Drew Cunningham

About Me

Hello, my name is Drew Cunningham. Despite pursuing a degree in game design, I’ve found that my passion lies specifically in sound and how it can be applied to a wide array of entertainment media. In my spare time, I’m an avid reader/writer who sincerely enjoys storytelling in games and dissecting how sound design can be used to complement narratives.

Project Description

This project explores how gameplay, narrative, and sound design can be utilized to encapsulate the gritty and nihilistic themes of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game franchise, developed by Ukrainian studio GSC Gameworld, by means of a trailer. All of the audio was stripped from the recorded gameplay and redone entirely by myself from assets obtained mostly from Freesound.org.

What is one piece of advice you would provide to new ATEC students?

Don’t be afraid to try different things, to fail. It’s all a means to learn and to better ourselves in what we choose to pursue.

What’s something that is always on your work desk?

Coffee, notebooks, and my midi controller.

What will you miss most about UTD after graduation?

The extraordinarily kind and helpful ATEC professors: Adam Chandler, Timothy Lewis, and Stephen Mallory. I’d personally like to thank David Marks and Harold Fitzgerald for their guidance and advice.

What’s on your music playlist?

Lately? Elden Ring’s OST, Silent Hill OST, Haircuts for Men, Male Alchemy, Macroblank, Perturbator, and Les Enfant de la Foret.

What’s your favorite memory of ATEC?

The handful of invaluable friends I made during my academic career.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Pursuing a career in sound design, expanding my knowledge and experience throughout the vast fields of audio recording and production, and working on personal projects of expression in my spare time.