Ganbatte: Perseverance in a Changing Industry
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Ganbatte: Perseverance in a Changing Industry I was inspired by the spirit of “Ganbatte” and the book by Albert Liebermann to write this. I hope it resonates with you. In the world of audio post production, there’s always been noise beneath the surface—a kind of low-end rumble of uncertainty. Whether you’ve been at it for decades or are just starting out, you’ve probably felt it. The pace of change feels faster than ever. Familiar workflows are shifting. Tools you mastered last year feel outdated today. Budgets are tighter, timelines shorter, and expectations higher. And for many of us, there are days when it feels like the ground is moving under our feet. But in all this upheaval, there’s a concept I’ve been leaning on, one that’s deeply rooted in Japanese culture: ganbatte. It’s a word that means “do your best,” but it carries a deeper weight—an encouragement to persevere, to keep going, to show up fully even when things are hard. It’s not about perfection or winning. It’s about resolve. Grit. Forward motion. That mindset, that quiet determination, feels like exactly what our industry—and the people in it—need right now. I won’t sugarcoat it: these are difficult times. Many seasoned professionals are looking around and wondering where the work has gone. Young people breaking in are faced with uncertainty, inconsistent opportunities, and the pressure to stand out in a crowded, often invisible field. But if there's one thing I’ve learned after thousands of sessions and years of mentoring, it’s this: we find our way by continuing to move. Not with desperation, but with purpose. Momentum matters. It doesn’t have to be big or dramatic. Sometimes it’s answering that email you’ve been putting off. Sometimes it’s editing half a scene just to stay sharp. Sometimes it’s reaching out to someone you admire and asking a question. These small acts—repeated—build not just careers, but confidence. They tell the world (and yourself): I’m still here. I’m still doing the work. And that work? It doesn't always look like what we imagined. Audio post isn’t just mixing and sound design—it’s listening, adjusting, collaborating. It’s finding beauty in the details, in the mundane. It’s knowing how to breathe life into a flat scene or fix a mic rub no one else heard. That kind of craft, built over time, is still valuable. Still needed. And it will outlast trends and tools. At the same time, we have to make peace with what we can’t control. Jobs get canceled. Clients change direction. Tech replaces part of what we once did by hand. But if we accept those realities instead of resisting them, we free up energy to adapt. To learn new tools. To shift roles. To evolve. Because audio post has never been a static industry—it’s always moved. And the ones who last are the ones who move with it. It helps to remember why we’re here in the first place. For some of us, it’s the storytelling. For others, it’s the challenge, the rhythm, the music of it all. Whatever brought you here, reconnect with it. That purpose becomes your anchor when things get stormy. It’s what lets you work through long nights, client changes, and creative doubt. It’s what keeps you grounded when the future feels unclear. I think about my mentees often—those just stepping into the field with wide eyes and big dreams. I see their excitement, but I also see their fear. The world they’re entering is different than the one I started in. But here’s what I tell them: success doesn’t come from perfect timing or perfect reels. It comes from persistence. From caring about the work and the people. From staying in touch. From asking questions. From showing up. And when setbacks come—and they always do—don’t shut down. Don’t retreat. Let yourself feel it, then get back to the console, or the laptop, or the field recorder. One foot in front of the other. That’s ganbatte. That’s what moves you forward. Yes, the landscape is shifting. But all is not lost. This has always been an industry in motion. And in motion, there is opportunity. New platforms. New formats. New voices. If we bring our craft, our empathy, our willingness to adapt—there will always be a place for us. So to everyone in this community—veterans, newcomers, dreamers, and doers—keep going. Keep creating. Keep connecting. Ganbatte. We’ve weathered change before. And we will again. |