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CAREER
This business is not easy. It’s not a “get rich quick” scheme (no matter what some YouTuber’s say). It’s a profession that requires skills, experience, patience and determination. It takes training and practice. Support from your community, family and friends. It takes a lot of time to “make it” in this industry. If you’ve been around long enough, you know the value of conferences and the power they have in transforming your business and career. I’ve attended several voice over conferences over the years and have enjoyed every one. So when the opportunity came along in a post on social media for a scholarship for the One Voice USA Conference in Dallas during August 2023, I threw my hat in the ring. Partly because hey, who doesn’t like winning things, but mostly, because I knew I just didn’t have the resources in 2023 to leave my home in Canada for any conferences. Fast forward and I was shocked to learn I won the scholarship – which included airfare, accommodations, conference fees plus a suite of demos and training – and to say I was blown away was an understatement! At the end of the conference – if you’ve been to one, you know how emotional these closing ceremonies can be – I was brought up on stage to say a few words. I began with a great many thank-you’s to all involved in bestowing this honor. And then I could not resist sharing my thoughts on how to succeed in the voice over business. VoiceOverXtra asked me to share those thoughts here. IT HAPPENS FOR A REASON Even though we’ve all heard it many times before, I firmly believe that everything in life happens for a reason, even if that reason isn’t meant for us directly or the reason won’t be clear for years later. Ever since a major life event 16 years ago, that belief has become even more meaningful to me. There’s a reason I was meant to show up in Dallas. There’s a reason I was meant to find a voice over meetup in Toronto back in 2016 and meet the wonderful Bev Standing, who gave me the encouragement to pursue this dream. And there’s a reason I was meant to have some struggles. Because if I hadn’t been struggling, I wouldn’t have been chosen for the scholarship. The voice over community is one of the most caring, giving, supportive and friendly communities I’ve ever been a part of in my entire career. The closeness of the bonds between members is unlike most industries out in the “real world.” And in many of our social networks, we’re closer with our fellow voice actors than some of our own friends or family. KEEP MOVING FORWARD So, I say to those who are dealing with challenges, or, for when life throws you some curveballs, keep moving forward. When it feels like you’re constantly pushing a boulder up a hill, keep moving forward. When it “seems” like everyone but you is succeeding in this business you, keep moving forward. When you’re doing all the right things but not seeing the immediate rewards, keep moving forward. When your nearly constant self-sabotage is keeping you from the life you want, keep moving forward. And when you have the right people supporting you, keep moving forward. COMMUNITY SUPPORTS YOU The voice over community is one of the most caring, giving, supportive and friendly communities I’ve ever been a part of in my entire career. The closeness of the bonds between members is unlike most industries out in the “real world.” And in many of our social networks, we’re closer with our fellow voice actors than some of our own friends or family. I’ll leave you with this thought: Don’t stop! If you believe in yourself and you’re doing the right things, don’t stop! Keep moving forward and you will succeed. David Gilbert is a professional non-union voice actor living in the Toronto, ON area and is a sole parent to two young adult children. He has been a voice talent since 2016 and focusses on all things corporate. He is “Happy to chat” with other voice actors about voice over. And he recently joined the board of the World-Voices Organization (WoVO) as Secretary, where he is “eager to talk to anyone about their experiences with WoVO and what they would like to see WoVO become.” Email: david@davidgilbertvoiceover.com |
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By David Gilbert
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