As you read this list you’ll think, “isn’t this common sense?” Well, I suppose for some of us it is. But for some, it’s not. That said, it’s still a good reminder of things we shouldn’t be doing.
5 Ways To Effectively Ruin Your Voice Over Career
1) Be Unresponsive: We live in an instant gratification society. Blame Twitter and Smartphones. But it is what it is. If you’re not responding to emails within a few hours, don’t bother responding at all. Odds are the client has already found someone else to do the job.
2) Be Rude: There’s no such thing as a stupid question. Only stupid answers. Do yourself a favour, don’t give stupid answers! If a client asks a question, just answer it. Maybe they’ve never booked a voice over before. Maybe they really don’t know how it works. What benefit comes from embarrassing them?
3) Be Difficult: Do you nickel and dime your clients? Do you give them a hard time when they ask for a retake or a correction? Do you act like a diva? Do you question their direction? Do you ignore their instructions? You’ve been hired as a contractor. Show a little respect for your employer.
4) Miss Deadlines: Want to really screw up the universe? Miss a deadline for voice over work. Now the producer is screwed, which means the client is screwed, which means everyone is screwed! If you commit to a deadline, respect it! Yes, if your mom dies there may be leniency. But your mom doesn’t die every day. Do what you agreed to do, when you agreed to do it!
5) Ignore Usage: Before you post that client’s name, that recorded audio or that finished project, let me ask you… do you have permission? Just because it’s your voice doesn’t mean you own it! The client paid you which means they own it! Sharing on your web site or social networks without expressed permission is a great way to get fired and ruin your reputation.
Common Sense or No Sense?
All five of these seem like common sense, don’t they? Well, for what it’s worth, all five of these are complaints I’ve received from clients based upon their experiences with other talent!
On one hand, I don’t want to mention it. As long as other talent keep behaving like this, it means more work and opportunity for me. On the other hand, it’s this sort of behaviour and business practice that makes all of us who do voice over for a living look bad.
…this sort of behaviour and business practice that makes all of us who do voice over for a living look bad.
QUESTION: Got any other tips you’d like to add? Comment below.
