Well as I sit here and write my first blog my emotions are acting as they would for anyone doing something for the first time. This particular blog will break down these emotions and what I have gone through building my voice over business.
Like the 2015 movie with the same name and my muse for this blog lets break down the characters. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust and can’t forget Bing Bong or will I ?
If you asked someone close to me lets say my wife I am a combination of Joy and Anger with Bing Bong playing a significant role.
Like many of you if not all I am sitting here and having anger, disgust, joy all playing off each other why? When you do something for the first time a barrier must be breached. It is a growth phase and while scary it will in the end bring joy. I am angry with myself that I didn’t do this sooner but the reality is I wasn’t at that point where I felt I could. After talking with many a voice actor and actors or creatives I found that we are never ready for anything fully. Therefore my trepidation morphed into Nike – Just Do It! Disgust is a strong emotion but I suppose as a writer how many times do I scrunch up the paper I just wrote and do it all over again. Several in my case trying to reign in these emotions and give them the proper written word to express just what they are doing inside me. Now Joy knowing that what I am doing is just that a piece of me expressing my love for what I do and it definitely gives me joy.
That is what I am feeling now but lets step back. I started in this industry by chance back in 1996 while working for a flight simulation company in Montreal. I was giving a class to simulator maintenance techs from Germany. After the second day of the class my manager took me aside and told me that he had been listening in that day and couldn’t pull himself away. He stated that he had been listening to the radio all day and that the voice coming from the radio was me. He then asked if I would be interested in providing my voice for lessons to be recorded and put on the computer for students to learn that way. I said sure and did it for 9 years. This provided me with joy as the company and manager liked what I provided and I got a kick out of learning what I was voicing. No real sadness or anger at all during that span of time
February 2005 arrived and my second child was on the way only a month to go before my daughter was to be born and I was laid off from the only company I knew. Anger at first how could they! Then fear what was I going to do and sadness I liked what I did. Joy appeared as I would be able to spend time with my wife son and new born daughter which would be an amazing time that I will cherish forever. My daughter was born with Plagiocephaly and Torticolis. Plagiocephaly is the flattening of the head and torticolis is the neck muscles elongated on one side and to short on the other. The was all due to the fact my daughter was very comfortable in the womb and didn’t move a lot. Ironically she is the same outside quiet and comfortable in who she is. She is one of the major joys of my life. I would spend the next 2 years driving with my wife and Dad to the Shriners hospital in Montreal for physio therapy for my daughter. She also wore a helmet to round out her head. She was very cute in it.
The anger, fear sadness and joy all played a roll in moving my head space into something my grandmother (my guardian angle) told me before she died in 1980. My voice had just changed into the deep version it is now and she knew of my love for all things sports or news related. She told me point blank that I needed to be on the radio or media in some role preferably on the air. After 25 years of not listening to her advice I finally tuned in. I enrolled in the Montreal Radio and Television school and proceeded to get a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After graduating and being on the air I decided that it wasn’t for me not that I didn’t like it I truly did it was just that I couldn’t make ends meet for my family.
I decided at that point to be a consultant for my prior company and at night begin my pursuit of being a voice talent/actor. Fast forward to 2013 I finally hung my shingle up outside for the world to see that I indeed had become a voice talent/actor Peter Wood Voice Overs sailed for the first time.
In between 2005 and 2013 was a period I would call finding me (not Nemo!) The emotions most fear took hold and I had to break it down piece by piece just like eating an elephant one piece at a time. You know what? I did it — JOY!
Fear is a deceptive emotion which really can be nasty and put you into a state wear you just don’t believe in you which I can tell you first hand is not true. Fear is simply your mind telling you that this is something you haven’t done and that you should be careful. It just doesn’t tell you that in a kind way. It will try to stop you at all costs. Work your way through the fear and you will find what you want.
It is 2018 and I am still working through my fears, anger, disgust, sadness and joy I always will and I am embracing it. But where is Bing Bong well as I see it Bing Bong is the buddy that helps you through all of these emotions it he or she however you view Bing Bong in your life. In the movie Bing Bong was me. I have always been the person who helps and is forgotten (in my perception) I cried (truth be told) pretty hard when he was forgotten. He was also a character more than an emotion which I mask myself in daily to get through this crazy world. It has helped me deal with my emotions more than anything ever could. It allows me to be on stage and give it all I have. It allows me to be genuine behind the mic. It he or she is me and I don’t want to be forgotten I just want to be your friend and help you deal with emotions and your voice over career.
Voice overs is a blessing to me the emotions you will deal with are real listen to them don’t dwell on any of them for too long. Take a step everyday in the direction of the things that you love and that in time will develop a path to your niche in your career. Voice overs is a job, career, passing fancy it is what it is for everyone individually. Until my next blog number 2 next week take care and be you. Bing Bong out!
