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Answers to some frequently asked questions, click on the arrow to reveal the answer.
If your question isn’t below, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Of course, fill out the sample demo request form with a section of your script with some direction to see if I’m right for your project.
-A basic studio fee/session fee (BSF) is a standard fee that is charged for voiceover work per hour, it covers the voiceover artist’s time, preparing and recording the script and the use of their studio. An average BSF is £250.
-Voiceover artists can record approximately 1500-1700 words per hour. A good rule of thumb is approximately 15 minutes of audio for one hour recording. When working out a quote, they will look at how many words are in your script and then charge you accordingly.
-A BSF is usually charged for explainer videos, commercials and corporate narration. E-learning is charged by the word/minute (I charge by the word, so you get more for your money if it’s a slower read).
-Minimum fees may apply for certain projects to make small jobs worthwhile. My minimum fee for e-learning is £150 and £100 for IVR work.
-Usage (see question below) will then apply for any audio that isn’t being used internally.
-A BSF is charged even if the job takes less than an hour. The same as you would pay a plumber to come to your house for an hour, even if the job only takes them 10 minutes.
-The two industry rate guides will give you an idea of standard voiceover rates for different types of projects:
Gravy for the Brain Rate Guide
Global Voice Academy Rate Guide
-All rates are negotiable, just ask.
-A voiceover artist will license you to use the audio they have recorded, for a certain period of time and will charge you a usage fee (on top of the basic studio fee) to cover this.
-The fee will vary depending on the project. Usage fees apply to audio that will be used in the public domain, on websites, YouTube, paid advertising etc. Things like e-learning and IVR which are used internally, will not have usage fees.
-The usage fee is worked out as a percentage of the basic studio fee. This percentage is based on several things: how long you want to run the project for, where it is being played (websites/social media/pre-roll etc, as well as geographically), what the reach of the project is and the size of the end client.
-A great video from ‘Gravy for the Brain’ that explains licensing and usage for hirers can be found here:
Great, if you have the music you want for the project, send it over with any notes about certain timings or sections you want used. An additional fee will apply for this. There are loads of online royalty free music sites you can get appropriate tracks from.
Great, let’s discuss your budget and see if we can come to an agreement that works for both of us.
I accept payment via PayPal, Wise and BACS.
-What kind of project are you working on? Explainer/e-learning/commercial/ telephone on-hold, etc.
-I will need a copy of your script; I can then work out the word count from there. Although providing the word count as well as the script saves a bit of time.
-How long do you intend the recording to be?
-Where the audio is going to be used (online/internally/TV/Radio etc) as well as geographical locations.
-Will the audio be used in any paid advertising?
-What is the approximate size of the end company, start-up/small/medium/large?
-What is the estimated reach of the project? E.g: number of YouTube channel subscribers.
-How long is it going to be used for?
-Do you have a specific budget in mind?
-If the recording will be added to video, do you need it to hit certain timings (time sync) this may require an additional fee, or are you happy to let me record at my own pace (wild recording)?
-Your notes for direction. Pace, accent, tone and what you want your audience to think, feel and do when they hear the project.
-Who is your intended audience?
-If the audio is for a video project, do you have the video ready or a video in a similar style that I can look at? If not, please describe the vision for the video, will it be in cartoon form/live actors? Will it be light-hearted/serious etc?
-If you want a wild recording (I record at my own pace), does the recording need to fit in a certain time frame, e.g: 30/60 seconds?
-Will there be music added to the audio afterwards? If so, do you have a copy of the track I could listen to?
-Do you need me to add the music to the audio recording? (see question about adding music). If so, do you already have a copy of the track you want to use?
-What sample rate and bit depth do you want the audio recorded in?
-What format do you want the file delivered in? I can deliver in wav or mp3.
-When do you need the finalised recording by?
-Pronunciations of tricky words and names in the script. It is useful to know how you would like phone numbers said and grouped, for example ‘0’, as ‘zero’ or ‘o’
-How do you want the file delivered? WeTransfer, Dropbox, email etc.
If you think my voice might be a good fit for you but aren’t quite sure, fill out the sample demo request form and I’ll record a short excerpt of your script.