Here at SIDE, we're beyond thrilled to introduce a new feature; SIDE: At The Mic, featuring interviews about our most treasured experiences and our top tips/best practices when working on games of all sizes and complexity. Some anecdotal, some practical, and hopefully all very useful.   

First up, Lead Performance Director, Kate Saxon, chatting to SIDE London’s Head of Production, Sini Downing, about how an external performance director conveys what a developer wants, the value a director brings to a project, whether it’s guiding actors through months of VO sessions, getting the performances in a complex PerCap shoot or putting a high-profile actor at ease; and the key things to remember for a great vocal performance.

The interview will be released in three parts, with the first being available TODAY! Before tuning in, a brief intro to our wonderful duo Kate Saxon & Sini Downing.

Kate is the extremely experienced director working in TV, Theatre and Games. She’s most recently directed Casualty and Call the Midwife for the BBC. As a Cinematic Performance Director for video games, Kate has enjoyed considerable acclaim for her work, with Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, a 2016 BAFTA winner, Alien: Isolation, a 2015 BAFTA winner; and The Witcher 3, one of the most awarded games in history. Kate is also a theatre director, with over 20 years in the industry.

Sini has been with Side London for 12 years, first as a Production Manager and now as Head of Production. Memorable games series she has worked on include Fable, The Witcher, Hitman, numerous Lego titles, and Star Wars Battlefront.

At the Mic: Directing for Games (Part 1)

Part 1 covers: How do you get the best from performers? What is this special ‘language’ actors speak? How do you manage massive game worlds such as The Continent from The Witcher series? What’s the benefit of bringing a female perspective to a male-dominated games world?

Check back on the 5th April for Part 2. Working on the MoCap stage and directing VO in the booth.

Audio File Download Here