Self-directing during a voiceover session with a client can become a costly habit. When you're new at voice acting, it will be tempting to apologize to everyone on the call or at the studio every time you stumble over a few words. Or maybe you didn't like the take, so you immediately start criticizing yourself. You may not have liked the take but perhaps your client thought it was the money shot! Let them decide. Remember that you are the actor and your client is the Director.
Every booking you get is a chance to have a client for life. Please don't mess it up by constantly interrupting the session with all kinds of self-direction. Making suggestions about the script isn't a good idea either. You are the performer and your job is to perform.
I learned a hard lesson during my first year as a voice actor. I had booked a 7/11 commercial. The clients were a lot of fun to work with and they loved my voice. But I was inexperienced and kept stopping the session when I tripped on a word or two. I even threw a little hissy fit when I couldn't get a sentence right. This behavior hardly impressed the client and although they were happy with the results by the end of the session, I got a phone call from my agent the next day. She said the client wouldn't likely use me again because I wouldn't shut the hell up during the session and was constantly self-directing. Can you imagine the potential income I lost from this particular client? All because I couldn't get out of my own way during a session. Lesson learned!
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