More on that to come he says who is this guy? Really! I need two parts? Ahh suspense!
In 2005, I got laid off one month before my daughters birth. In one sense this was bad but in another amazing. I got to spend time with her and her mom. Brooke my daughter was born with plagiocephaly and torticollis. Look them up it is your homework. For the plagiocephaly and torticollis, she was seen by the Shriner Hospital in Montreal. My dad is a Shriner and I am grateful for that. Brooke was fitted for a helmet and was seen by a physiotherapist for her torticollis. Being off gave me the chance to be with her during this time.
When I got got laid off one thing was ringing in my head Radio… Something my grandmother had told me I should consider. I was too young to take what she told me to heart.
Now was the time. I enrolled in the Montreal Radio and Television School and embarked on a career in Radio. Hold on! wait what? Yes I hold a degree in broadcast journalism and was on the Radio in Montreal. I loved it! However I could not make ends meet. My love for being heard was being crushed by the need to make enough to support my young family.
I became a technical writer and a consultant. I held two jobs for awhile. This path took my family to Ottawa but me commuting. I was miserable. I adore my family and needed to be with them while they grew and I was not there. To this day I beat myself up for the choice I made. In 2010 I was face with an ultimatum. Go back to the company that laid me off and I also consulted for or lose the consulting gig and have no job again. The technical writing position had ended shortly after moving the family to Ottawa in 2007.
Now I had a permanent job again but in Montreal and my family in Ottawa. I found a position with the company in Trenton Ontario. So in 2011 I moved the family to Trenton.
With the family unit back together and a financial foundation in place. I vowed to never be out of work again.
I need to be happy. My family being together filled a major part of that but my day to day gig would need to be altered or be added to. Enter voiceovers, I had been voicing all along but never for myself as a freelance artist. I had done voice work on radio in 2005 – 2010 . I had done voice recordings for the company I was laid off by and rehired.
I had a passion for being behind the mic and storytelling. Plus being the voice of animated characters was and will always be part of who I am. I hung up my single as a freelancer and makerted myself. I have had bumps in the road as any freelancer and voice actor has. But little by little I started to find my way.
Voice acting when you start is 80 – 90% marketing 5 – 10 % learning and 5 – 10% acting. Now it is about 60% marketing, 25% acting, 10 education and 5% miscellaneous. I have had a wonderful time do this. This is my passion and I will always do this. To me this is not work it is straight out fun. The people in this industry are without a doubt amazing.
For now, I still work for the flight simulation company but the day will come and it will come soon where I will be the voice actor who represents the aviation industry. I have been cleared for takeoff my throttle has been push forward I awaiting V1 and then V2. From there the clear blue sky!
