Sound Design & Music by James Mello
Completed in less than 48 hours for the 2019 Seattle Indies Game Jam! “SHATTERED” is a top-down puzzle game, you play as a skeleton who has awoken from his eternal slumber in his own basement. However, he must avoid his old dogs, who have been waiting for a long time for a huge treat and who would be more than happy to savor their master's bones!
More Info and PC download of the game here: https://teldon-darv.itch.io/shattered

 

MUSIC

“Dark Ruins” …a little odyssey.

“EXPRESSWAY”

Fall 2019

SCI-FI MYSTERY THEME

FALL 2019

Sci-Fi Theme

A "Sci-Fi" synthesizer orchestration and arrangement I co-composed. The original orchestral composition by Josiah Bryan.
Summer 2019.

8-Bit Theme / Chiptune

Summer 2019

Orchestral music

Summer 2019

Wwise demo reel music

Fall/Winter 2018-2019

NIght ships, composer & percussion - Seattle, WA

www.nightships.com

March 2015 - February 2020

  • Co-composed, performed, and recorded full-length record with producer Robert Cheek (Band of Horses, Deftones, Grandaddy).


Appomattox, composer & percussion - Brooklyn, NY/Boston, MA

March 2003 - January 2014

  • Co-composed, performed, and recorded 1 full-length record and 3 EP releases with producer/engineers Justin Pizzoferrato (The Pixies, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur jr.) and Aaron Nevezie (The Black Keys, Dave Douglas, Xiu Xiu).

  • Performed on multiple U.S. tours in support of music releases.

  • Performed “Test/Rehearsal” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.


northeastern university theatre, sound designer & composer - boston, ma

March - May 2001

  • Performed live theatre performance of foley sound design for Shakespeare’s HENRY V.

  • Composed / performed music and sound design using exclusively percussion.

araby, composer & percussion - boston, ma

September 1998 - October 2001

  • Co-composed, performed, and recorded 1 full-length record with producer/engineer Josh Hager (Devo, Shadow Party, The Elevator Drops).

  • Performed on U.S. tour in support of music release.


Silent service, composer & percussion - boston, ma

September 2003 - September 2006

  • Co-composed, performed, and recorded 1 full-length record with producer/engineer Bob Logan (SUM Studios/EMF Bldg.)

 

Education

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY - BOSTON, MA

B.S. MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
Graduated May 2001

School of Video Game Audio

Fall/Winter 2018-2019


Awards

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

GRADUATED MAGNA CUM LAUDE

Contact

Email: JAMESRMELLO@GMAIL.COM

SEATTLE,WA