VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[bobsouer]

Most of us know, thanks to digital technology, we can now easily provide our services around the world. We work for clients we only know through e-mail and (sometimes) over the phone.

These distant clients perceive that they're getting something special. They've searched far and wide for a particular voice, so they really appreciate us when they find us. And most of the time they're more than happy to pay the rate we quote.

Then there's the flip side. The local client who thinks "any voice in this town can't be as good as the talent from far away."

I've had clients try to short change me on my fee because I'm just "the local guy," and I'm having a hard time with this. Everywhere else I charge at or above union scale. But, that doesn't fly at home.

How would you handle this?
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Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
ISDN, Source Connect, phone patch

[Dave]

[Audiogal]

I think it depends on which market you live in - what is the "going rate" in your city? May I expand on this a bit?

You've hit on what I believe is the reason V/O has changed so much. With the internet, suddenly producers had a larger pool of voices from which to choose. (Even before the online talent banks that have the talent "competing")

Truly, folks in smaller markets were not necessarily used to making union scale. The "going rate" in their cities was quite likely less than in major markets. When they quoted rates, they didn't necessarily know they could demand double or triple. They weren't trying to undercut or harm the market in any way. Sure, today some do, but I really don't think that was the case in the beginning.

It's traditionally been hard to find out "the going rate" in other markets. Today we have this wonderful board, & other sites that post these things, but it hasn't always been as easy to find as it is today. Meanwhile, producers got used to the lower rates.

If you live in a city with a low cost of living, you just might make a living on rates that a person in a high cost of living area couldn't. You also may not have the opportunity to have face time with the producers & studios that cast the big gigs. All part of the wacky world of V/O. I guess that's why we all have different paths & marketing plans, etc. There are so many variables.

Just my 2 cents, your mileage may vary.
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Mary

[billelder]

I tell everyone here that I'm retired.

[bobsouer]

[Diane Maggipinto]

Yep, same here to some degree, and other Salt Lakers or those in the immediate area may agree: general wages here are notoriously lower than the national average, so those on the hiring end for VO balk huge at "going rates." I'm always happy to be flexible, within reason. I'm happy to say I turned down a job for a holiday-themed spot that the client wanted to use this year and next. The buyout was so low I squirmed, but agreed to do the VO if the spot was to be used for this season only. They never replied to my offer. And just once I've been stiffed here, and have seen the former radio AE a couple of times. Can you believe he still swears to pay me, 3 years later? Cheap b*#!+rd.
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sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

[Hasser]

[bobsouer]

[Philip Banks]

Portgordon is closed to me! No matter how hard I try I don't get a sniff of TV, radio, corporate or movie work - ZIP, NOTHING,ZERO!

Buckie is about 3 miles down the coast from me, dare I attempt to break the local shackles that bind me?

[Drew]

There's a guy here in town who runs an agency who won't ever use local voices. Yet he'll go out of town and pay big bucks to have an outsider voice his crappy car spots.

It is what it is. When you go to his site, there's a big picture of him in a cowboy hat trying to look like he's some country music star.

I can't change him. So, I just look elsewhere for work.
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www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

[Deirdre]

[Jowillie]

It's probably the same about everywhere in small to middle markets.
If an ad agency wants to "cost-up" a client's bill, it will use the "out-of-town" talent to justify a higher rate. They may be working on a percentage and the higher the bill, the higher their percentage.

Or is it all about perception? How many times have you heard, "Your voice is too familiar around here?" Is that a bad thing? Do listeners and viewers pay more attention to a voice that is not "selling me something" on lots of other ads? Do they "tune-out" the familiar?
I would hope the public appreciates hearing an "old friend" they can trust deliver the message.
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Wild Willie Edwards
www.hometowntvtoday.com
http://vomictest.blogspot.com

[Deirdre]

The production companies in Portland (Maine) stopped using local talent for the "ear-exhaustion" reason. Now I work for those same production companies through Studio Center.

What a riot.
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DBCooperVO.com

[audio'connell]

Nope, I think the rule is...."the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"

ALL of us do work "elsewhere". And we are "the voice". (cue choir of angles"

But at home, we're just a rube with a microphone trying to "play" announcer.

No problem with me as I really don't market to my home town. 95% of my biz is "elsewhere"....but look what happened.... Ralphie stole the Sabres biz from me...dammit!
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- Peter
audioconnell Voice Over Talent
Your friendly, neighborhood voice over talent

[Gregory Best]

Years ago (pre-Power Point and digital) I remember hearing a simple description of "an expert" as the person from at least 100 miles away with a slide show. Maybe there is a little of that here.

Someone's silly that a real pro VO is the VO talent from far away. Does that apply to NY, LA and ChiTown?
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Gregory Best

greg@gregorybest.com