VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Bruce · Last edited by Bruce on Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:04 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi gang,

Dave was kind enough (brave enough) to do a survey of our VO rates a while back, and since I've been hit with some requests for writing lately and gotten reactions ranging from stunned silence (rejection) to "is that all?", I thought I'd ask this august body (in September) to submit to a voluntary rate survey.

I'd like to keep it blind for participants, unless you're dying to tell the world, and I will burn your e-mails once I've extracted your responses. And please only respond if you actually write at least a few items per year.

What flat rate would you accept from a reputable ad agency in a medium-sized city for each of these five radio and narration writing projects; since you're a good writer there may only be a little bit of re-writing for detail improvement or client whimsy:

Dentist Spot - One :60 radio commercial for a local dentist. They give you the link to a well written website for the dental firm and they tell you the client's preferences. Not wildly creative, just something to build image and trust for the dentist.

Dentist Campaign - Eight radio commercials for the same dental firm. They want to highlight seven different services they offer and they want a Happy Holidays spot.

New Pizza Parlor Campaign - There's a new pizza parlor in town and the owner's open to imaginative ideas (he has to, there's lots of competition!), say a talking slice of pepperoni, or there's an alien spokesperson who declare this the "best pizza this side of the Milky Way!" They want four different :30 spots to introduce the place and then maintain the branding/image that you've created for them.

Puff Piece Narration - Client wants a 5 minute narration for their website, and to hand out on DVD to prospects, on a topic you know something about...say donuts. These people are selling franchise opportunities for a new, start-up donut chain. The agency gives you a general outline of what they want to talk about, some facts and figures, and they just want you to make it sound good. They'll worry about the video clips and slides to go with it.

Technical Narration - Client wants a 10 minute video script for the Winkleman Widget company. You know what a widget is, but that's about it. You have to spend an hour reading and researching what they do, interview the President of the firm and its chief engineer for about 15 minutes each, and they want the video to cover:

- an overview of the company and it's proud 20 year history
- segments on all five kinds of widgets they make and sample applications
- their service department
- and a nice capabilities wrap-up

You'll need to provide a basic shooting script with ideas for video clips and photos to be shot and slides to be created (since they're in another city they'll formalize and finalize all of that). You have to come up with suggested wording for any on-screen graphics needed too.
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You can just copy this below and paste it into your email response if you wish:

Dentist Spot:
Dentist Campaign:
New Pizza Parlor Campaign:
Puff Piece Narration:
Technical Narration:

I will not hold you to your answers, in fact, if I can find one, I'll use one of those neuralizers from "Men In Black" on myself after I've logged your numbers.

Thanks for your contributions to the survey, and may it help all of us who work on the writing side of this industry find some sense of normal.

B
_________________
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: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:43 am Post subject:

So, with 0 responses in five days I'm guessing we don't have a lot of writers on board, and if we do have some writers they don't want to write about this topic. Cool by me.

This topic post will self destruct in two days.

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

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

Frank F · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:04 pm Post subject:

Bruce,

Maybe this will help, just maybe...

Postcard/double postcard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $550-$2,000
Sales Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125-$1,000 per page
Audio-Visual Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50-$500 per minute
Telephone Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000-$3,500+
Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150-$700 per page
Press Release (1 to 2 pages/Kit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250-$3,500+
Data Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500-$700/page
Proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75-$500 per hour
Radio/TV Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300-$850/$2,500-$25,000
Web Sites or CD Rom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300-$1,000 per page
Speech, 20-minute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,500-$5,000
Technical, Scholarly, and Scientific Papers . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50-$85 per hour
Copy Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200-$1,000+
Phone Consultation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50-$500 per hour
In Person Consultation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ask for rates

#1: A purchase order or letter of authorization required for all jobs. Specify nature of assignment or consultation, approved fees*, and date desired.
#2: Copywriting fees for initial projects are payable 50% in advance. Balance due upon delivery (payable net 10 days). Date payment received determines assignment scheduling.
#3: Copy analysis, conference, and consulting fees are payable in full, in advance.
#4: Client pays expenses incurred for assignments including long-distance telephone, postage, courier and freight, duplications . . .
# 5: All revisions must be assigned within 30 days of receipt of copy and are free of charge to client unless the revision is based on a change in the assignment made after copy is submitted.
# 6: Rewrites not considered as free revisions are billed at copywriter's current hourly rate.

*LISTED FEES ARE A GUIDELINE ONLY. CALL TODAY FOR A PROMPT FEE QUOTATION ON YOUR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT.

Sorry, I have been a bit busy the last few days, that is why no response.
Straight from the horse's mouth - er - fingers... But you know me "Easy, but not cheap".

Toodles

F2
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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

bobsouer · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:07 pm Post subject:

Bruce,

While I do some writing, none of it fits in these traditional categories very well nor do I charge for it separately. It's part of an on-going production series for a church and is folded in with the editing, production, voice overs, etc. I'm sorry not to have more to contribute.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

ccpetersen · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:16 pm Post subject:

I've been on travel this past week and just now getting back to this... give me some time to think about this...

c
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:21 pm Post subject:

the thread title cracks me UP!

COURVO-style survey of coprwriting rates

But then, maybe you meant copper wiring? Wink

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sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

Bruce · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:07 pm Post subject:

bobsouer · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject:

todd ellis · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:39 pm Post subject:

all i know is this: you should never use #4 stranded copper wire to tie a dishwasher to pass-through 110 outlet. 14-2 w/ground at minimum --- 12-2 is better.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

You are my turly, B. !
_________________
sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:48 pm Post subject:

I used to have the following rate card hanging in my office:

Copywriting Services ... $20 per hour
If You Watch ... $50 per hour
If You Laugh ... $100 per hour
If You Help ... $200 per hour
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

COURVO · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject:

Todd....
'Laughed out loud in the newsroom... people looked at me funny... 'course there may be other reasons for that...but that's another post

Bruce,
I don't have any help for you either, but I AM starting to get some of this work, and would be most grateful for a peak at your results.

Frank,
Thanks for your input.

CourVO
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Dave Courvoisier - Las Vegas, NV
http://www.CourVO.com
CourVO@CourVO.com
Courvo's "Voice Acting in Vegas" Blog: http://www.CourVO.biz
on your phone at courvo.mobi
702.610.6288
"I'm not a news anchor, but I play one on TV."