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The Voice-Over Roadmap

VO Pro Tip: How to Handle Mid-Project Changes

Published about 12 hours ago • 1 min read

How to Handle Mid-Project Changes

Hey Reader,

One of the quickest ways to erode your profit margin as a voice actor is the casual scope creep on re-reads.

You finish a project, deliver the files, and a few hours later an email lands in your inbox: "Hey, the client loved it, but they decided to rewrite the middle paragraph and change a few things. Can you just punch those lines in real quick?"

Because you want to be accommodating, it's tempting to just jump back in the booth, knock it out in two minutes, and send it over for free.

The problem is that setting a precedent of unpaid revisions invites more of them. Pretty soon, a 15-minute job turns into three rounds of script edits with no extra compensation.

Protecting your time and your rates doesn't mean being difficult to work with. It just means having clear, transparent boundaries around what's included:

  1. Define your revision policy upfront. In your initial quote or rate sheet, explicitly state what is included—such as one round of minor pickup lines or tone adjustments due to client preference within 7 to 14 days of delivery.
  2. Charge for client-side rewrites. Make a gentle distinction between an error correction (which should always be free if you misread or mispronounced something) and a script rewrite (where the client changes the copy after the fact).
  3. Communicate the cost simply. When a rewrite comes in, a quick reply keeps things professional: "Happy to jump back in the booth and record those changes! Since this is a new script revision rather than a pickup, my standard minor update fee of [Amount] will apply. Let me know if that works for you and I'll get started."

Clients respect professionals who value their own time. Setting clear expectations early ensures you stay compensated for your work while keeping the relationship entirely collaborative. Also, if a client specifically says something like "let me know how much it would cost...." that's an easy invitation for you to charge a small revision fee and shows that they are expecting one.

-Michael

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The Voice-Over Roadmap

The Voice-Over Roadmap is an educational platform for Voice-Over Talent of all experience levels to start, grow, and sustain a profitable business as a professional VO Talent. It is the creation of Michael Langsner, Professional VO talent with over 12 years of experience voicing projects for brands like Adidas, Google, Dell, Levi's and many others.

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