VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Darren Altman

I have been contacted by an agent who wants to add me to their roster of voice talents as they say that they are in a position to put lots of work my way, which is great.

After a chat yesterday, they said that for say a 150 word read, for an e-learning script or audio guide for example, they will pay between $55 - $75 and obviously the money goes up along with the word count.

He has just contacted me to read just a couple of lines (28 words) for a web based add for a big online casino - Littlewoods gaming, but the pay is only $60 (£36).

I know that this will take me 15 minutes to read, tidy up and compress for him, so it's not a great deal of work at all, but surely this is way too low for an ad for a huge gaming site? Am I wrong? Please do tell me if you think that this is fair for the amount of work and I will bow to your better judgment, but it seems that he is charging the company too low a fee for this and is only basing his fee on the word count.

Sorry to bore you all again, but I'd rather get you opinions before I email the guy and have a chat about his rates. Does this sound ok to you?

Thanks in advance!
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bobsouer · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:37 am Post subject:

Darren,

It may be awfully low, but it's very much in line with prices I've seen. May well not be worth your time. On the other hand, I have a client who pays small numbers for a small amount of work, but they call me several times a month with those small jobs. Adds up to quite a tidy sum by the end of the month.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:47 am Post subject:

Question 1: Is it possible to get more money for this gig?
Question 2: Is taking this job going to prevent you from doing other work?
Question3 : Will you feel ripped off if you do the work?

If the answer to all of these questions is no, then I'd take the gig.
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Mandy Nelson · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:57 am Post subject:

If they are indeed going to send you lots of work each month and they are indeed going to pay you, I say give it a go for a while. If it becomes more hassle than you can handle then you can leave. Like Bob, I have a couple of low paying clients but they give me so much work, and usually in volume, that the price works out very nicely.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:04 am Post subject:

Are they really an Agency as in a voice over agency or just a production company that would mark up (add a profit margin) to your work, like a vo retailer? Just curious. Now, back to the plot. Within reason, when someone offers you a job, take it. There are two rates in this business, the one you charge and the one the client pays, you will always get the latter so never waste time debating the former.

Darren Altman · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:17 am Post subject:

Thank you all for your feedback and comments. Phillip, these guys are a production company and offer lots of "professional audio solutions" such as video and music production, so they clearly take a mark-up.

I absolutely take everyone's points about doing lots of low paid work, which will hopefully build and turn into something worth my while and clearly, I didn't turn this one down as it took me no time at all to deliver. But I can't help thinking that if this came through from my VO agent, they would have charged them proper money. Littlewoods gaming clearly aren't short of a few quid! It just makes me wonder why the production company would charge them so low a price in the first place... oh wait... I get it... they need the work too... they take a nice cut and it costs them nothing to farm it out to me to do!!

Thanks all. Smile

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Philip Banks · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:39 am Post subject:

You catch on FAST!!!