VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Foog · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:34 pm Post subject: voices.com price quote generator

Just noticed this new toy they've put up...

http://www.voices.com/resources/tools/voice_talent_quote_generator

It's horribly oversimplified, with too few parameters. And what variables they do ask for are a bit, err, "quirky" might be polite. ("kids" reading difficulty vs. "medium"? Seriously?) Plus, we can always take issue with what it considers a base rate.

I'm sure it will lead to people just blindly plugging in variables without really thinking of the end use or client. Still, I find myself hoping that this tool might lead to the average price quote on that site going up and getting closer to professional rates. This of course goes counter to my essentially pessimistic nature. So please, someone chime in and tell me how I am wrong about this being a good thing!

cheers,
Andrew Fogarasi

DougVox · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:03 pm Post subject:

Well, this should be fun.

::: popcorn :::

cool

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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com

Bish · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:17 pm Post subject:

Not sure what you mean by that Doug Inoccent

Suffice to say that this amusing little calculator bears absolutely no relationship to the money offered on Voices... not even those where Voices are managing the job. As a work of fiction, the numbers generated are actually not that unreasonable. According to their calculator, a 2 minute (300 words) non-broadcast straight technical narration should cost $498, and a longer 10 minute piece (1500 words) runs an acceptable $2,490. I'll have some of this please!

I actually think Voices are off their meds at the moment... I don't know what they hope to achieve by this... it's inflammatory and I wish I hadn't seen it Cry

_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:18 pm Post subject:

Considering that their calculated price for a non-broadcast 4 minute piece is nearly $800, I hope people start using it! And if you cut that 4 minutes into 6 files - add another $100 to the cost!

Scratching head...I simply don't know why they would spend time creating and putting this up on the site.

(Apparently posted at the same time Peter posted.)
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Playing for a living...
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DougVox · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:30 pm Post subject:

heyguido · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 3:00 pm Post subject:

You guys are crackin' me up. Laugh

_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

Foog · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 3:11 pm Post subject:

Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 8:13 pm Post subject:

Many of the numbers this calculator comes up with are surprisingly realistic. One item conspicuously absent, however, is the 10% SurePay fee.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

Bish · Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 8:52 pm Post subject:

This was done with a Toys'R'Us calculator (one of those with the big buttons). Their methodology for generating meaningful quotes beggars belief.

It gets complicated, so gird your loins and put on your math hat for the wonder that is contained in the narration rates...

Basic voice (easy) $1 per word
100 words = $100
1,000 words = $1,000
10,000 words = $10,000
1,000,000 words = $1,000,000
... all the way up to 100 quintillion (18 zeroes)

Medium = Easy rates x 1.33
Hard = Easy rates x 1.66

Gobsmacked.
_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

Foog · Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 2:17 am Post subject:

todd ellis · Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:51 am Post subject:

definitely a $2 word.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
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Bruce · Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:59 am Post subject:

If Voices really wanted to help everyone they would have this blank for producers to fill in on every job:

Where will this play?:_________________

Answers could be things like Cable TV in "greater Poughkeepsie", Radio in "lesser Antilles", the Web, internal use only, network TV.

THAT would help talents make more realistic bids too.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

Bruce · Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:05 am Post subject:

Lee Gordon · Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:42 am Post subject:

"Gobsmacked" is worth the full two quid.
("Cream crackered" is worth three.)
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

Gregory Best · Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:36 pm Post subject:

+1 for what Bruce said. Goes to show how little those who run the P2P sites really understand the VO biz. They should ask the VO peeps. I shudder when I hear terms like "voice seeker" coined by computer people trying o reshape our industry. Rant over. Carry on.
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Gregory Best

greg@gregorybest.com