What is a buyout? Buyouts are common in non-union voice over work, yet many voice actors are confused and fear them.

What does it mean, and how does it affect job rates?

A buyout refers to when a voice over client pays you a usage fee for a certain period of time. Sometimes that period of time is forever, or in perpetuity. A full buyout is in perpetuity.

A rebuy is an agreement to use a spot for an additional period of time. With this option, they have to pay you again. Learn more about usage fees here.

Non-broadcast content is often long-form, internal, or unfit for commercial use.

When booking these jobs, I assume that the content will live on the company's website, shared on social media profiles, or used internally. I fold usage into my quoted rate and don't sweat a full buyout in perpetuity because it will most likely not conflict with other jobs I take.

Broadcast buyouts can be trickier. Voice seekers offering a full buyout for a broadcast project can lead to conflicts with future work in similar markets. If you lend your voice to a client in perpetuity, that could do long-term damage to your voice over career.

When you book a voice over gig, put the length of the usage in your calendar to be sure don't encounter conflicts of interest.

At the end of a buyout period, reach out to the clients for a potential rebuy or extension of the buyout period. It's an easy way to reconnect with a client and gain extra passive income.

Understand the usage before agreeing to buyouts. They are not always bad! When in doubt, run from broadcast buyouts.