We Interviewed Voice Actor Steven Rigsby!

We had the pleasure of chatting with voice actor Steven Rigsby! Check it out to learn more about voice acting and Steven’s creative journey!

1. What initially inspired you to become a creator, and how has that inspiration evolved throughout your creative journey?

I was chronically ill in my childhood and didn’t have many friends in my teenage years, so I turned to drawing and writing as a way of keeping myself entertained and busy. I was alone in that time, but over the years, I’ve met other like-minded people who find joy in the creative process. Art brought me closer to the friends and colleagues I have now, and they continue to inspire me to keep at it!

2. Can you share a specific moment or experience that fueled your passion for your current creative project?

My current creative project is very much in its infancy, but it focuses on characters that are victims of circumstance and how they move forward despite their situations. It’s largely influenced by my own struggles in life, but also the valuable lessons I’ve learned that have helped carry me forward.

3. What challenges have you encountered as an indie creator, and how have they shaped your approach to your work?

The biggest challenge as an indie creator I’ve encountered is how many hats you have to wear for a project and honing those individual skills. Over the years, I’ve learned screenwriting, video editing, acting, audio engineering, and playing and writing music. It’s difficult, but rewarding, and it’s helped me shape a holistic approach to the creative process where I’m considering multiple facets of a production and how to achieve an intended video, audio, action, or narrative effect.

4. Are there any particular creators who have significantly influenced your style or approach? How do you incorporate those influences into your own unique voice?

I was influenced enormously by early Newgrounds animators, as well as Worthikids’ and Felix Colgraves’ animations. Seeing that these individual people can achieve so much in multiple mediums had a profound influence on how I view the creative process, which is a stylized, collaboratively creative approach.

5. How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your artistic vision and adapting to feedback from your audience or collaborators?

I’m always anxious that something in my creative vision isn’t people’s cup of tea and I’m a bit of a people pleaser, so I tend to be guarded about receiving feedback. I’ve had some bad experiences for sure, but as long as the feedback is well-intentioned and helps make a stronger piece of art, I’m all ears.

6. Can you recall a memorable success story or milestone in your indie creator journey that stands out as a turning point for you?

My first big milestone was working of the short film The Legend of Pipi as a voice actor and audio engineer. I was initially brought on just to voice act as the King, but quickly realized I had an opportunity for growth in my career as an engineer and voice actor. I wound up not just playing the King, but Pipi, the Dragon, a good chunk of the monsters, and I was a sound designer and the mix master!

For the first time ever, I found myself around highly talented, creative, and compassionate people that gave me a shot and enjoyed my work. It’s an experience I’ll always cherish, and a sensation that I’m always eager to find again on another production!

7. What role do setbacks or failures play in your creative process, and how do you overcome them to keep moving forward?

Setbacks and failures serve as a learning opportunity for me. I take a look at whatever didn’t go well and try to think of ways to enhance or modify my approach next time. Sometimes I go months without any creative work, and it’s disheartening, but the possibility of creative collaboration and bringing joy to people keeps me going.

8. How do you manage your time and energy to sustain a consistent creative output while juggling other aspects of life?

That’s my secret: I’m TERRIBLE at that! I tend to be really inconsistent about my creative output, but once I’m in the zone with something, you can’t pull me away from it unless it’s a bodily need. I’m trying to get better about consistency while trying to be mindful of burnout, which I’ve gone through a lot.

9.Have you found any unexpected joys or rewards in the indie creator community, and how has it contributed to your overall experience?

I didn’t expect to find as many friendly, collaborative people in the indie community. I ran in some pretty unhealthy circles for years, so having those experiences outweighs the bad ones on any given day. Overall, it brought me out of my shell more, and made me feel more comfortable expressing myself both creatively and as a person.

10. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring creators, what would it be based on your own lessons learned?

You will have haters that seek to beat you down, give you the wrong advice, and everything in between. You have to cultivate a sense of confidence in what you do creatively to stand your ground against these types of people. Toxic kills creativity. Find people that celebrate creation – not bash it.

11. What are your thoughts on All Ages of Geek? What are some things we should change/do? What are something you enjoy about our website?

I honestly hadn’t heard of y’all until your Twitter (yes, I’m still calling it that) popped up on my timeline the other day, but I love the variety of content you produce! I think something you should do is interview people who work in gaming and animation that aren’t voice actors or animators. There’s so much insight to be gained about the production process from managers, audio engineers, background painters, storyboard artists, and even programmers, and I think it would be a wonderful thing to give those positions more exposure and help educate people on the less-coveted roles of media production! I also really enjoy the interviews on your website.

12. Goals for 2024?

I’ve got a few goals. First, I’d like to find some voice over representation so I can audition for more roles. Second, I’d like to work on more of the production side for an animated series as an audio engineer. Last but not least, I want to be able to mentor someone to help them on their creative journey!

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