VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Rognog · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:39 am Post subject: What Would You Quote?

This week I was hired to do a series of phone prompts for a new online/cell phone service. I had to record, save, and edit about 235 separate prompts, each between one word and ten sentences long. I brought in a friend to work my PC so I wasn't running back & forth from the booth to the computer. It took 4 1/2 hours to record and about two hours to edit. There were also about 20 redos based on the director's input. What would you have charged for this?
_________________
Tom Dheere - The "H" is Silent, but I'm Not!
www.tomdheere.com

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:46 am Post subject:

$10 per prompt so that's $2,350

todd ellis · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:08 am Post subject:

I do a TON of IVR/MOH - Banksey's quote is close enough for me not argue.
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:40 am Post subject:

The lower end of possibility is about $1500.
Kinda depends on the number of pages/words.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

Rognog · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:58 am Post subject:

They sent it to me as an Excel spreadsheet Landscape style. I'd say it's about a dozen pages.
_________________
Tom Dheere - The "H" is Silent, but I'm Not!
www.tomdheere.com

Dave · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:35 am Post subject:

$2,000 (which works out to 8.50 each).
_________________
. If at first you don't succeed, then bomb disposal probably isn't for you.

tackerman · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:36 am Post subject:

Not bad for a days work. Wink

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

You didn't have payment agreed upon beforehand?
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

asnively · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:00 pm Post subject:

I would have charged .20 a word...

Sounds like a lot of work!
_________________
grapefruit seeds

Rognog · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:04 pm Post subject:

We did agree on payment beforehand, I was just checking to see if I gave an appropriate quote. Unfortunately, I should have checked with you guys first because I sold myself short, literally.

The good news is that between the client requesting alternate pronunciations, the redos, and the fact that I brought in some help has nudged the price closer to what it should be.

On top of that, the client is coming here to NJ from Boston because he wants about 50 to 60 more redos and wants to direct me directly. My Skype just didn't seem to connect so he couldn't give me direction during the session. As such, I get to tack on more to the quote.

What would you charge for this "bonus" session?
_________________
Tom Dheere - The "H" is Silent, but I'm Not!
www.tomdheere.com

todd ellis · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:09 pm Post subject:

Whats the old sign from the mechanic ... something like:

Rates:
$50 per hour
$75 per hour if you watch
$100 per hour if you help
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

For work with that many prompts your only solution is to buy Vox Studio - it allows you to do one of two things to make you life easier...

1. Prompting feature lets you record individual prompts by pressing the space bar. It advances to the next prompt - automatically saving the previous prompt with the specified file name. After that you do a batch process to add the right amount of space at the beginning and end of each prompt - normalize - etc.

2. You record everything into one big file - leaving one take per prompt - in order - with about 2.5 seconds of space between prompts and then you "slice" it up - automatically names the files, etc.

I love this software - and it can save in soooo many file formats - including some really obscure ones.

http://www.xentec.be/products/vox_studio/vox_studio.htm

I ended up buying it for a client that sends me about 300 files per month - this is the same client that sent 3000 files this summer. I'd still be working on that project today if it weren't for Vox Studio. Wink

_________________
Playing for a living...
www.voiceover-talent.com
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/connieterwilliger

Frank F · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:28 pm Post subject:

As much as you are able to charge him...

Remember, now you have "studio fees" to associate with your Voiceover "talent fees".

What is the going rate for studios in the area? And remember this: you are doing the client a favor, as he is taking time away from your other clients.

Yes, you charge him for what you do. Maximizing billable hours is something you will need to learn and you can in "LoveNotes: branding and marketing for VO artists" (Coming soon to a desktop near you...) LOL Of course you could wait until VOICE also...

No? Actually, think of yourself in the same billing position as an attorney. He/She may only do 15 minutes of work for you, but will invoice you for the full hour. You are maximizing your billing by charging a fee for the studio and for your talent.

Add on the cost of your "engineer" friend on an hourly basis, plus a little bit for yourself... and THIS would be the fee charged for your "bonus" session.

You have overhead, for your home, for your "engineer/employee", for your equipment, etc.

You have become a "recording studio" owner - and talent, so charge like one.

Good luck,

Toodles

Frank F
_________________
Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

Lizden · Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject:

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:27 am Post subject:

Yes, they are very helpful - considering that they are in Belgium - they must be up at all hours.

One thing I have discovered is that there is a limit to the number of folders you can have before the program gives up and won't record. Because there are no explanatory error messages, it took a while to figure this out.
_________________
Playing for a living...
www.voiceover-talent.com
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/connieterwilliger