Rate question - 50 CD's

Hans Van den Nieuwendijk · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008, 16:42 (GMT) Post subject: Rate question - 50 CD's

First post but a big question:

I am asked by an audiobook publisher to record in their studio's a total of 50 audio cd's (foreign language).

Each audio CD consists of 60 - 70 minutes of finished audio ( I will not do the editing).

Travel and lodging will be paid for.

Could you help me out here as to what I should/could Smile

charge for this?

Many thanks!

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008, 17:16 (GMT) Post subject:

Most audiobooks in the US are billed by VO/agents at a rate per word (ranges widely here from .05 - .15 per word from my experience). But if word count isn't available to you, you could bill a rate per finished hour of audio based on approximate word count (figure how many words are in a minute of finished audio x your preferred rate per minute x 60). But if you bill per hour of finished audio, the client may want to wait until they complete the edit to pay. So, given the fact that they are supplying studio and all you'll do is read and walk away, I believe I'd bill per hour of recording time. It will take roughly 1.5 - 2 hours of reading aloud for every hour of finished audio. Name a rate you can live with per hour, quote it at a mark up of 20% and tell them you'll give them 10% off. Very Happy

Claire Dodin · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008, 17:27 (GMT) Post subject:

as a foreign voice, if I go to the client's studio and do not do the editing, I charge £150 per hour, or £400 per half day (3 hours) or £600 per day (6 hours with an hour lunch break unpaid). If there is an agent fee, then it is on top.
This is just the studio fee, usage fee on top according to the distribution. For a talking book, I would probably not add usage fee.
I'm talking about hours spent in the studio and not finished audio hours.
These fees are pretty standard in the UK.

I would charge per word or per finished audio hours only if I recorded at home and did the editing.

Hans Van den Nieuwendijk · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008, 15:32 (GMT) Post subject:

Thanks Claire & Melba!
Most useful

Hope more voicers will weigh in so I can somehow take the median of the input!

Thanks in advance,

Hans