Standard (non-broadcast) Narration:
0 - 5 Minutes finished audio = $325.00
After the first 5 minutes:
$30.00 per min. up to 40 min
$25 per minute 40 - 60 min
$20 per min. 60 and over.
The 5 minute minimum includes:
A) The buy-out (ownership) of the audio.
B) Studio time to record and edit the audio, using professional gear and software. My studio time is $150.00 an hour, minimum 1 hour.
C) Studio costs to deliver the audio, be it ISDN, FTP or Internet/Bandwidth.
D) Accounting and Administration (I have a staff to handle this, where most other talent do not).
E) Minor revisions (up to 1 minute or 160 words, within 30 days of delivery).
Let's compare, shall we?
My studio is state of the art - very professional. It's sound is as good or better than some of the finest recording studios in the Toronto area. I have well over 25 years experience at both voiceovers and recording. You can direct via phone patch, ISDN, Source Connect or AudioTX. I have a staff who actually answer the phone. Clients are normally extended 30 days net payment terms, with the exception of first-time clients.
Next, let's compare my price to a wannabe hack on Voice123.
They woke up in the morning and decided they wanted to be a voice talent, so they paid Voice123 $300.00 and got all the validation they needed to get their "career" underway.
They have no experience whatsoever.
Their "studio" is located in their closet at home, because someone is always flushing the toilet. Because they have so much noise, they use a dynamic mic like and RE20 or RE27, because that's what the engineer at the radio station they worked at told them to use. They know little about recording, editing or mastering audio nor have the correct software or gear to do so.
As for service, they almost always have a "day job" and can't work on your stuff until they get home after 5pm. They don't know what FTP is, but they can attach something to an e-mail; good luck getting the file. They don't have a phone patch, ISDN, Source Connect or AudioTX. They'll demand you pay up-front for your audio via PayPal.
For this service, the wannabe hack will charge either:
A) $25 a page...or,
B) $2500.00.
I'm not kidding. I post jobs on Voice123 at least 3 times a year, asking for rates and auditions. The rates are all over the place and almost all the audio and talent is garbage; lousy reads, tons of Old Radio Guys (ORGs), crappy mics, tons of compression or both.
I had one response from a so-called "professional", quoting on 15 minutes of finished audio, who told me:
"By now you have learned that the rate for this job is about $2500.00. I'm willing to work for half that, because I have my own studio...."
This guy didn't even submit a custom audition and he had a terrible demo. Yeah....hiring voice talent on Voice123 or Voices.com is a very slippery slope. It's a lot like on-line dating or a box of chocolates:
"Yah never know what yer gonna git..."
I charge what I feel is a fair rate for a quality product and excellent service. Professional studios with much higher overhead will charge upwards of $250.00 an hour studio time, long before you've even hired the voice talent. Taking that into consideration, my rate is very good considering that the recording and talent is included in the one price......and, the client doesn't even have to leave their chair at the office.
I hope this gives you a better idea on what to charge as or what to pay for "professional" voice talent with their own home studio. Click the button below to fill out my quote form (simple and easy) and I'll get back to you right away.
Thanks for reading!
