VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Mike Harrison]

This is why:

(I composed this, and our resident bon vivant, the lovely Liz de Nesnera, strongly urged me to post it here for y'all.)

The script is first read completely through prior to recording in order to become familiar with the content. During this pre-read, any words requiring pronunciations are researched, and the script is marked-up for pauses, proper inflection, etc. Any questions related to content are also addressed.

Next, the actual recording begins. This process can require anywhere from 1½ to 2 times the actual finished length of the script, due to mistakes, pauses to refresh and refocus, sip water, etc.

Editing the narration recording is next. This process removes the pauses mentioned above, any extraneous noise and mouth clicks, repairs any retakes, and fine-tunes for consistent pacing. Also, any mistakes or enunciation problems missed during the recording process are re-recorded. Editing to achieve a polished, error-free recording can – sometimes – take four times longer than the record process.

Once editing has been completed, the entire recording is listened to again for quality control before being presented.

For up to thirty days after submission of the audio file, revisions totaling approximately one minute will be happily made at no charge. Further revisions will be addressed on an as-needed basis. Any re-records necessary due to mistakes made and not caught by me are, of course, done at no charge.

Now, repeat after me: "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." — Red Adair
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

[Lee Gordon]

Here's my response, if a potential client questions why he should hire a pro:
"You're a pro, aren't you? Why should someone hire you?"
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Philip Banks]

The script is first read completely through whilst recording in order to become familiar with the content. During this read, any words requiring pronunciations are pronounced correctly, and the script is is left un-blemished. Any questions related to content remain unaddressed saving the client's blushes when he can't answer them. The actual recording can require anywhere from 1½ to 2 times the actual finished length of the script, due to mistakes, pauses to refresh and refocus, sip water, boredom and Collie walks

Editing the narration recording is next. This process removes the pauses mentioned above, any extraneous noise and mouth clicks, repairs any retakes, ........and fine-tunes for consistent pacing which are easier to do during the recording. Any mistakes or enunciation problems missed during the recording process are re-recorded, in other words the errors are repeated. Editing to achieve a polished, error-free recording can – sometimes – take four times longer than the record process, an amateur just does it properly in the first place.

Once editing has been completed, the entire recording is sent along with the invoice.

For up to thirty days after submission of the audio file, payment is awaited and revisions totaling approximately one minute will be happily made at no charge providing my pet Unicorn Douglas is given a magic rainbow. Further revisions will be addressed on an as-needed basis as unnecessary revisions are self-defining. Any re-records necessary due to mistakes made and not caught by me are, of course, done at no charge but there will be a great deal of swearing.


New code of ethics?

[jsgilbert]

The problem is that it is often very difficult for these individuals to distinguish the professionals from those who simply call themselves a professional, or the professionals who charge less for the v.o. than Mrs. Patel charges for her currant biscuit and cup of Chai. (not much)

I had a slew of "professional" contractors out here to talk to me about some improvements to my home. Sadly, none of them were actually professional. The only thing "professional" about them were their quotes, which were quite nice and high.

You can buy a nice camera for under 500 bucks and become a professional photographer and apparently anybody who can make toast and a grilled cheese sandwich isn't just a "professional" chef, they're minutes away from being a celebrity chef.

Today, even the bag boy at my local grocers brags about being a professional voice talent.
_________________
j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

[Mike Harrison]

You're all correct.

While that piece was not composed specifically for this person, a new prospect today – an eLearning type who has never before worked with voice talent – asked for a quote. No, not an estimate. Her client expects a hard, fixed quote which, no matter what happens, will not be strayed from.

But, it gets better. This hard, fixed quote would be for the narration of 15 modules of plus-or-minus 30 minutes in length, and the possibility that one, maybe two, maybe three, four, or more, other voice talent might be required for some role-play scenarios, the number and length of which, of course, is unknown because nothing has yet been written. And, it was also asked, what kind of a 'volume discount' might she expect.

This prospect's client?

A bank.
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

[heyguido]

The client's not the problem. It's the representative whose professionalism I question.
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

[Scolaidhe]

[melissa eX]

[Mike Harrison]

Y'know, Mel... I'm actually <this> close to doing just that.

There's only one thing that will keep me from being in any way rude to her: I was recommended to her by a woman I've known since childhood. I wouldn't want to put my friend in an awkward position.

That is, unless I happen to speak with her about this first and she happens to agree with me.
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

[ChrisMezzolesta]

And yet.......there are still those who rail against a system or method of defining and identifying and holding up on the proverbial pedestal the true professionals, so that the potential client can see or hear at a glance who is qualified and who isn't, further saving them time & money. What a concept...but of course at the moment there is no such organization. Maybe its time will come, but as for now, we slog along.
_________________
Chris Mezzolesta, Voice Talent
800.356.5519 www.voiceatile.com

[Lee Gordon]

It's your prospect who has imposed the inflexible conditions. Therefore, Melissa's recommendation is perfectly reasonable.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Philip Banks]

$22,000 less a 15% discount = $18,700

Clients want the job done. Large companies simply need somene to "sign-off" the cost.

In the UK the Scottish Assembly building was given the go ahead with a budget of £34,000,000 it was finally ready for use a few years later and the final cost £300,000,000 every penny of spend and over spend was "signed off".

The cost of a pro simply gets "signed off".

[Mike Harrison]

Thank you, Philip. Knowing your background, that was especially helpful. I really appreciate the knowledge.

However, in my last communication with the prospect late yesterday evening, while I came a bit closer to a fixed price, I gave a competitive hourly rate for the role-play actors, as the degree of their involvement was still not clarified. The prospect this morning responded to that before I was able to suggest your rate, Philip:

[Philip Banks]

Piggy-in-the-middle will first "ring fence" his or her profit from the job and everyone else gets what left.

In my case, had the conversation progressed this far I would simply state that in order to give a firm price I would need to know EXACTLY what the customer wanted to buy.

Piggy-in-the-middle does not know what the customer really wants and does not know if you can provide what no one knows at a price which has yet to be established as fair or unfair or not or may be.

The MBA way of doing business is no way to do business.

[Mike Harrison]

Before receiving the above response, I had submitted Philip's proposal, to which came this reply: