Image: Homer Todiwala in Studio

Personability. It’s an important factor in any job, and voice acting is no different.

There’s a certain connotation which comes with voice acting. You know the one – getting to stay home all day in your pyjamas talking into a microphone. What’s easy to forget is that there’s another person down the end of that tightly wound little wire.

That’s right. The Client.

There’s an importance of being earnest (but not too earnest) with the other half of the voice over equation - the all-important network. Too eager, and people can find it intimidatingly off-putting, or irritating; but not eager enough and you become just another voice in the ether or perceived as stand-offish.

The simple steps to eagerly impress:

1. Arrive on time* and prepared for the session
2. Positive greetings with smiles are never amiss in the studio
3. Bonus points for cheerfully getting through, even with the trickiest of notes
4. Clarifying when clarification is needed – but remember your p’s and q’s
5. Remembering to say thank you to those involved in the process; after all, the studio staff will still be there once you’ve been wrapped, working on what you’ve just recorded

Sure we probably sound like your granny, but often simple can be overlooked. What’s important is to remain upbeat in the face of adversity, even if the recording gets tough. You can only come out looking impressive to the client, and giving them a lasting impression that the whole experience was pleasant and productive.

The hidden trap is in the follow-up, with your voiceover agency or the client. A pithy email with a positive tone can go a long way in acknowledging the client’s hard work on their end. However, constantly chasing details or payment, which will be given in good time, can often become an additional burden in a process which is already rife with emails and hoops to jump through. There’s a long chain to wind your way down at the end of a recording, and sometimes the most valuable virtue is, as the saying goes, patience.

It’s a difficult tightrope to balance, but when you keep it in mind, you’ll be sure to leave a positive lasting impression.

*also known as ten minutes early