We had the good fortune of connecting with Steven Goard and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Steven, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I created SDG Quantum Productions, a film and media studio dedicated to crafting stories that inspire and explore the worlds of creativity and imagination to enlighten, entertain and tell stories that reflect our cultural experiences. Our first production series the “The Uptown Chronicles” was created to change the narrative that is often shown in media about black family dynamics. I wanted to create something that gave our culture and the world something to aspire to create withing their own family circle. Love, Unity, and unlimited potential to to become the greatest versions of ourselves. So many of the shows we grew up on such as the “Cosby show” and “Its a different world” highlighted the issues that black culture often experience while giving us something to aspire to become. The series was inspired by my own family of 7, Myself, my wife and 5 children, and the love and support we share, showcase a different side of what has been either stereotypical, and or the result of the broken family structure and cohesiveness. This series combines current themes with age-old Ghanian mythology blending ancient magical powers with futuristic technology showcasing the levity of the boondocks and the action and Afro futurism of Black Panther.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am most proud of stepping out on faith to become a full time voice actor leaving a 20 year long career as a graphic designer and web developer. To get to where I am today as a successful voice actor, I whole heartedly credit credit my acting coach and mentor Paul Liberti who saw the spark in me and helped to nurture my talent and abilities to be the greatest version of “ME”! The journey as an actor is never easy but I’ve been blessed to be surrounded but other coaches and a VO community to support, encourage and inspire me to be committed to the journey and realize it’s a marathon and not a sprint. One of the greatest lessons learned is have clarity about where you are trying to go and what you want to achieve and to never QUIT. The universe has a natural ebb and flow but if you stay the course and push to move the needle 1% everyday and improve you can move mountains over time. The biggest takeaway form my story is there is no one path to success, I truly believe in discovering unconventional ways to achieve the things we want in life, be inspire by other and never allowing someone else’s story to determine you own trajectory, and find way to be of service to others in the process. Its not about the destination but about finding love in the Journey.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Honestly, I’m very simple, I would find place we could go to connect on a deeper level. I love to have family and friends over to the house to cook a meal for them , laugh and enjoy each other company, The Aquarium is always fun, then mabey take a walk through centennial park to enjoy the environment. I’m a seafood lover so Atlanta Fish Market is definitely an amazing restaurant to go to, then, likely a backyard get together to cap the evening off by fireside while chatting about life.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost I want to recognize my mother who always encouraged me to believe in myself and fearlessly reach for my dream, my father for instilling the importance of work ethic and being a man of my word, and my wife for her constant belief in my ability to achieve what ever i set out to accomplish and seeing the greatest potential in me always , and my 5 children for their undying and overflowing love and support.
Website: https://stevengoard.com
Instagram: steveng_vo and theuptownchronicles_series
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheUptownChronicles