In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I sit down with composer and sound designer Mick Gordon for an in-depth conversation about his career, creative process, and approach to music.Mick Gordon is best known for his work on video games such as DOOM, DOOM Eternal, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Prey, and Killer Instinct. His music for the DOOM franchise helped redefine how heavy music functions in interactive media and earned widespread industry recognition, including Best Music at The Game Awards 2016. His work has since influenced films, trailers, and games across the industry.In this conversation, Mick reflects on his childhood and early influences in Australia, the path that led him to composing, and key turning points in his career. He discusses his philosophy of “change the process, change the outcome,” perfectionism, working under pressure and deadlines, and how he approaches finding a distinct creative voice in an evolving industry. The discussion also touches on his recent work on Routine and the design decisions behind its soundscape.The episode concludes with Penny for Your Thoughts, a lighter segment exploring Mick’s influences, favorites, and broader reflections on creativity.Bonfire Conversations is a podcast focused on the creative mind—how artists think, adapt, and evolve across disciplines.🎧 Available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with filmmakers, composers, game creators, and artistsChapters:0:00 Introduction & Welcome0:07 Mick Gordon's Career Overview1:46 Understanding the Mick Gordon Phenomenon2:06 Childhood in Australia3:17 The Australian Landscape & Imagination4:10 Play, Exploration & Creativity5:06 Video Games as Escape6:25 Early Musical Influences7:47 The Synesthetic Experience of Music9:20 Connecting with His Father Through Music11:36 The Thunderbirds Blues Band13:47 The Golden Rule: Audience First14:08 Finding Opportunities in Gaming15:02 Luck Meets Preparation16:20 AI vs Human Creativity19:42 Finding Your Voice20:05 The Artist's Paradox: Solitude & Connection22:30 Music as a Shared Language25:28 It's No Longer Mine Once I Ship It26:39 Why AI Copies Fail27:42 Change the Process, Change the Outcome28:35 Facing Fear & Insecurity30:35 Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies31:27 Using Contrasts in Music34:01 Practice & Experimentation34:50 Daily 30-Minute Sound Design Practice36:30 Building Your Sound Library38:48 The Perfectionism Question39:28 Tools & Consistency44:27 Fame & Recognition45:05 How Fame Has Affected His Work46:43 Personal Connection to Games49:43 The Weird Nature of Fame51:25 Routine: A 12-Year Passion Project52:18 The Journey of Routine (2012-2024)55:33 Doing Everything Yourself57:03 Sound Design in AAA Games58:30 Charles Dean: The Sound Design Mentor1:00:04 BFG Division - A Case Study1:01:12 Game Audio vs Film Music1:02:01 Wilbert Roget & 19 Years of Friendship1:03:43 The Hardest Emotion to Express1:04:48 Wolfenstein: Personal Emotional Moments1:06:30 Why Do You Still Make Music?1:07:21 Music as Default1:09:15 Top Five Favorite Films1:32:39 Sketches vs Perfect Versions1:33:41 The Only Thing They Fear Is You: Mockup Success1:34:35 Trent Reznor's One-Day Recording Philosophy1:35:27 Great Songs Appear Out of Nowhere1:35:52 It's 30 Years of Preparation in One Day1:36:03 Dream Questions You've Never Been Asked1:37:37 Closing Remarks & Gratitude#mickgordon #doom #interview

Mac Quayle is an Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated composer whose credits include Mr. Robot, American Horror Story, Pose, Ratched, and The Last of Us Part II. He has scored more than 40 films and TV projects and is known for his versatile contributions to contemporary screen music.In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I sit down with Emmy-winning composer Mac Quayle for an in-depth conversation about scoring some of the most psychologically complex television of the past decade.Mac discusses his work on Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story, as well as Mr. Robot, The Last of Us Part II, American Horror Story, and Ratched. The conversation explores the responsibility of scoring real-world darkness, collaboration with showrunners and directors, and the challenges of shaping long-form musical arcs across multi-episode series.We also dive into creative process, restraint, conscious versus subliminal scoring, favorite plugins and synths, film influences, and the realities of working at the highest level of prestige television. The episode closes with lighter questions about games, films, and life outside composing.Chapters included.🎙️ Guest: Mac Quayle🎧 Host: Hamidreza Nikoofar🔥 Podcast: Bonfire ConversationsSubscribe to Bonfire Conversations for more in-depth conversations with filmmakers, composers, game creators, and other creative minds shaping modern storytelling.#MacQuayle #MonsterNetflix #filmscoring Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Mac Quayle on Monster: The Ed Gein Story01:06 – From Mr. Robot to Monster: first impressions and approach02:17 – Early conversations with Ryan Murphy and defining the tone03:33 – Writing compassion into horror: finding Ed Gein’s musical identity04:16 – Working with showrunners vs. episodic directors05:35 – Scoring darkness: emotional distance, impact, and sustainability07:14 – Conscious vs. subliminal scoring for the audience09:52 – Simplicity, themes, and long-form musical arcs11:26 – Instruments and palette: why this score is mostly organic13:02 – The Last of Us Part II: creating nerve-wracking tension15:26 – Video games, unrealized projects, and industry realities19:46 – Favorite plugins and everyday tools19:49 – Dream projects and future genres21:21 – Family, balance, and projects his kids could watch24:48 – Top films and favorite scores of all time26:25 – Life outside composing and closing thoughts

In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, host I down with Hugo Martin, the acclaimed Game Director behind*DOOM (2016), DOOM Eternal, and DOOM: The Dark Ages. Together, we explore the creative evolution of the modern DOOM trilogy, the philosophy behind making something truly “badass,” and the design decisions that shaped one of the most influential first-person shooter franchises in history.Hugo shares stories from his childhood, his early journey into game development, and the breakthrough moments that brought him to id Software. He explains how he tests ideas, builds emotional impact through gameplay, reinvents DOOM’s identity with each entry, and pushes combat design into bold new territory. They also discuss the legacy of DOOM as it reaches its 32-year milestone, the challenges of carrying a cultural icon forward, and the creative risks behind The Dark Ages.The conversation ends with the “Penny for Your Thoughts” segment, where Hugo answers personal and imaginative questions about creativity, habits, favorite films, top games, dream directors for a DOOM movie, and more.Bonfire Conversations is available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Subscribe for more in-depth conversations with the most influential voices in entertainment, games, and pop culture.Chapters:00:00 Intro & The "Badass" Philosophy02:04 Childhood & 80s Pop Culture04:51 The Birth of Gaming: Atari to Nintendo06:44 The Journey to Game Development07:05 Early Art Training & Illustration09:02 Pratt Institute & Concept Art10:44 Art Center Degree Decision12:42 Freelancing (Wizards of the Coast, MTV)14:38 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome16:44 First Big Break: Naughty Dog18:43 From Pacific Rim to ID Software19:01 The Philosophy of "Luck"19:47 The Creative Process: Research & The Teapot Story28:15 How to Design "Badass"29:11 Inspiration for the Doom Slayer37:10 The One Rule: Make Them Feel Something40:53 The Theme of Doom: The Dark Ages41:58 The Brilliant Idea Hugo Abandoned47:02 Reading vs. Audiobooks48:20 Dream Director for a DOOM Movie59:39 Conclusion#hugomartin #doom #gamedevelopment

CYBERPUNK FASHION IS HERE, and THE FUTURE IS WEARABLEIn this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I sit down with Kamil Miniakhmetov, founder and CEO of ETHELING ; a futuristic fashion brand inspired by cyberpunk culture, sci-fi worlds, and the merging of humanity with technology.We talk about his journey from post-Soviet Russia to Indonesia, how Akira and Deus Ex: Human Revolution shaped his creative vision, and the philosophy behind making clothing that’s both wearable and revolutionary.From digital identity to surveillance resistance, from the fabrics of tomorrow to the meaning of beauty in a post-human future. This conversation explores how fashion can be a mirror of where humanity is heading.If you love cyberpunk aesthetics, futuristic design, or deep creative conversations, this one’s for you.💥 Don’t forget to subscribe for more in-depth talks with visionary creators and innovators.Bonfire Conversations is available on YouTube and all the major podcast streaming services.Etheling Website and Instagram:https://etheling.com/https://www.instagram.com/etheling.dxh01/Hamidreza Nikoofar on X and Instagram:https://x.com/HRNikoofarhttps://www.instagram.com/hamidrezanikoofarChapters:0:00 – Intro1:00 – The Origins of ETHELING4:30 – Growing Up in Post-Soviet Russia6:00 – Starting a Cyberpunk Fashion Brand9:00 – The Future of Clothing and Self-Expression13:00 – The Philosophy Behind Cyberpunk Fashion15:00 – Technology, Fabrics, and Functionality18:00 – Privacy, Surveillance, and Design20:00 – Digital Fashion and the Role of AI24:00 – Penny for Your Thoughts25:00 – The Future of Humanity and the Internet28:00 – Beauty and Class in the Future31:00 – Favorite Games and Cyberpunk Films35:00 – The Global Reach of ETHELING#fashion #cyberpunk #futuristicstyle 38:00 – Closing Thoughts

"Cinematographer Larkin Seiple (Weapons, Everything Everywhere All at Once, This Is America) joins Bonfire Conversations to discuss his creative process, building emotion through light, and crafting the haunting “woman with the scissors” scene in Weapons. Hosted by Hamidreza Nikoofar."In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I talk with award-winning cinematographer Larkin Seiple, the creative eye behind the horror hit "Weapons", "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (Oscar Winner for Best Picture), "Swiss Army Man", and Childish Gambino’s iconic "This Is America".Larkin talks about his journey from shooting low-budget music videos to crafting some of the most inventive visuals in modern cinema. He shares the story behind his collaboration with director Zach Cregger on Weapons — one of the year’s most talked-about horror films — and breaks down the now-famous “woman with the scissors” scene that left audiences breathless.We also discuss how he builds emotion through light and movement, what makes a strong director-cinematographer partnership, and his creative philosophy when balancing beauty and tension on screen.🔔 Subscribe to Bonfire Conversations for more in-depth talks with the artists shaping film, games, and storytelling.📺 Watch on YouTube → youtube.com/@BonfireConversations🎧 Listen on all major podcast platforms.Chapters:0:00 – Intro1:05 – How Larkin Seiple got into movies2:50 – Early inspirations and film school in Boston4:30 – Choosing cinematography over directing5:25 – Starting out in L.A. and climbing from small projects7:10 – The mindset behind career growth7:20 – Transitioning from music videos to feature films9:25 – The director–cinematographer dynamic in music videos11:50 – Working with Daniels and Hiro Murai12:00 – Shooting This Is America by Childish Gambino13:45 – Location scouting and building the visual language16:45 – Why This Is America feels so unsettling and real16:46 – Talking Weapons and the “woman with the scissors” scene18:07 – Designing and executing the sequence20:00 – Lighting challenges and audience reaction22:04 – How Larkin met director Zach Cregger and joined Weapons24:30 – Shot listing, visual collaboration, and prep25:35 – The importance of location scouting in cinematography25:18 – Penny for Your Thoughts segment begins25:36 – An image from childhood26:27 – A film that changed his view on storytelling29:11 – One frame to preserve for humanity31:12 – Top 5 favorite films33:53 – The hardest emotion to capture on camera34:40 – The best phone camera and shooting on phones36:13 – Dream collaboration with a director37:06 – Favorite video games and storytelling in games38:26 – Simplest wisdom learned behind the lens39:25 – Thoughts on AI and the human element in art40:19 – Closing and farewell#Weapons #cinematography #filmmaking

Julian Winding, the Danish composer and electronic artist behind The Demon Dance from Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon, joins me on Bonfire Conversations. In this episode, we dive deep into his upbringing in Denmark and England, his early rock beginnings, and how he found his voice in electronic and film music.Julian opens up about collaborating with his uncle, Nicolas Winding Refn, on projects like Copenhagen Cowboy, the pressures and joys of scoring atmospheric silence, and the art of balancing bold experimentation with emotional resonance. We also talk about his love for dance-oriented music, the influence of Nordic folk traditions, and the future of sound in an age of AI.In the Penny for Your Thoughts segment, Julian shares his dream collaboration, a beautiful mistake that changed his music, his top five films, and what he thinks music will sound like 500 years from now.🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to Bonfire Conversations for more inspiring conversations with the artists, composers, and storytellers shaping our culture.#JulianWinding #TheNeonDemon #nicolaswindingrefn #CopenhagenCowboy #filmcomposer Chapters:0:00 – Intro & Nicolas Winding Refn connection2:13 – On kindness, empathy, and caring for others4:24 – Childhood in Denmark and England5:30 – Early musical influences: Britpop, trip-hop, and electronic revolution6:20 – Rock beginnings before moving into electronic music7:04 – England vs. Denmark: cultural impact on his sound8:14 – First big break: The Neon Demon and “The Demon Dance”8:58 – Transition into film scoring9:53 – Revealing his family tie: Nicolas is his uncle11:06 – Working on Copenhagen Cowboy12:42 – The challenge of scoring silence and atmosphere13:55 – Co-composing with other musicians15:12 – Future collaborations with Nicolas Winding Refn15:37 – Working with other directors and projects beyond Denmark16:52 – Story about “The Demon Dance” at a party17:38 – Creating dance-oriented music & primitive rhythms19:25 – Love for Nordic traditional/folk music21:25 – Combining orchestral and electronic elements22:22 – Penny for Your Thoughts segment22:33 – Childhood music memory (The Land Before Time)23:37 – Dream collaboration (Massive Attack)24:39 – Vocalists and unexpected pairings25:02 – Funny story from Copenhagen Cowboy soundtrack26:37 – Alternate career: cooking27:25 – A film he wishes he had scored (A Single Man)28:40 – Most beautiful mistake in music (“White Country”)29:30 – Top 5 favorite films30:43 – What music will sound like 500 years from now31:32 – On video games & Cyberpunk 2077’s music32:15 – Cycles of music, retro revival, and AI in composition34:02 – Future of live music: AR/VR, authenticity, and performance36:12 – Closing reflections & gratitude

In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, host Hamidreza Nikoofar sits down with Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, the visionary artist and game director behind Hell is Us and the art director of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided.Jonathan reflects on his journey from Montreal to the global stage, the creation of the iconic Cyber-Renaissance and Cyber-Noir aesthetics that redefined cyberpunk in gaming, and the deeply personal process of directing Hell is Us, an ambitious original IP from Rogue Factor that explores war, trauma, and self-discovery.We dive into:- His childhood, inspirations, and path into games- Reinventing the look of Deus Ex and shaping cyberpunk for a new generation- The challenges and philosophies behind Mankind Divided- Directing and writing Hell is Us- Designing its haunting creatures and unique world- Collaborating with composer Stéphane Primeau- Thoughts on games as both art and social commentary- And of course, a round of fun and deep “Penny for Your Thoughts” questionsIf you’re a fan of Deus Ex, curious about Hell is Us, or passionate about game art and storytelling, this conversation is not to be missed.✨ Don’t forget to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with the creators shaping the future of games, film, and art.Chapters:0:00 Intro 1:34 Childhood & Early Dreams 8:40 Discovering Art and First Inspirations 15:10 Entering the Games Industry 21:55 Shaping the Look of Deus Ex: Human Revolution 29:45 Creating the Cyber-Renaissance Aesthetic 37:20 Transitioning to Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Cyber-Noir) 45:05 Lessons from the Deus Ex Years 52:30 Founding Vision at Rogue Factor 59:10 Directing & Writing Hell is Us 1:07:00 Inspirations Behind Hell is Us 1:14:25 Designing the Creatures & Visual Language 1:20:40 Working with Composer Stéphane Primeau 1:26:15 Penny for Your Thoughts (Fun + Deep Questions) 1:32:00 Closing Reflections & Farewell

In this episode of Bonfire Conversations, I sit down with award-winning filmmaker Mor Loushy, director of Netflix’s powerful three-part documentary series American Manhunt: The Osama Bin Laden Mission.With the remembrance of September 11 approaching, this story carries an even deeper weight. The series takes us inside one of the most dramatic manhunts in modern history — the decade-long search for Osama Bin Laden and the Navy SEAL mission that ended it. Through gripping interviews, rare archival footage, and cinematic reenactments, American Manhunt makes history unfold like a thriller.In our conversation, Mor shares the origins of the project, the challenges of editing such a massive story, her collaboration with composer Jasha Klebe, the role of reenactments, and how she approaches truth, trust, and controversy in her films. We also talk about courage, history, and the future of documentary filmmaking.And of course, we wrap things up with our Penny for Your Thoughts segment — where Mor reveals her favorite films, thoughts on AI, and what courage means in everyday life.✨ Subscribe to Bonfire Conversations for more in-depth talks with extraordinary creators from film, games, and beyond.American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden is available on Netflix.Chapters:0:00 – Intro1:34 – Starting the Conversation2:16 – Origins of the Project5:25 – Editing a Massive Story8:29 – Remembering 9/1111:24 – Research and Accuracy13:41 – Gaining Trust of Interviewees17:26 – Working with Composer Jasha Klebe20:21 – Shooting Reenactments23:06 – Zero Dark Thirty & Fiction vs. Documentary25:53 – Penny for Your Thoughts26:12 – Objectivity in History26:22 – Favorite Food27:13 – Meaning of Courage28:30 – Favorite Films31:02 – Truth vs. Emotion31:42 – Pixar Question32:55 – AI and Documentary Filmmaking34:54 – Small but Powerful Life Moments36:06 – Season 2 of American Manhunt37:11 – Rating the Interview37:49 – Closing Thoughts#AmericanManhunt #NetflixDocumentary #MorLoushy #BonfireConversations