VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

KarenL · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject: Rate Guidelines for Writing Copy

There are a number of useful resources to figure out how much to charge for various types of voice work, but I haven't really found anything useful for setting rates for writing copy for voice over projects. Should one charge different rates for different types? As in voice over, what about rates for commercial copy for different sized markets? Radio/TV/Internet only...Industrial/corporate writing...etc...
Your thoughts, experience and guidance (or 2 cents) is appreciated...
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Bruce · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:15 am Post subject:

Welcome aboard Karen!

As a basic rule I look at the voice rate for radio and TV commercials in that market and use that as a starting point. Also, are they handing me all of the client information including already set branding information, or am I doing all the research, such as client interviews, and coming up with an original branding concept? Am I writing one commercial or 8? I charge the same for :60's and :30's because it takes about the same amount of work to say the same things in half the time.

For narration writing I go on an hourly basis and if they want an upfront bid I try to cover myself. How fast do you write? How much information is handed to you and how much research is involved? What do you want for your time, especially when for most of us this is part-time work? $100 an hour or $50 or $200?

I'm sorry this isn't more specific but every case is different. I hope it helps.

B
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KarenL · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:14 am Post subject:

Now that you've named a number of the challenges...

Yeah - it's all a little tricky. I've voiced really crummy :60 commercial copy written by someone at an agency that charged the client $1200! Is that the norm? I need to figure out how they managed that - I'm a good writer, pretty fast, and would be very happy to write spots all day long for that kind of dough! Shoot - I'd write CRAPPY spots for 1/2 that! Laugh

well, no, not really - I have this strange need to not write crap. (can I say crap here?)
Shocked

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Lizden · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:19 pm Post subject:

WHAT???
You take pride in your work?
That's IT...no way...you're OUTTA here!!!! Ninja

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KarenL · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject:

I know, I know - no matter how hard they try to beat it out of me...I keep trying my best. It's a curse...
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ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:45 pm Post subject:

As long as you don't agonize too much if things don't turn out the way you want. We perfectionists tend to beat ourselves up if we don't live up to our own very high expectations.
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