Composer as Author in Video Game Development

Debates about the nature of authorship have historically focused on cinema with minimal consideration of composers’ roles. According to philosopher Paisley Livingston, authoring an artwork not only involves making an artistic contribution to it but exercising sufficient control over the work as a whole. Film composers do not tend to meet these requirements because their work only begins in postproduction. On games, however, the demands of interactive music mean that composers tend to enter much earlier in the process, even to the point of composing “concept music” that inspires work of the rest of the team. As a result, composers are more likely to play an authorial role when working in interactive media. A detailed look at Austin Wintory's collaboration with thatgamecompany on Journey (2012) illustrates that the benefits of early composer involvement extend beyond mere congruence of the game's mechanics, art, and music. Music can uphold design pillars and meet challenges to realizing them. On Journey, music helped thatgamecompany tell a story without the use of language through Wintory's development of its theme, his score becoming increasingly orchestral, and the traveler's singing deepening and taking on more human characteristics. The singing mechanic and musical layers that only play in multiplayer mode offer aesthetic incentives to share the journey with another. Finally, hearing Wintory's Woven Variations in concert helped thatgamecompany find the right emotional tone for the game's conclusion. Recognizing the authorial role composers often play in game development is important not only to give credit where credit is due but also to illuminate differences in working processes between interactive and linear media.