Re: Taking a slightly different tone

[Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>]

(Keith asked about fees for voice recording work.)

If you are a professional speaker or announcer and have a portfolio that 
proves the quality of your work, then you might command that fee.

All depends on how professional the clients wish to appear.

You can find professional voices at voices2go.com, where my friend Jay 
displays his mellifluousness at http://www.voices2go.com/jay/index.html .

If your voice doesn't sound like an automobile horn, lacks the common 
"uhhh" and "ahhh", and can actually prevent snoring among the audience, 
you just might get the correct rate. Otherwise, your clients will likely 
expect to pay you about $25 for every hour of finished product, and then 
feel short-changed afterwards.

"Can't be that hard. It's just talking, right?"

Keith Hood wrote:
> This post may be a waste of time but I can't think of anyone better to ask...
> 
> I've been asked to provide a quote for doing some voice recording work, for a company that is fielding some web-distributed training. I'm told it would probably be about 8 hours' work. 
> 
> I have gone online and researched the going rates for voice work, and they are frightening. Apparently it's normal to charge by the *second* at rates like $200 for a 30-second gig. I and the people doing the training materials have no experience in this and I'm pretty sure asking for $100 for each 15 seconds is a good way to scare them off.
> 
> So, what do you think would be a good rate? This came to me through a friend who is working form that company as a technical writer, and most likely the company is thinking of paying for the voice work in the same manner as her. They're probably thinking of an hourly rate in the same neighborhood. If I got a new gig as a tech writer I certainly wouldn't be making money by the second on it, and I have nothing better to do right now.
> 
> I have to get back to them by 3 this afternoon, so if you open this message for the first time after that, you may as well not waste your time replying. Unless you just feel like throwing something out on general Friday-whathtebleep principles.

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