Brutish Sailor Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I'll speak the truth on this. I have always feared getting voice overs till I got my first one through broadcasting world... WHY? Because I would individually scope the internet for websites that had voice over artist. Keep in mind this is when I JUST first switched over to Loudcity and had maybe ... 400 ATH that week. I called my first voice over artist on the carefully looked over list I had. I wrote shortbus first and got no response. then I called "someone" and got a quote after telling them I was a small time shoutcast broadcaster. they quoted me $200 for a 30 second dry spot. I said "wait a minute, Im not pro media, just a guy trying to make a fun hobby for myself that others can enjoy!" They came down to 150, asking me if I would like to hire other media voice actors in my production. My point to this.... TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND listings right now in the shoutcast YP. Thats just at this moment. If VO's would push that they cut deals for starting up shoutcasters, this might be a lot easier for us. Theirs a big market of guys trying to make successful stations. We want that VO prestige. But its hard... and scary when the first independent guy you contact charges a little under the same amount you would pay to keep your whole server running. I'm not a smart guy, Im not a guy that knows how to keep is mouth shut at times, but I'm that guy that always is willing to share his personal experiences. have a deal on websites for JLP/ under 5000 ATH/ new shoutcasters (and thats the keyword I googled with VO) and they will come (if they haven't been scared away first.) Maybe in your VO samples drop a "we work with pricing for starting shoutcasters" in there. IM ALSO NOT saying your quality isnt there, and that your services deserve a lot more, its just for a lot of the hobby broadcasters, this is exactly that. No profit and trying to save on many corners as possible. The ad market sucks even for the NAB (by their reports) at the moment. So imagine if you dont do this for a living. I figured I would just share this. KNSJ.org / 89.1 FM San Diego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Equilizer Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Great thoughts and a great story. $200 for a dry 30 second spot is outrageous for an internet station. I would've charged you more like $10-$15 for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brutish Sailor Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 LOL all I had told him/her was I am a new hobby shoutcaster trying to figure out how the whole VO thing works and how much. He/she said this was the lowest they could go. KNSJ.org / 89.1 FM San Diego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Equilizer Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 $20 for a produced spot.... Now just if I could get into contact with these starting stations......lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlwelden Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 If they are union VO artists (AFTRA for example) the minimum for a 30 second spot used to be $250...and that was a few years ago. Personally, I'm non-union and have done anything from a 30 second movie trailer for $200 to fifteen minutes of on-hold menu recordings for free. Just my choice. Everyone has a different degree of flexibility. But for beginner/hobbyist/internet purposes, it's nice that there is Broadcasting World where the small time production community can help each other out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxovoices Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 $200 for 30 seconds? Hahahaha. If it were only that simple. I've never been paid anymore than $15 for a 30 sec spot. That's just highway robbery. I think that a few VO artists like to think that because they have a mic and the ability to read a script, they can charge like Don. The thing is, not many are Don, or will ever be like Don. For any aspiring VO artists out there... always help out the little guy trying to get a break. Remember, that's where you started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBVoice Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 WOW! Thats alot for a dry voice over. Thats why I'm not with a union, I think its better that way....as long as you are good with marketing yourself. The unique thing that I offer and I am going to be more clear with it on my site. The prices you see are prices for NEW customers. For repeat customers, I offer a significantly lower price, just to show my appreciation for their business. But yea, people with unions tend to get the jobs with commercial stations and high budget work but us non union workers get alot of hobbyists and low-mid budget spots! -JB Jon Bova "Successful people have libraries. The rest have big screen TVs. - Jim Rohn" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arfa B Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I just did about 20 reads (dry) and 5 vocoder jobs for a guy for FREE! And, I just refused a couple of different jobs that ranged from £10-80 (roughly 6 reads each- dry!).... I'll let you guys go figure why? I'll give a clue... there are GOOD people and BAD people out there!!!! Man, I have been around a looooong time and can read them like a book now! If I have helped you with a Freebie- please be kind enough to add a link from your own site or blog to mine- thanks! http://arthurburton.net Thank You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlwelden Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 $200 for 30 seconds? Hahahaha. If it were only that simple. I've never been paid anymore than $15 for a 30 sec spot. That's just highway robbery. I think that a few VO artists like to think that because they have a mic and the ability to read a script, they can charge like Don. The thing is, not many are Don, or will ever be like Don. For any aspiring VO artists out there... always help out the little guy trying to get a break. Remember, that's where you started. Exactly Box. I have never carried around a rate card. I ask "what's your budget?" then do all I can to make it happen. Earlier this week I did a free spot for a local college, then on Thursday I was offered $150 to narrate for ten minutes live. Both jobs made me happy, because, I REALLY LOVE DOING THIS. Plus, doing a free gig has often led to paid gigs, so it's usually win-win for me. Gigs like the "highway robbery" one set their own budget. The L.A. based producer on that trailer came up with that figure: "It's a small spot and we can only offer you $200 if that's okay..." I simply accepted (incidently, that's a drop in the bucket compared to what Don charged). Not to rock the boat, but on the other side of the coin, when you've been volunteering your professional services for the better part of a decade, you gain the experience, expertise and credentials to warrant compensation at some point. You are running a small business by then. After a while, at $15 for 30 seconds means the talent is getting robbed. A client isn't paying for those 30 seconds, they are paying for all the time it took you to be able deliver a perfect cut on demand. Just like the plumber charging $70 for a five minute repair. He's not charging you $70 for five minutes, he's charging for his professionalism, quality and the time you won't have to spend trying to learn that skill for yourself while the water laps at your ankles. All that said, the nice thing about doing lots of free VO work is a fast way to build a portfolio. It's a perfect way to keep getting fresh and diverse material for a demo without the investment of time money and resources associated with booking a studio for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjkoning Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 The main difference, is Short Bus is one of the top radio producion companies out their, and if you ever listen to their demos or got one of their CDs in the mail, there is a reason the charge $200 for 30 seconds. If I remember right, their production is the foundation for many top 50 market stations. If I ever ran a massively profitable station, Short Bus Radio would be my first choice. I also agree there is a VO market for hobby stations and small internet stations. I imagine it would be easier for a VO artist to offer services to that market if the record/produce VOs as a second job though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brutish Sailor Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 Yeah, shortbus is all right. I never, to this day, have EVER gotten a response from them after writing them. I must have dropped them three or four lines. KNSJ.org / 89.1 FM San Diego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBVoice Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Now thats poor customer service. I have all my emails set to send me a TEXT message alert, then I log onto the nearest computer and reply. Once I got a gig just because it took me literally less than a minute to reply....lol Jon Bova "Successful people have libraries. The rest have big screen TVs. - Jim Rohn" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voxjunction Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I have always carried a rate card on my site for a good reason. There's nothing worse than going into a store where nothing has a price tag and having the embarrassment of asking the price of something and realising that it's too much. The rates I quote are for internet broadcasters, podcasters and RSL/LPFM clients and I always try and do something extra for the good guys that contact me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 That is so true, i agree on that 100% Voxjunction! Studiio - All-In-One Radio Communication Platform SMS | Phone Calls | Social Media | Content Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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