VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Ulf Bjorklund]

OK, this is a first for me. This company would like background music as well (IVR, so I'm guessing non-music muzak). I'm a musician...of sorts, so this is totally cool.

So...rates? (sorry if this topic has been brought up lots before; did a quick search and couldn't see anything obvious. If you have a link I would be totally happy just to check out a previous talk on this).

You who do music as well, you set rates only by length or style and complexity as well?

Thanks!

-Ulf
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Ulf Bjorklund
www.ulfvo.com

Find out who you are and be that.

[Bob Bergen]

This is a dangerous trend!!! It's not new, either! I'm hearing more and more of non union buyers asking voice actors to add music.

Unless you are hired to do so, we are not producers! My advice is to keep your vo career separate.

Many won't take this advice for fear of risking they'd losing the gig. If you don't take the risk you will continue eroding vo.

Just one pig's opinion.

[Ulf Bjorklund]

Thanks Bob. This is why several heads are better than one... You got me thinking how this is a multi-pronged death trap...mine field (oh, how I love to mix me metaphors).

First - yes, a trend where more is expected for less and that brings down quality. 2nd - totally different disciplines. I may know the basics for VO work and make music for my own enjoyment, but I really have no clue about mixing music, mastering etc. 3rd - I'm participating in putting at least sound technicians out of work.

Hmmm, I think the answer will be a polite, no.

Thanks again.
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Ulf Bjorklund
www.ulfvo.com

Find out who you are and be that.

[Diane Maggipinto]

ulf, you may want to suggest to your client some names of people who **will** find music cuts from which the client can choose, and mix and master. then, you don't leave them hanging.

actually, a lot of my large company ivr clients want moh or mux under with their messaging, so i do that. i have a lot of royalty-free music i offer as a buyout, charge for that, as well as my time per studio hour to voice and mix, on top of my usual fee for ivr/moh. i think this is pretty common among some of us with the ability to do so, particularly with telephony.
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sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

[Eddie Eagle]

ditto on both above. I also am a musician and if I license my custom work it's dependent on usage and complexity. It's a separate rate from my vo. Even working as a producer and adding and editing music or efx to vo, it's a separate charge. As an artist you set what you feel is fair unless you work with an agent that can help negotiate the rates. Check out the musicians union for rates to get an idea of what you can make.

[Ulf Bjorklund]

Thanks a lot guys. All good information. BTW, you can certainly tell its getting to be Christmas - my head is spinning from all the job offers. Now, if they would only actually book...
_________________
Ulf Bjorklund
www.ulfvo.com

Find out who you are and be that.