Directed Sessions 101
If you’re reading this article, you probably just booked your first directed session with a client. Or perhaps you haven’t booked a directed session yet, but you want to be prepared when the opportunity arises. Stick around; let’s talk about it.
What is a directed session?
A directed session is when you meet virtually with a client or studio, and are given direction on the fly as you record. This meeting can utilize a number of services like Zoom, Google Meet, etc. but you can also see other technologies in the mix. Source Connect and ISDN are good examples of this.
Directed sessions help the client and talent easily align on project details, and they ensure the client is satisfied with the final product as they are actively participating in its creation. Additionally, many of the higher paying jobs you see on platforms like Voices.com, Voquent, etc. require some form of live direction.
Preparing for the session
First, you will need to schedule a date and time for the session with the client. Set clear expectations for the meeting as well. For instance, how will you connect? Google Meet? Zoom? Source Connect? The client typically tells you this, or sends you meeting details, but it’s best to be clear.
Next, make sure to sent reminders for yourself. Utilize a calendar or reminder system, and set alerts so you won’t be caught off guard when the time comes to meet and record. Remind yourself to get in the studio early, so you can prep.
On the day of, set up your recording space 15-30 minutes before the session. This means that you should double check all of your recording equipment is good to go. You should also test out whatever connection method you’re using for the session. For example, if it’s Zoom, test your audio (and video, if you’re not camera-shy) and make sure you will be able to communicate effectively
The big takeaway: you want this to be smooth. The last thing you want or need is to appear unprofessional, or unprepared, during the remote session. Do yourself a favor and review the script beforehand too. It gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the copy, learn any unusual words (hellooooo medical narrations) and tap into the overall feeling of the script you will be reading.
During the session
Before you do anything, double check your space (turn off anything that might introduce noise, like a fan in the booth) and start recording. This is crucial. You don’t want background noise ruining your session, and you don’t want to end the session without a recording. That would be a big pain in the butt.
With that in mind, here are some other tips:
Treat it like you are meeting in-person. When someone arrives to the meeting, introduce yourself, and thank the group for choosing you for their project. Once introductions are out of the way, you can get into the meat & potatoes of the session. Here’s how that usually goes:
Take the lead. 99% of the time, you should be running the show. Take initiative and explain how you like to handle a directed session. Not only will this showcase your professionalism and confidence, but it will help put others in the call at ease. “Whew, this voice actor knows what they are doing.” The only exception to this that I’ve seen is if you’re working with a producer who is remote. In that case, the producer is probably going to run the session.
Confirm the direction from the client. At this point, you should have the script and should have familiarized yourself with the content. Once you get on the call, it’s time to confirm the tone, pacing, and any other requirements that the client may have. For example, do they want a conversational read? Is this something that needs a bit more gravitas? emotion? Are there any specific time constraints for the VO? All of these things can affect your performance, so you need to know it all.
Make sure you have the ability to play back takes on the fly. This is important, because clients might want to hear your take again before they decide if it’s “the one”. Also, make sure to label each take in the beginning with a “take one/two/three”. Furthermore, make sure you’re comfortable enough with your DAW to make edits during the call. This happens sometimes.
Reiterate how thankful you are for the job as the call comes to a close. This is just good manners, and shows the client that you truly appreciate that they chose you for their project. You want to foster as much good will as possible. Let’s turn this client into a repeat client, shall we?
The session is over, now what?
Now that the session is over, you can relax. Nice job! You just completed your first directed session. Wasn’t that fun?
After you take a breath, you have a few more steps to complete:
Save everything. Before you start chopping up audio files, save and backup the session. The last thing you want to happen is for your computer to crash, or your hard drive to fail, before you’ve had a chance to save your work in multiple places. No one wants to do the session all over again. This is less of an issue if your client has Source Connect, as they should already have a copy of your audio in their DAW. Still, its good to save your work just in case.
Process the audio minimally. Most of the time, directed sessions result in you sending a mostly unprocessed WAV file to the client. Just record in a high quality format, cut out any unnecessary bits, and de-breath (unless they say otherwise). Now, if they specify they want you to process the audio on your end (with your fx chain) then go ahead… but that’s atypical.
Send the audio. In your email to the client (or to the producer) provide a link to download the audio, as well as a thank you note. If this is direct work, you can also include the invoice for your services. If this is a job managed by a platform like Voquent or Voices, the platform manages the payment aspect and no invoice is necessary.
Follow up. It’s good practice to follow up if you don’t hear back from a client after delivery. Give them a couple days and check in. You want to make sure they are satisfied with your performance. You also want to make sure that, if it’s a direct client, they received the invoice and are able to view/pay it.
For more tips, feel free to check out my other blog posts, or join the Voices of Fiverr Facebook group. See you around!
- Trevor
