Hello, Danylo here!
I’m from Ukraine and I’m creating music for the Hollow Home project. Today I'm going to tell you a bit about myself and how the music for Hollow Home is made, but before that I want to give you a listen to the first two tracks we made for the game: Main Menu Theme and The Day Before
Watch on YouTube
Watch on YouTube
A little bit about myself
I was born in Mariupol and lived there till February 25, 2022, when I was forced to leave my hometown on the last evacuation train.
My career as a composer is still in the process of formation. I started to seriously study music about 5 years ago and continue to this day. Along with doing composer and sound designer jobs, I also write musical albums. I have a lot of different ideas about them in my plans, so I'll just say that everything is being done one step at a time.
It’s hard to do creative work in Ukraine with war still going on, but for me, I've only become more eager to make music. Because, besides the fact that music is my life, I have grown a desire to represent Ukraine in the world through my work. I hope I will succeed in the future and not only through music.
Of course this feeling is very subjective, because I now live in a much safer city than people from the east or south of the country.
Why this project?
Hollow Home in particular got me interested with its concept and visuals. The story of the besieged city, of course, resonated with me on a personal level after what happened to my hometown. That's why I want to be a part of this project.
Also, I have always loved RPGs and wanted to write something for this genre.
How do I approach working on games
I’ve worked on a few smaller games before. In general, it depends on the project. But usually you need to learn about the concept of the game, what it is. Then you have to look for references and think about the sound style. What will be there, what instruments, what particularities. It's all a complex process of thinking and trying different things at the beginning.
The most important thing for music is to convey emotions and enhance the atmosphere of the game. You also have to make sure that the music doesn't come into conflict with the general style of the game. Making a soundtrack that immerses you in the game is also very important for me. And I’m still in the process of finding the core of the soundtrack for this project.
What do I want the players to feel while playing this game?
The answer is simple and straightforward - the stories of the people living in a town under a horrific siege, presented in an interactive way. I think our task, in addition to telling the overall story, tied to historical events, is to show what people went through in this situation. What went on in their heads, how their days looked like. The small things. Also, ideally, to show it to a foreign audience.
Best regards and stay safe!
Danylo