He has also served as the Sound Designer for the Grammy Awards for the last 20 years. At Electronic Arts, he joined the company as the Director of Audio Production in 1993 and has subsequently expanded his duties to become a Vice President for the industry giant. Allen structured his talk as a primer for aspiring game composers. It was refreshing to hear the about both budgets and the parameters they use to hire talent. Due to the propensity for constant change under pressure, Allen feels the nature of the work is closer to advertising assignments than film work.
Jobs have a flat rate fee, and the composer is responsible for accommodating changes.
Generally, EA will retain all rights to ownership of the music that they contract. Sound design skill and knowledge of the game platforms are key. Much of the drama and interactivity of gaming is created through the use of ambient sound and the creative application of blending musical elements using a sound designers' aesthetics. At Electronic Arts, they retain composers on staff with degrees in both music and computer science. Allen also hires composers from around the world for individual assignments, usually for their larger, marquee games.