How Does a Live Directed VoiceOver Session Work?
I absolutely love a live directed VoiceOver session. In fact, it’s probably my favourite way to work.
There’s something really exciting about being in a recording session with a client, director, creative team or sound engineer and working together to get the very best performance for a project.
A VoiceOver can, of course, be recorded independently and sent over to a client, and that works brilliantly for many projects. But a live directed VoiceOver session is different. It becomes a collaboration rather than simply a recording being delivered from one person to another.
And that collaboration can make a huge difference to the final result.
What is a live directed VoiceOver session?
Put simply, a live directed VoiceOver session is a remote recording session where the client, director or creative team can listen to me recording in real time and give direction and feedback as we go.
Rather than recording the entire script and then sending it away for feedback, we're able to work through the script together. You can tell me what you're looking for, I can interpret that direction and we can immediately adjust the performance.
It means we're all working towards the same goal - and we're doing it together.
A session can be as simple as a Zoom or Microsoft Teams call, or it can involve a sound engineer and professional remote recording platforms such as Source-Connect or SessionLinkPRO.
Why have a live directed VoiceOver session?
For me, one of the biggest advantages is the instant feedback.
Sometimes a client knows exactly what they want the VoiceOver to sound like, but it's difficult to describe that feeling in an email. Perhaps they want it warmer, more conversational, more authoritative, more understated or simply a little faster.
Being in a live session means you don't have to try to put all of that into words.
You can hear a take, give me some direction and we can immediately try something different.
That back-and-forth process often brings out something that neither of us would necessarily achieve working separately.
It also means any areas that need to be ironed out can be dealt with there and then. Rather than recording, sending, receiving feedback, making changes and sending again, we're able to keep moving until we're happy with the performance.
The result? A smoother process, fewer revisions and a finished VoiceOver much more quickly.
What happens during a live VoiceOver session?
Once we've connected via whichever platform we've chosen, we'll have a quick chat before we get started.
We'll talk about the project, what you're looking for and, most importantly, how you want the VoiceOver to feel.
I'll then usually do a couple of initial takes so we can get a feel for the direction we're heading in.
There's no need to have everything perfectly worked out before we begin. That's part of the beauty of a live session. But you can if that's best for you!
We'll listen, discuss what's working and what could be adjusted, and then I'll refine the performance based on your feedback.
Sometimes the changes are tiny. Sometimes we discover that a completely different approach works better.
Either way, we keep working together until we achieve the sound and performance you're looking for.
Usually a session is around 1 hour (or less depoending on thr script) for longer scripts we'll go past the hour. I think my longest session has been just over 3 hours.
What if there's music or video involved?
This is one of my favourite parts of working with a sound engineer.
When a sound engineer is involved in the session, they can often put my VoiceOver against the music and video in real time.
That means we're not just listening to a voice in isolation. We can hear how the performance sits alongside the visuals, music and overall pace of the project.
For commercials, brand films, corporate videos, animation and other productions where timing and tone are particularly important, this can be incredibly useful.
You get a much better sense of what the finished production is going to sound and feel like — before the session is even over.
Who can be involved in a live directed session?
It doesn't have to be just me and one client.
A live directed VoiceOver session can include whoever needs to be involved in the creative process — a director, producer, creative agency, marketing team, sound engineer or other members of the production team.
In fact, I really enjoy having creative teams involved.
It puts everyone in the same virtual room, allows ideas to be discussed as they happen and means decisions can be made quickly.
It can also be a lot of fun.
There's something very satisfying about hearing a project evolve in real time as everyone contributes their expertise.
I get a genuine buzz in a session from all this and LOVE it.
Do I get a recording after the session?
Yes.
I'm always recording my end of the session, so whether or not we have a sound engineer recording professionally, there will be a recording of the VoiceOver that can be sent across to you.
If a sound engineer is involved, they can of course handle the professional recording and delivery according to the requirements of the project.
The delivery will depend on what we've agreed: whether I am recording and sending RAW or editing, or the sound engineer is recording and editing for you.
Is a live directed session right for every VoiceOver project?
Not necessarily — and that's completely fine.
For some projects, you may already know exactly what you want and simply need a professional VoiceOver artist to record the script and send it across.
For others, particularly commercials, brand films, corporate videos, animations, e-learning, radio advertising and creative campaigns, having that live creative input can be hugely valuable.
It really comes down to the project and how you'd like to work.
I used to find live VoiceOver sessions nerve-wracking!
This might surprise you, but when I first started working in VoiceOver, live directed sessions absolutely terrified me.
There's something quite nerve-wracking about knowing that someone is listening to every word you're recording — particularly when you're still finding your feet as a VoiceOver artist.
But, as with most things, the more you do something, the more comfortable you become.
And now?
I love them.
I actually think they're one of the best ways to work.
I've learned that a live session is about listening, responding to direction, experimenting and working collaboratively to find the right performance.
That's what makes it so enjoyable.
Need a live directed VoiceOver session?
If you're looking for a professional VoiceOver artist for a live directed recording session, I'd love to hear about your project.
Whether you'd like to work together over Zoom or Teams, or you're looking for a professional remote recording session using Source-Connect or SessionLinkPRO, I'm very happy to discuss what would work best for your production.
And if you're not quite sure whether a live directed session is right for your project, just get in touch. We can work that out together.
What I've been working on this week
It's been a lovely mix of projects this week, including radio ads, in-store ads, a new creative agency getting in touch about a very exciting brand film video, and a few pick-ups along the way for script changes and additional platforms for usage.
It's always interesting seeing what comes through to the studio — no two weeks in VoiceOver are ever quite the same!
I've also got the VOX Awards 2026 this weekend where I was nominated for Best Human Performance on E-Learning/Medical Narration. Excited to meet with other VOs and of course find out the winners of the categories!
If you've got a project you'd like to discuss, get in touch and let's talk about how we can bring it to life!