First, let me reassure you: in the vast majority of cases, you do not need to direct your voice-over session remotely.
Having my own home studio makes the process easier, and I’m used to working on my own, following the client’s instructions.
You send me your script, explain what the project is about and what you need, and I record on my end. You do not need to set aside time to direct me during the session.
In some cases, however, a remotely directed session can be particularly useful, especially for a TV or radio commercial where you want to refine the performance live.
You then listen to the takes, explain what you are looking for, and I adjust my performance. At Studio Yves Amyot, live sessions are available on request, through Zoom or another agreed solution, or by phone. Here is how it can work.
When is a directed session useful?
It can be particularly useful when the intention needs to be very precise. In a commercial, for example, the same sentence can convey a sense of connection, confidence, enthusiasm or restraint. The words stay the same. What your listener receives changes.
By listening to the attempts as they are recorded, your director or team can clarify the direction immediately. This helps avoid continuing through the whole script with an intention that does not match what you had in mind.
A live session can also help when a passage needs to accompany a particular moment in your video. Provided, of course, that you send the visuals and timing requirements before the session.
On the other hand, if the script and tone are clear, you do not necessarily need to set aside time to attend the recording. Working asynchronously is a perfectly valid option: you send your instructions, I record on my end, and you listen to the delivered files.
You do not need to know how to “direct an actor”
Your role is mainly to help me understand what your message needs to communicate. You know your company, your audience and the context in which the voice will be heard. That knowledge is useful.
You can use ordinary words. “Here, we want to reassure someone who is hesitating.” Or, “This information is new to our customer. Let’s give them time to understand it.”
Take this fictional sentence: “You can now track your request online.”
If you only say “more dynamic,” that could mean several things. Do you want a faster reading? More of a smile in the voice? A particular word emphasized?
An instruction such as “We’re giving good news to a customer who has been waiting for this feature; I’d like to hear that sense of relief” gives a more precise direction. We can try that intention, listen to it and adjust it together.
The benefit is concrete: the correction focuses on what you want to communicate, rather than multiplying attempts without knowing what is missing.
How does a remote recording session work?
With my home studio, organizing the session is simpler: you don’t need to book a commercial studio or hire a sound engineer for the session. You work directly with me, since I handle both the performance and the recording.
The arrangements are simply clarified before booking the session: connection, participants, script, timing requirements and files to deliver. For the documents to send, you can read my article on preparing a voice-over recording.
At the start of the meeting, we check that everyone can hear clearly and that we are working from the same script version. A first passage then helps us agree on the direction.
During the takes, you listen and then give your instructions. We can repeat a sentence, try a variation or adjust an important word. You do not need to comment on every breath: the idea is to keep what works and clarify the passages that deserve a different intention.
Before wrapping up, it helps to identify the preferred takes and the alternatives to keep. If several people are attending, designate one person to bring the requests together. This avoids asking for a more measured delivery and then a faster one without the team having decided what it actually wants.
Do you need to record anything on your end?
No, absolutely not. I handle the recording in my home studio while you listen to the takes and give me your feedback. You do not need to record anything on your computer. Once the session is over, I prepare the files as agreed and send them to you.
If you are working with a production studio that wants a studio-to-studio connection, a Source-Connect link is also possible. Mention it in your initial request so we can agree on how it will work with your technical team.
What still needs to happen after the session?
Approving a performance live does not necessarily mean that every file is already edited, split and ready to use in your project. Preparation and delivery depend on what was agreed: one continuous file, several segments, alternative takes or a format requested by your editor.
Also clarify the delivery deadline and the terms for retakes. A script change after the session may require another recording. It is better to discuss this beforehand than to assume that every change will be included.
A directed session can therefore help you make certain decisions while listening and focus the adjustments more precisely. It does not replace an approved script or a clear decision within your team.
Would you like to attend your next recording?
Tell me about your project and mention that you would like a remotely directed session. Let me know who would like to attend and what you want to be able to approve live. We can discuss the arrangements and availability together.
And if you are still considering the tone, my voice-over demos can give us a starting point for that conversation.
I look forward to working with you!
Yves Amyot