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Today’s Quick Voiceover Tip: What should I do if I’m a voice actor and have a cold and I have to work?
As a voice actor, getting sick can be a major setback. Not only does it affect your ability to perform, but it also affects your livelihood. It’s important to know what you should do if you’re feeling under the weather and still need to work as a voice actor.
When sickness hits, the first thing you should do is double your water intake to keep your vocal chords hydrated as much as possible. You should also gargle with salt water every few hours and avoid dairy products, which can cause mucus buildup in the throat. Additionally, try to get plenty of rest and take over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen for any aches or pains.
It’s also important to have a good warm-up routine before recording sessions. This will help loosen up your vocal cords and make sure that they are ready for the task at hand. A good warm-up routine should include exercises such as lip trills, hums, and tongue twisters. Additionally, you should practice proper breathing techniques while recording so that your voice doesn’t become strained or tired during long sessions.
What If I Have A Voiceover Session, And I Am Congested?
When performing sick, it’s important to take it slowly and allow extra time due to your condition. Work with your vocal coach to get a good warm-up CD designed specifically for warming up when feeling under the weather. Additionally, make sure that you are in a comfortable environment with no distractions so that you can focus on delivering quality performances without straining yourself too much.
Many times I have found that I don’t sound as sick as I actually feel. I have often proceeded with a session (mostly remote sessions – in person sessions are more difficult to pull this off mainly because you just look sick ) and nobody knew.
Of course, if you are recording revisions it may be tough to match original audio and that could come back to bite you. If in doubt, reach out to the client and ask what they would prefer to do. Sometimes the client is in such a rush to get a project finished they don’t care. It really is a judgment call.
If you’re feeling really ill (or just really sound OBVIOUSLY BAD) and don’t think that you’ll be able to record at all, there are some things that you can do in order to keep goodwill with a client.
First of all, contact clients ahead of time and let them know about your situation so that they can plan accordingly. Additionally, consider hiring an experienced voice actor who can cover for you while you recover from illness – this way, clients won’t have their projects delayed due to illness!
Prevention Goes A Long Way
Finally, remember that prevention is key when it comes to avoiding illness as a voice actor! Make sure that you’re eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep each night in order to keep yourself healthy and ready for work each day. Additionally, practice good hygiene habits such as washing hands regularly and avoiding contact with people who may be ill in order to reduce the risk of catching something yourself!
Overall, getting sick is never ideal – especially when it comes to being a voice actor! But by following these tips and taking proper precautions ahead of time (such as having a backup plan), and having good lines of communication with the client, hopefully you’ll be able to stay healthy enough so that sickness doesn’t interfere with your work too much!
M. Bruce Abbott is the Creative Director/Partner at Radio Lounge. Bruce has over 30 years experience as a voice actor, casting and production director, as well as extensive advertising, marketing, and podcasting experience.
