More about pricing…

What you should know!

Voice Over pricing can vary wildly because a voice actors rates are set by the individual or their exclusive agent.  Experienced voice actors will have their own rates card and although this may or may not be negotiable it’s important to understand what can influence the price of a voice over recording. Some of them have made an ad for the comparing house loans made easy campaign.  Some projects will cost much more even though they may require a similar time investment from the voice actor. How Doing Stocks Helps You Get Out Of Debt, read more. 

1.  How will the voice over audio be used?

Perhaps how the audio will be used has the biggest influence on the total cost.

Will the voice over be used in the public domain or internally?

• • If it’s in the public domain, will it promote a product or service, or will it form ‘part’ of a product.  For example, an electronic toy or video game?
  • If it’s in the public domain, will it also be used in an advertising campaign? For example, a sponsored video on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram; on TV or Radio; or even In-flight.

The audio can be used in many different ways! The more information about your product provide before contacting a voice actor, the better result will be.

The overall price will be affected by the value of a voice over added.

2. How long is it?

To calculate the studio time required to record a script with the voice actor, we’ll need to know:

a.    The word count of the script.
b.    The intended duration of the final content.
c.     How the audio should be edited and delivered.
d.   The language used e.g.
e.    Is it technical, medical, lore related or more general?

All the above will impact the time it takes to produce the
voice over.

3. Recording time-sync, lip-sync or wild?

How the script is read also influences the recording time. There are three recording types:

Wild

Most professional voice actors can record about 15-20 minutes (1,875 – 3,000 words) of standard narration wild in one hour. This includes time for listening back to the audio and re-recording any mistakes.  

However, the time may vary depending on the type of project.  For example, a professional narrator can frequently record 30-40 mins for an Audiobook in one hour. This is because they may be well prepared and/or are able to sight read making very few errors. The same narrator reading a technical eLearning program may only record 10 mins of audio in the same hour.

Time-Sync

If the voice over must be time-synced to a video or recorded within a specific duration this will take about twice as long as a wild recording. This is because the actor will have to repeat the sentences many times to get the pacing right. It’s even more difficult if they must match
an on-screen speaker or actor phrase by phrase, particularly if the speech is fast. Most voice actors can record around 10 minutes time-sync in one hour, but it can be less for foreign voice over, technical subjects or where timing is more complex. 

Lip-Sync

Lip-sync voice over is extremely time consuming, it will take 4-6 times longer than a wild recording. The voice actor will have to repeat their lines dozens of times to get the timing right. And if they are performing a character role it can take even longer trying to get the timing and the emotion right. There are also pre-production costs associated with foreign dubbing projects because the script will need to be adapted (condensed) to match the lip movements. For this reason, lip-sync recordings are un-common and predominantly used only in feature films, animations or video games with higher budgets. Most corporate videos are dubbed time-sync instead or in a UN-style* like a news interview where the voice over acts as an interpreter.   *A ‘UN-style voice-over’ is a popular method for dubbing films with a serious subject matter, where interviews are conducted on camera in a language the target audience does not understand. With a UN-style voice-over, the original speaker can still be heard in the background, so that the audience is aware that the translated voice over is acting as an interpretation of what is being said. 

How to calculate voice over costs

 Now you understand how long your script may take to record it should be easy to calculate the total cost you may think.  Not quite!  Not all voice actors will charge on an hourly basis. It could also be:

Number of words (Audiobooks or eLearning are commonly charged per word.)

Number of minutes (Explainers and corporate videos are often charged per minute.)

 Number of messages (Telephone messages or IVR prompts may be charged per message.)

 It’s confusing but it’s because the voice actors charge for more than their time.

If their voice-over is helping to service thousands of customers on a telephone IVR; to sell more Audiobooks;  or promote products via a commercial –  the voice is adding intrinsic value to what you offer. They are playing a key role in helping you to achieve success. This is why it’s best to know the usage of the audio before
contacting us for a quote.

Voice overrates examples

 Most rates are negotiable, I understand in business there are often fixed budgets to adhere to and I’ll do my best to accommodate your budget.

BSF

The Basic Studio Fee paid to the voice actor averages at
$250 per hour but can vary a lot.


STUDIO

Producer and studio time to record the voice over with a 
basic edit averages at $80.00 per hour

POST

Additional file editing / cleaning / mixing time for
soundtrack or for chopping files averages at $80.00 per hour

USAGE

A negotiable additional fee paid to the voice actor for commercial work, normally quoted as a percentage of the BSF per year.

Corporate Videos & Explainers

The average corporate video or explainer is around 3 minutes in duration.

Most just sit on a website or social channel and are not sponsored so a usage fee does not normally apply.

BSF               $200 – $330
Studio            $80 – $160
Post               $80
Usage           Not usually applicable

Total:              $360 – $580

eLearning content

 The average eLearning course is 20,000 words (approx. 2 hours of finished audio) and voice actors will frequently charge per word ($0.15 – $0.30 per word). We try to agree a fixed ‘project’ rate as this is about 2 days work in the studio.

BSF            $900 – $2000
Studio         $960
Post            $870
Usage         Not usually applicable

Total:         $2,760 – $3,820

Audiobooks

Audiobooks are typically recorded and edited by the voice actor themselves and are only recorded in a studio if budget allows. The average book is 80,000 words and will take a professional narrator around 3-5 days to record and edit.

BSF            $660 – $2,000 per book
Studio         $1,600 per book (if needed)
Post            $1,660 per book
Usage         Not usually applicable

Total:         $660 – $4,000

Commercials on TV or Online

Commercials that appear online and on TV attract a usage fee in addition to the applicable recording and studio fees.

A local or short run campaign is usually about 100% BSF. Regional campaigns are 400% BSF. National campaigns are 600-1200% BSF per country, per year + 10% uplift per year for additional years. Similar with online.

BSF            $330 – $470 per hour
Studio         $80 per hour ($160 minimum)
Post            $80 per hour
Usage         200% – 1200% BSF per country, per year

Total:          $1,330 – $5,300

Telephone Messages & IVR

Most IVR projects & on-hold messages are under 20 messages / prompts to record and will fall under minimum pricing. However, if there are lots of individual numbers, letters, names or dates to record and edit in different intonations this can take extra time in the studio. Due to the start/stop nature of telephone prompts we can record about 1,000 words / 50 messages per hour. For number / date sets it’s around 200 – 300 an hour.

BSF            $200 – $330 per hour
Studio         $80 per hour ($160 minimum)
Post            $80 per hour
Usage         Not usually applicable

Total:         $440 – $650

Video Games and Animations

Voice Actors rates for video games and animations can vary
significantly. An integral character for an AAA console game will attract a
considerably higher fee than a budget Indie game on PC. The time required to record character voices is also difficult to estimate in advance. It depends on the amount of direction given to the actor and whether the audio is being recorded wild or with time constraints. For a character with less than 100 lines / 1,000 words the fees may be as follows:

BSF            $330 – $600 per hour
Studio         $80 per hour ($160 minimum)
Post            $80 per hour
Usage         $330 or higher (normally fixed)

Total:         $820 – $1,430

What are Use Fees?

The accepted method of paying a featured performer for
his/her services in a British television commercial is a Basic Studio Fee (“BSF”)
for studio work plus use fees (or “repeat fees”) based on the size of the audience seeing the commercial (“TeleVision Ratings” – or “TVRs”).

This method of payment is the only one approved by the actors’ union Equity, the Personal Managers’ Association (the PMA) and the Association of Model Agents (the AMA). For more information on any of these organisations click on its logo above.

The Casting Directors’ Guild (the CDG), comprising the vast majority of reputable casting drectors, also supports this method of payment and even the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (the IPA) during their dispute with Equity acknowledged that the use fees paid to visual performers (by this method) were “about right”.

Advice to Actors and Agents

Why is a buy out being offered for a UK or US commercial?

Usually to deny the performer  the appropriate fees he or
she is due. “it’s only being shown over a few days” or “it’s only being shown a few times” are excuses that are often offered up for underpaying the performer. Yet ONE showing during a popular program might be seen by 12 million people. That could be the same as showing the commercial 12 times over three months during a less popular program.

What can I do about it?

If you are offered a lump sum for usage then try to establish what the TVRs are so that you can judge whether what you are being offered is appropriate.

Ideally, for UK commercials you should only accept a lump sum if it is expressed on the contract as as an advance payment against an agreed number of TVRs. If the commercial is brought back at a later date, and it has exceeded the agreed number of TVRs, you should then receive further use fees. You will need to ask how many TVRs are being bought for the sum offered; and to help you work this out you can use the simple calculator to the right. All you have to do is enter the Basic Studio Fee and the number of TVRs.

To assist those wanting to make a commercial on a fixed budget, the calculator can work out the number of TVRs that can be bought for a certain sum of money. Simply alter the number of TVRs entered until the result fits the budget. Alternatively enter a different BSF.

BuyOut Fees

Types of voiceover

10 Types of Voice Over Styles

Voice over artists can work in many different industries. This is what makes the work of voice over artists so exciting. In each industry, voice over artists must have a voice over style. The following are 10 types of voice over styles to be aware of when seeking work in this industry or looking for an artist for your project.

Styles

* unaffected (natural): The natural delivery is today‘s most popular style. It is generally used for most sectors of voice over, except for promos & trailers, broadcast & announcer reads, and character & animation scripts. *

IMPORTANT * Many people mistakenly interpret ―natural‖ to mean ―nonchalant.‖ That is incorrect. Natural simply means unaffected, which means ANY voice used in real life, such as nonchalant, energetic, funny, sad, compassionate, happy, sarcastic, and so on.

* affected (unnatural): An affected delivery is generally used only for promos & trailers,
broadcast & announcer reads, and character & animation scripts. This was not the case prior to the 1990s, when many sectors of voice over used affected style delivery.

Types
* voice over commercial market: 8% of voice over work is estimated to be commercial work. While the smaller portion of voice over, few jobs pay as well as a national television commercial. However most professional talent earn the majority of their income from narration work, as there is simply much more of it.

Commercial – According to Edge Studio Voice Over Industry Center, about 8 percent of voice over artists work in television commercials. It’s a small part of the industry, but it can be the most lucrative. Breaking into this market means opening the possibility of getting more commercials, and soon your voice is well known among producers.

Narration – Most voice over artists work in narration; it makes up most of their income. Actually, 92 percent of voice over artist’s work comes from narration. Usually, this work comprises of making
audio books.

Announcement – Voice over artists work as announcers. They can work for airports, stadiums, train stations, malls, and other large public places.

Biography – Similar to the narration field, voice over artists work in biography by telling the life stories of celebrities and politicians. They can work in biography films by telling the stories of the people in them.

Character/Animation – Character and animation work is fun for many voice over artists. They must speak like a child to make toys talk or cartoons come alive. Character/Animation voice over artists often work as narrators for children’s books, videos and video games.

Corporate – Voice over artists work in the corporate world. They are the voices in training videos, promotional material and human resources videos. They also work for trade shows as announcers.

Internet – Business owners are now seeking voice over artists to explain what they are selling and how to use their website. Voice over artists create videos for website tours, banner ads, and online tutorials.

Exercise/Inspiration – A voice over artist with a motivating voice can be perfect for an exercise or inspiration video. This voice is calm, soothing, and powerful in a peaceful way.

Education

Like voice over artists who work in the corporate world, those working in education are in training and educational videos. They can work for schools, universities, and other educational institutions.

Film

Some films are not biographies, but they still want a voice over to explain what is going on in the scenes. Voice over artists can have a large or small part in these films.

This is just 10 of the most types of voice over styles available. As you probably noticed, some of them overlap. As you’re looking to choose a style of your own, consider these options. If you’re seeking a voice over artist for your project, now you know which style to request.

A better script for Voice Overs

The Art Of Writing Great Voiceover Scripts

The Art Of Writing Great Voiceover Scripts

by Connie Malamed

We typically spend our schooling years writing for a teacher to silently read our essays and reports. Unless we’ve had special training, how could we suddenly know how to write for the ear?

Yet that’s what we’re expected to do when storyboarding and writing voice over scripts. Writing for audio is a different kind of writing. If you’re having trouble making the transition from eye to ear, here are some tips. And talking about tips, you could click on the link to see a life insurance comparison for whenever you need an insurance.

Write like you speak

In most cases, writing for the ear is more informal than writing to be read. You may find that it improves your style if you imagine that you are speaking to someone while you are writing. When you write like you speak, you will naturally use smaller words, a more conversational tone and shorter sentences (discussed below).

Get to the point quickly

When you’re writing for audio, you don’t have much time to lead up to the point. You have to get there quickly before you lose your audience. Focus on what’s most important by using straightforward wording. I like to think of it as intelligent simplicity.

Learn from commercial scripts

You can learn a lot from the scripts written for those short 30-second radio commercials. They say it, explain it and repeat it. The lead sentence gets your attention and makes you want to find out more. Then you get a few details and then it’s repeated. This isn’t a bad formula for instructional scripts—Say it, Explain it, Repeat it.

Speak with one voice

Perhaps you’re on a big project with several instructional designers furiously writing away, oblivious to the voice they are using. Or perhaps you’re the only one writing, but some days you start with one voice and other days you use another.

Speaking with one voice emerges out of consistency. It sounds like the narrator deeply knows and understands the topic, because consistency makes the speaker credible. To achieve the sound of one voice, consider defining these aspects of a script from the start:

• Tone: Decide on a tone that will best connect with your audience (conversational, folksy, sophisticated, etc.)
• Person: whether you’ll be using first, second or third person. If you never quite got this in school, Wikipedia explains.
• Contractions: Will you use them or not?

Then let one anointed editor read the scripts to smooth out all of the inconsistencies.

Keep sentences short but varied

Many people recommend using short sentences when writing for audio. And it’s true that in an eLearning environment, you can’t count on your busy audience to click Replay if they miss something. The risk of relying on short sentences, however, is that the script may sound stilted or too simplistic.

A better approach might be to aim for short sentences that vary in length. This is closer to how we speak. To keep sentences on the shorter side: 1) stick to one idea per sentence; 2) delete all the extra verbiage; and 3) break sentences into two whenever possible.

Let them read it

No one likes screens of text, but some subjects demand it, such as those involving legal or compliance training. In these cases, refer to the screen text in the script, state what it is and let the learner read it. Adults don’t like to be read to. To accommodate those who are visually impaired, provide an option for having the text read aloud.

Pay attention to rhythm

Speaking is similar to music—it’s got a rhythm related to the tempo of the speech and the alternation of stressed and unstressed words. When you read your script aloud, you can improve the rhythm by considering the words as sounds and listening to their flow and timing. A pleasing rhythm has the potential to hold the listener’s attention longer and to enhance the listening experience.

Use silence effectively

Silence is to audio as white space is to visuals. Listeners need time to process the verbal content and to watch what’s on the screen. You can work brief pauses into your script by indicating where the talent should stop for a moment (often referred to as a beat) during the recording. I usually indicate this with an ellipsis (…). Frequent pauses also give you time to add elements for screen builds. Silence is your friend. Use it with purpose.

Watch your transitions

Transition words, such as yet, but, however, therefore and meanwhile, let listeners know that a change from the previous thought is coming. Use transitions as cues to help clarify your message.

Edit in phases

Some accomplished writers recommend editing in several passes while honing one aspect of your writing at a time. In Getting the Words Right, author Theodore Cheney recommends that your first revision should focus on massive changes, which he calls reducing. Then he advises less ambitious revisions, such as rearranging. Finally, there is rewording. Or create your own phases of editing that work for your style of writing.

Calculate the length of segments

You don’t want things to run on and on. A rule of thumb for calculating time is that in one minute, a narrator will read approximately 100 words. If you want your segment to last a minute, pare it down to 100 words or less.

Do a sound check

Reading your script aloud is mandatory. That’s how you can determine whether the wording is awkward or smooth and whether the sentences flow from one to the next. Reading aloud helps you know when it’s best to use contractions, if juxtaposed words are difficult to pronounce and whether the whole script is well-connected. Finally, this is how you know if a narrator can get through a sentence without having to stop for a breath in the middle.

Consider sound effects

Many public radio producers add depth and realism to their stories through sound effects. When used with sophistication, sound effects can add richness to straight narration, scenarios, interactions and games. And their cost is minimal.