Another 75 dollar lead!

Susan Tackenberg · **Voice Talent** Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 4

I sometimes wonder who would accept $75 for a five-minute business e-learning programme intro + summary... My experience with people who devalue the audio market - both voice-seekers and voice talents - is that either the material is below average in terms of quality and content, making it impossible to read with integrity and coherence by a professional, informed and reasonably well-educated talent, or, where the material is OK, it is likely to be incorrectly pronounced or phrased by a wannabe voice talent with no inherent understanding of the content, however it may have been written.

Now tell me this doesn't matter and I'm being picky!

Susan

"If the world should blow up, the last audible word would be that of an expert saying it can't be done." - Sir Peter Ustinov.[/i]

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

We were just discussing this in Chit Chat -- only with the even more pathetic $50 offerings!

Bob Bair · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 274

I got you beat. I received a PRIVATE lead for an 8 minute narration that they were only willing to pay $20.00.

Talk about the highs and lows. It's always nice to receive a private lead, then to see that as the payout? PUUULEEEAASE!

Susan Tackenberg · **Voice Talent** Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 4

Thanks Diane - I've made my modest contribution over there...!

Susan

Tim Powell · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007, 14:02 (GMT) Post subject: Declining Price Structure

"Just do this one for us at this price and next time we'll take care of you" is a theme I run into in this business on an almost daily basis. From my 20-something years of experience I can tell you it has NEVER turned out to be true. Although I appreciate all the tech advances we've made, and can take my "studio" with me anywhere on the planet - I now have to throw in the editing and mixing on many projects and still can only charge a rate severely reduced from what I charged 10 years ago just to walk in the studio, record, and leave. Three years ago I made an additional $17,000 off of Voice123. This year I have only done a few commercials for a client who kept REDUCING the pay rate. I finally got email from his supervisor who said "we only pay $1.00 per finished second - take it or leave it." I left it. It is not worth the time to turn on my Mac to record, edit and upload a job that pays $30.00.
I have many great paying clients all over the planet. But this slough of $35 -$50 -$125 "NATIONAL CABLE" "National Radio" and "National Television" spots on Voice123 is quite disappointing. The prices on Voice 123 used to be reasonable, but especially in 2007, V123 seems to have turned into the Wal-Mart of VO.
I teach VO techniques an acting school in Orlando - Voice 123 is where I used to send the beginners to get their stuff out. Maybe all of our colleages have been doing the same and we've flooded the market with cheap talent?

Tim Powell

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

That's so funny, Tim, I thought of the Walmart analogy myself. But they get health benefits now, don't they?

Bob Bair · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 274

and we don't get the friendly greeter at the door!

Brad Venable · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007, 18:56 (GMT) Post subject:

Yeah...but at least the "Dead Peasant Policy" doesn't reign here:

http://www.courttv.com/news/2007/0629/walmart_dead_peasant_ctv.html

Bettye Zoller · **Voice Talent** Joined: 03 Aug 2003 Posts: 163

Promtly deleted it, of course. How INSULTING! A five minute script? Voiced AND recorded and engineering in my studio? Horrible. Wish someone would realize we're professional...I don't want those kinds of trashy stuff in my INBOX. Voice 123 is supposed to learn, with SmartCast, what types of jobs people want...and in my case, I don't even read jobs under about $400 and up. And I particularly want the UNION jobs cause I'm union. Voice 123 does have union jobs, by the way, for those of you who don't know...those are "goodies." And some of the jobs can easily be turned into union jobs. I just generate or my agent generates a contract ... that's all...when the money is right...see? But today...well, was disheartening. I had about eight jobs that did NOT suit me at all type wise or money wise. Why? When is smart cast getting "smarter?" I am being patient and waiting for this new system to "work." I still believe it may! But...I wish my inbox looked more promising under the new regime...

Gregory Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 177

David Oxford · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 505

[quote="Gregory Houser"]