If you’re into game or film audio, you’ve probably seen Airwiggles popping up with challenges, meetups, and a whole lot of community energy. We sat down with co-founders Lewis Thompson and Greg Lester to chat about how it started, what they’ve learned, and what’s next.

Q. First of all, could you introduce yourselves to our readers? Who are you, and what do you do?

LT: Hello! My name is Lewis and I’m an Audio Lead at Soundcuts, an audio outsourcing company specializing in audio for video games. With Soundcuts I’ve worked on a whole bunch of projects, such as The Quarry, Chrome Valley Customs, and Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom.

Outside of Soundcuts, I also co-founded and co-run the social platform Airwiggles together with my good friend and colleague Greg Lester.

GL: Hey, I’m Greg and I work together with Lewis as a sound designer at Soundcuts specializing in game audio. I’m very passionate about the topic and like to share my learnings by writing, talking, and making videos. I co-founded Airwiggles, created the Game Audio Learning portal, and recently wrote a book called The Pocket Mentor For Game Audio.

Q. How would you describe Airwiggles?

LT: Airwiggles is an online hub for anyone interested in audio production for media. That includes game audio, film audio, sound design, music, Foley, field recording, and even voice acting. It’s a completely free platform where we do our best to unite the online audio community and make it easy to find events, contests, opportunities, resources, and freebies.

Over the last 3 years it has developed into a really wholesome pocket of the internet centered around audio.

GL: What he said!

Q. What compelled you to create Airwiggles?

LT: Greg nails this one below.

GL: The short version is that I wished there was a place specifically for game audio people to share knowledge, ask questions, and get feedback on their work. A place that belonged to the community, where it didn’t matter how many followers you had but whether you added value. I had a Discord server for the Game Audio Learning website that grew rapidly and became difficult to moderate.

I pitched the idea of creating a new online home for audio people to Lewis, and we built a prototype that quickly gained traction. At first it was mostly close friends, but when we ran our first event “Noisevember” in 2022 lots of new people joined. It was clear there was demand, so we kept improving it, gathering feedback, and connecting with the community. Here we are 3 years later.

Q. What has been the most rewarding thing about running Airwiggles?

LT: Without a doubt, seeing junior members make friends, learn, and improve over time. We’ve watched active members share their journeys from students to full-time audio designers. Knowing we’ve helped create a community that supports people on their way into audio production, which I consider the best job in the world, makes all the time and effort worthwhile.

GL: I completely agree. Meeting people in person at our events is always amazing. The community is awesome, and we’ve had folks fly in from all over the world to attend.

Q. What has been the most challenging thing about managing Airwiggles?

LT: Every summer we run Airwiggles Audio Conference (AirCon), an online conference about audio production for media hosted directly on Airwiggles and free for everyone. Because it’s online, we can host speakers and guests from all over the world. The only real limit is how much time we’re willing to spend putting it together.

Since Greg and I are terrible at stopping, each year we go overboard and run a week-long conference featuring 50+ talks from 100+ speakers across wildly different time zones. Building a single schedule with a new live event starting every hour for a week straight is one heck of a challenge. In 2024 I did this while trying to rehome a rescue cockerel living in my bathroom during the conference... but that’s a different story.

GL: Balancing the day-to-day running of Airwiggles with my sound design career is tough. Thankfully we love what we do, and we’ve assembled a small team of wonderful people who help us run things and put on events.

Q. What are some of the most useful or surprising things you’ve learned from your own community?

GL: I’ve learned so much about sound design, field recording, mixing, and other audio skills through written posts, video breakdowns, and long discussion threads. Giving feedback on redesigns has been instrumental to my development and helped me put thoughts about audio into words. Reading others’ feedback is also helpful because you hear different tastes and perspectives.

Another big lesson has been public speaking and putting myself out there. I’m used to speaking on livestreams now, but I still get a fuzzy stomach for real-world talks.

LT: I’ve learned countless positive things and definitely become a better sound designer and composer thanks to tips, workflows, and chats with the community. The most surprising lesson is how important ultra-clear communication is. When you’re talking to a large group, instructions must be as simple as possible. It only takes one person to misread a sentence and the message unravels.

Learning this has helped me in so many areas: client emails, conference presentations, and asking for feedback. I frame what I’m trying to say much more effectively now.

Q. Do you have any upcoming plans or new features you’re excited to roll out for the community?

GL: The AirCon25 vault videos are finally being made public. Our team has been editing over 50 hours of talks, and as of this week we’ve started uploading them to our YouTube channel so everyone can access them for free. Huge thanks to Sergio Ronchetti, Wessel Smeekes, and Orrin Keep for making this possible.

LT: It’s a little behind-the-scenes, but we have a few features in the pipeline that will be lovely to roll out. These include an improved audio-event submission form and a new Airwiggles landing page. Basically we’re making existing features more useful for our community members.

Q. What aspects of Airwiggles do you think are the most valuable for members?

LT: It depends on your background and situation. If you’re starting your career, there are tons of resources for building great showreels and tools. There are thousands of free sound effects to download, many listed in the Free Samples space, and we DM users with sound packs from A Sound Effect as they interact and level up.

For everyone, the most valuable thing is the connections you can make. I’ve honestly met some of my best friends through Airwiggles. Yes, networking helps your career, but it’s also just lovely to make friends.

GL: Being able to ask any audio question and get high-quality answers, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, is huge. The daily knowledge sharing is priceless. Simply being in proximity to so many talented people is inspiring, and I would’ve loved to have that when I started out.

Q. Airwiggles has a growing presence at real-world events. What role do these gatherings play in building the community?

LT: A huge one. Greg and I met at the Guildford Game Audio meetup, so without real-world events this post wouldn’t be happening. If you can visit development hubs and attend meetups, do it. You’ll meet wonderful people.

We even have a “Local Communities” space on Airwiggles to find groups near you.

GL: As Lewis said, they play a huge role. As the community grows, we’re getting more opportunities to attend bigger events and spread the word. We also have an event calendar, often with in-person events, so people can see what’s happening around the world and join local gatherings.

Q. You also run regular sound design contests with amazing prizes. What do participants get out of these challenges besides the gear?

LT: We try to ensure contests aren’t only about winning. Audio isn’t something with a single objective “best.” While prizes are cool, our focus is on connection and skill development. For example, Noisevember or Airwiggles Audio Challenge ask you to upload something you made every day for a month. The goal isn’t to make the best piece and win. It’s to practice, experiment, learn, and push yourself with hundreds of other designers along the way.

Other contests like the Film Audio Faceoff or Sound Design Showdown require team submissions, so even if you don’t win, you’ve collaborated, connected, and maybe made friends for life.

GL: Exactly. These challenges strengthen your creative muscles and consistency. You can decide how much time to invest, and hearing so many different takes on the same brief is a brilliant way to learn, expand your palette, and get inspired.

Q. For someone new to game or film audio, what’s the best way to get started with Airwiggles?

GL: Get involved. Browse the site, see what interests you, leave comments, and get inspired. Toilet breaks are a great way to keep up to date.

LT: Greg is right. Posting when thousands of audio designers might see it can feel scary, but as long as you’re friendly you’ll be welcomed with open arms. It’s easier to get involved than you might think.

Q. Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring sound designers who want to break into the industry?

LT: I could talk for hours, but luckily Greg put it all together at GameAudioLearning.com. If you haven’t worked through the Learning Roadmap, that’s a great place to start. After that, practice, meet people, get feedback, and be persistent. Breaking in can take time even if you do everything right. Lots of people are in the same situation, so don’t do it alone.

GL: Thanks for the shoutout, Lewis. My top tips:

• Use the resources that are available. There are so many great ones, and we compiled our favorites here: https://www.airwiggles.com/c/resources/
• Create a roadmap for yourself using those resources and stick with it. Many people quit early, but success often comes from staying around long enough to watch the seeds you planted grow.
• Make as many friends as possible, online and offline. You’re not alone, and the community is there to help.
• Follow the fun and work will feel like play most of the time.

Thanks for having us!

Lewis and Greg show just how much magic happens when you bring audio people together. From sharing knowledge and resources to running worldwide events like AirCon, Airwiggles has grown into a supportive and inspiring hub for anyone who loves sound. Whether you’re just starting out or already a seasoned pro, there’s always something new to learn and someone great to meet.

Big thanks to Lewis and Greg for hanging out with us and sharing their story. Go check out Airwiggles and join the fun yourself!

This article is part of Kilohearts Game Audio Week 2025.