VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Diane Maggipinto

apologies in advance, since i know much discussion has centered around audio book rates, editing time, and what the end dollar amount is if you're efficient. and sorry if this has been asked already, but i'm now only starting to pay attention as i consider doing an audio book (gasp!).

$90 a finished (audio book) hour to go to a studio and read and THEY edit. yes? no? maybe so?

i realize it depends on how proficient i am at reading ... or, in a manner of speaking, how much time it takes me in a studio to record the book.

thanks!
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Scott Pollak · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:31 am Post subject:

Hmmmmm, tough question, Diane.

I'd say a strong 'maybe' here. Here's why:

- part of it depends on the commute to the studio. If it's going to take an hour and a half each way, stuck in traffic, then I'd be a bit less inclined to do it. Especially if you burn $20 in gas each time you go

- but beyond that, it's almost worth it. Let's be honest, audiobook narration, overall, doesn't pay that well, and making $90/hour for anything is good pay. I've figured that when I narrate a typical book and am making $200 per FINISHED AUDIO HOUR, I'm lucky to be making $50/hour after all the editing time involved, and even though I'm a damn good editor, it's tedious and a real drag.

So for me, I personally would say yes.
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JoeActor · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:45 am Post subject:

Hmmmm... seems a tad on the low side to me.

But I agree with Scott - it's a "maybe".

I've only done a few books, but the one I had to record and edit myself mad me really appreciate going into a studio. Night and day.

If you're a good reader, and they're nearby, (or if the book is short), it could be worth the money.
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Kristin Lennox · Flight Attendant Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 858

I would also find out if there will be a "director," or will it just be you and the engineer on your own. MUCH prefer the latter. I do most of my long-form at one particular studio where we just roll -- I self-correct, and he stops me if I make a mistake, or if something I said didn't quite make sense... but otherwise we just plow through the script.

The last thing you want is someone who is going to stop you every other paragraph for a retake.
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Bruce · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:16 am Post subject:

It clearly beats self-edited books (at the current going rate) and it beats $15/hour at the grocery store or Home Depot. If it doesn't take you away from a lot of $300/hour jobs at home it should be worth it.

B
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cyclometh · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:33 pm Post subject:

That rate is pretty low; the going rate for self-directed, clean punch-edited tracks (meaning someone else handles the QC and editing, but you have to deliver a clean read) is quite a bit higher than that.

If it were a directed session with a seriously kickass director and an engineer to handle the board and everything and the studio was really close, it might be worth considering.

My opinion only, of course.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:07 am Post subject:

No, that rate is crap. Double it to get a minimum.
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Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:21 am Post subject:

thanks, all, and i especially like kristin's opinion to avoid an overly-pedantic director who stops my read every few minutes ...

just to clarify, the studio is a couple of miles away, just around the corner from lio's school, and the $90 pfh is with no editing. there is opportunity to make "more" (as stated in teh audition email) if i record and edit from my studio, though no amount was listed. i'm pretty sure it's $190 pfh

what i'm wondering, and i realize it's impossible to say, is how long a finished hour will take. if i can breeze through it (ha HA!) then it'd be close to $90 an hour for my time.

the opportunity to go to another studio, to experience the audiobook world in this fashion sans editing, and to get my face in front of these peeps (i've done a wee bit of work for them before but not much. they didn't know i as local at the time:O) is also worth considering.

i figure it may be a good opportunity to taste the glory of audiobook recording/reading and decide if i'm interested.

meantime, i'm not sure i have any wiggle room no the rate, but i'll try if i get the gig ...
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bobsouer · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:53 am Post subject:

Diane,

Even with no editing, I would not take less than $150 per finished hour for audiobook work.
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heyguido · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 8:19 am Post subject:

Sounds to me like you've made some pretty good arguments in favor of the gig already.

$90 an hour, as Bruce implies, doesn't suck. And though Kafer wouldn't deign to do it, $90 an hour to learn more about something you've been curious about is paid learning. Close to home, convenient to your other responsibilities (Lio), and likely to strengthen your ties to a potentially regular source of income....

Why not? Wink

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whalewtchr · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 11:16 am Post subject:

If anyone has done an ACX stipend at 150 pfh, then once you subtract average fees for a Proofer and Editor, your take as a Narrator is 90 dollars pfh. If you've done the 100 pfh stipend then your take as "Narrator Only" is only 40 dollars. Keep in mind this does not include the time invested in actually reading the book and preparing.

Not sure what your specific set-up would be, but most "studios" will have a Narrator in-studio recording for no less than six hours per day which if your voice holds up is approximately 3 finished hours per day, but that is with a narrator who doesn't make many mistakes and a fast editor. The more realistic ratio for a beginner would be 4 to 1 if not higher.

If you're just trying to determine if audiobook narration is for you, then maybe it's not such a bad opportunity as long as the book is short.

There is only one producer I know of that pays 100 pfh to narrators (no editing or proofing) and they are being boycotted by SAG-AFTRA so that might help you in making your decision.
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Jason Huggins · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 12:33 pm Post subject:

I agree with that being low. I personally haven't done (and wouldn't probably consider) less than $150 pfh for just narration.when I did my first audio book I was at about 3 to 1for the narration, and that sure wasn't great. That would have put me at about 30 dollars an hour, which I could have made at my day job.

Kristin Lennox · Flight Attendant Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 858

So what is a typical rate for audiobooks WITH editing...? And what is a typical rate for farming out the QC and editing?
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Bruce · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:21 pm Post subject:

Rates I've been seeing lately are $200 to $225 pfh, you edit, they QC, you edit in the pickups. At the $225 end you master the final Audible-ready MP3s and upload those (just have a cup of coffee while your computer does the converting and uploading).

Some of those are also SAG/AFTRA signatories and they throw in the extra 12% H&R funds on top of the hourly fee.

I just joined ACX so I could enter the SAG Foundation contest (just for kicks really) and I searched them for books in the $200 to $400 pfh range..... zzzipp. Then I looked at the next range down.... zzzipp.

Looks like I'll be hunting down my own deals.

B
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:50 pm Post subject:

My bottom rate for producing audiobooks is $225 pfh. Out of that, I will pay someone $25 pfh to QC it. I punch n roll, so the only editing I do are the pickups after QC.

A punch-n roll record sent to a publisher for them to QC and master is around the $200-$225 range. give or take.
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