VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:37 pm Post subject: ISDN profiteering

TV trailer/promotion producer called me today. I am the voice for a particular TV station and they've booked me for some voice work. A new company has the contract to make the promo's so it was a first for this producer. The idea was to go into a studio in London and get me to do my thing via ISDN. On top of his studio time he was going to be charged by the facilities house an additional $3 per minute for the ISDN. I said I'd connect from my end. Needless to say the facilities house couldn't charge the ISDN per minute cost as I was paying for the call. The cost to me for that 40 minute session was $1.30. I don't object to people making a profit but adding a $118.70 to a cost of $1.30 is taking things too far.

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:17 pm Post subject:

Just a bit. The sad thing is how often people simply pay such fees because they don't know any better.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

Frank F · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:31 pm Post subject:

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

brianforrester · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject:

Have I got a deal for you... bottled air for the bargain basement price of only $1.65 / 500ml! Hey, you pay it for bottled water, why not air? ..... Okay, not sold? I'll throw in the straw, but you have to agree to buy 6-bottles, that's my final offer.

I truly didn't realize that ISDN line fees were so low! It's typically about $1.00 / minute / line here in town... Banksey, if it was only $1.30, how many minutes were you connected for, or more importantly (since my math sucks!) what was the per minute line charge? And was that long distance?

Very interesting and quite an eye opener!
_________________
Brian Forrester Voice Overs
www.brianforrester.com
brian@brianforrester.com
778.668.5715

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:25 am Post subject:

Brian,

It was long distance and the rate was (in US dollar terms) around 6 cents per minute.

VO-Guy · Guest

Just wanted to through this out there. In addition to the cost of the call, you also have the cost of the line per month whether it's used or not. I know here the price for an ISDN line is $170 a month, whether you use it or not. That might explain some of the extra fees. Are they gouging it, yeah it sounds like it. Just wanted to mention that so it might explain some of the increase.

Bruce · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:56 am Post subject:

The lowest ISDN long distance rate I've found is just under 8 cents a minute

http://www.isdnlongdistance.com/

which is 16 cents a minute if you use two lines or $9.60 an hour. But I have yet to make a call. Phillip's experience is probably pretty rare. Most clients make the call from their neighborhood recording facility and therefore foot the bill.

Bul let's say we own a professional recording studio and do some fantasy math. My two lines of ISDN cost about $100.00 per month and there are about 21 working days in a month so that's $4.76 per working day; my ISDN codec cost about $3,400.00; amortize that out over let's say 3 years; there are about 735 working days in 3 years so my ISDN costs me $4.62 for every working day; so my work day cost to have a codec in my studio is $9.38. If I have a somewhat active recording studio and my clients book an average of one hour a day of ISDN time, my costs are just under $19.00 per hour for all expenses. Still not a bad profit.

Bruce

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:15 am Post subject:

I have a telecomm's package called BT Highway. I get two analogue lines and 2 ISDN lines for around $112 per quarter.

dhouston67 · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:40 am Post subject:

Pardon my naivete, but is it common for clients (and/or the production facilities on their end) to ask the talent to foot the bill for the ISDN charges? Seems to me that if one wants the luxury of directing talent and hearing the audio real-time remotely, one should have to pony up... I could be wrong. (It has happened!)
_________________
Great Voice. Great Choice. For Voice Talking and stuff.
http://davidhoustonvoice.com
Do That Voice! - The DHV Blog

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:49 am Post subject:

99% of the time the studio dials the voice and the cost of so-doing is covered by the client.

I believe client/producer input is essential as they are paying me to give them what they want not what I choose to give them.

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:17 am Post subject:

The only time I have ever had to pay for long distance on my ISDN lines was when the producer was having some issues dialing me. She told me to bill her for the long distance charges. All other times the other studio dials me. Pretty much standard procedure.
_________________
Playing for a living...
www.voiceover-talent.com
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/connieterwilliger

Bruce · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:47 pm Post subject:

Deirdre · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:04 pm Post subject:

Plus I heard Philip Banks lives there. That's reason enough for me to move.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:21 pm Post subject:

If one has a friend who is a Gillie the salmon, smoked or otherwise tends to be free or not much more. A neighbour with a fishing boat the crabs a free too. As for the single malt whisky we're spoilt for choice.

Wanna buy a house?

http://www.stewartwatson.co.uk/data/1794.pdf