Short description:

This is the story of Chance Thomas, a moderately talented musician who struggled and grew to compose original scores for some of the most well-known entertainment properties in the world.

Long description:

Making it HUGE in Video Games recounts the astonishing journey of an unassuming, middle-of-the-bell-curve young man, rising from mundane beginnings to scale the dizzying heights of artistic distinction and financial success in the worldwide video game industry.

This is the story of Chance Thomas, a moderately talented musician who struggled and grew to compose original scores for some of the most well-known entertainment properties in the world. Detailed personal accounts and instructive side bars carry readers across the jagged peaks and valleys of an absolutely achievable career in video games. World-famous IP?s get personal treatment here ? The Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Avatar, Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, DOTA 2, King Kong, The Settlers, and many more.

Readers will discover unvarnished true stories about starting out, pitching and pursuing gigs, negotiating contracts, composing and producing scores, multinational corporations and personalities, funny anecdotes, daunting challenges, glorious successes, and instructive failures. Autobiographical details throughout provide intimate perspective, vibrant color, and inspiration. The book is written in a comfortable, conversational style.

Think of this as a career guidebook wrapped around a personal retrospective; a professional how-to manual woven into a memoir.

"As a lifelong Tolkien fan I was quite interested in the whole LOTR saga! And as a media composer and educator I appreciated the lessons to be drawn from both the successes and failures described in this memoir.

This makes the book a valuable read, filled with transferable lessons for those interested in the ever-evolving world of video game scoring and how to pursue a sustainable, achievable career in this field.

-Alison Plante, Professor of Screen Scoring, Berklee College of Music.

"If only I could have read something like this when I was a student! Chance is giving us a real life, under the hood, behind the scenes look at what it means to be a professional composer. The writing is informal and conversational; full of great experiences and stories.

It feels like I'm sitting back listening to an informative podcast interview or a TED talk. I'll be recommending this to all my composition students!"

-Dr. Benjamin Taylor, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, Composition Academy Program Director

"The entire book holds useful information for a student interested in the industry, riveting stories for fans wanting to know the inside scoop about their favorite soundtracks, and even those in the industry who want to learn more about a recently retired colleague. "

-Dr. Matthew Thompson, Asst. Professor of Music at University of Michigan

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Chapter 01.  Music Degree... What Now?

Chapter 02.  Quest for Glory and Grammy Awards

Chapter 03.  The Lord of the Rings, Part One

Chapter 04.  King Kong

Chapter 05.  Left Behind

Chapter 06.  Academy Award

Chapter 07.  The Lord of the Rings, Part Two

Chapter 08.  EA Games

Chapter 09.  Avatar

Chapter 10.  GDC, GANG, and GSC

Chapter 11.  Warcraft and Other Peripheral Life Savers

Chapter 12.  DOTA 2

Chapter 13.  Faeria and Roguebook

Chapter 14.  Might & Magic and Combat of Giants

Chapter 15.  Rise and Fall of HUGEsound

Chapter 16.  Warhammer

Chapter 17.  Swinging For The Fences

Chapter 18.  Avatar 2

Chapter 19.  The Settlers

Chapter 20.  Church Music

Chapter 21.  Securing the Future