I began recording sounds when I was 11 and making short films well into my teen years. I started to learn how to play electric guitar so I could write my own music for my films (which took a lot longer than I thought). Since I could draw and had an idea about how to make movies, I enrolled and got accepted into the classical animated film making course at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, in 1985, where I completed one year, then decided to pursue other interests.
When I started working in Toronto around 1986, my sister told me that there was a need for security guards and that she would cut mine and my friend's hair so we could get jobs. My friend and I both ended up getting jobs as security guards and that meant we had to do shift work - five days in a row, five afternoons and five midnight shifts over the course of a month. The lifestyle was very draining and not conducive to social butterflies like us.
As I got moved from location to location, I finally found myself working at a large site with a large crew and worked my way up from the lowest rung to the third highest on site, but the shift work was killing me. I then accepted an offer from a former supervisor, who went on to become director of another large account and I became one of his supervisors, but for a smaller on-site crew.
I realized that I needed to move on to a 9-5 job in order to be able to perform in the evenings and hopefully work at something related to my role as guitar player in a rock band. I began looking for day work and got hired at a lumber yard as I was finishing shifts for the security company, sometimes working many hours in a row to gradually phase out the security work. The lumber yard was difficult to be a part of as I was a minority and everybody let me know it by completely ignoring me or avoiding me, except for one or two individuals who didn't follow the 'us and them' mentality.
I stayed with day work as I switched to a hardware store, since I now had experience with hardware and building supplies. I would continue to look for more relevant employment and had an interview at a well known musical instrument retailer where I didn't get hired because I said the wrong thing during my interview (actually, it was a trap set up to see what kind of attitude I had toward certain brand names and I fell for it).
I continued at the hardware store until I just couldn't take it anymore, so I applied at another music store. I began to show up to the hardware store later and later and was finally given the choice to quit or to be on time, so I decided right there to quit and take one more chance at getting the music store job, which I did end up getting.
My goal was simple: suffer through the music store routine and do the best job possible in order to get a glowing reference and use that reference for a higher paying job elsewhere. During my days at work, I would continually think of services I could offer companies and start up some sort of business so I could be the boss and not have to listen to bad managers and abusive co-workers anymore. In the meantime, the band was getting better and more popular which inevitably led to us touring across the country and selling CD's across the world. I still had the entrepreneurial spirit, though, which led to developing my skills as a sound mixer when I wasn't at work or on tour.
As my future vision became clearer with each passing day, I made the choice to quit the music store job, take my chances on the road with the band and start planning my business ideas whenever I got the chance. After touring and being unemployed for a while, I made the choice to move forward and learn as much as possible about sound mixing and audio technology through the public library system. I started requesting certain textbooks as presents, or cash to buy textbooks, so I could build my library. I became a member of the Canadian Acoustical Association and bought a book on how to become a consultant, for future reference.
During this time, I had to get a job, so I followed a lead from a friend who was quitting his job driving blueprints and other things around for a printing company. He thought that with a strong recommendation from him and no need for advertising for a driver, I would probably get it, which I did. But, I didn't have a proper license, so I had to fake it for a bit and take a chance until I was able to get the proper license. That job was to be a stepping stone only, so I could develop my business ideas while I drove. I took advantage of the job by purchasing motivational tapes and business development tapes to listen to every day until I reached a boiling point which forced me to quit and move on.
Over the course of driving, I looked for and got part time work on nights and weekends mixing sound for live bands and other events. That was over a a year and a half until I quit driving and took a chance on starting to mix sound full time. Instead of a resume, I made some business cards and set up shop as a freelance sound mixer. I was offered a position as a full time mixer at a downtown club, where I worked for for years.
During that time, I explored the possibility of teaching classes, so I could follow the path of becoming a consultant. I also pitched story ideas to major magazines to build credibility. I also began recording sound effects to hopefully sell to the entertainment industry. After becoming an instructor at a career college teaching sound mixing, selling the sound effects to the largest publisher in the world and having the opportunity to write six articles for two major publications, I asked myself what was next.
What was next was a gradual shift from mixing sound at night and teaching, to working in the corporate world of audiovisual and entertainment, the very business ideas I was thinking of when I was working at the music store, only now I had the right skills and credibility to actually do it. That was 2003. I continued writing, teaching, mixing and recording sound effects over the years. I also picked up a lot of work making and editing short films and videos from my skills as a sound mixer and editor (I learned to edit while I was making my own shorts films with friends whenever we got the chance).
So, where am I now? I still teach (9+ years later), I still mix live music occasionally, I still shoot and edit videos, I have picked up several clients in the corporate sector, I still record and edit sound effects and I am finished writing my first book on work experience. I am gradually getting into the public speaking circuit to talk about positive work environments and I have several blogs and web pages to maintain. Oh, and I still perform several times per year. I am using my writing and video skills to develop marketing materials for my speeches and AV business and am seeking more teaching opportunities.
I am in it for the long run and as I look back, I see that I gradually made it to the work I wanted. Since leaving college, it took approximately 10 years to get on the direct path I have followed since (from ages 19-29). Every new job was preceded by a desire to move toward it and I new it would happen one day. Even though ten years seems like a long time, it really isn't, when you consider the solid foundation of skills needed to succeed in the future. Diversity in employment and life's work is important in today's world.
In closing, I can truly say that if a person goes on a path of their choosing, has a fairly clear objective and has a positive mental attitude (for the most part), they will benefit any company or client they become associated with.
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