The voice actor's daily success resource · since 2007
What to charge and what to sign. Rates by category, usage and buyouts, union scale, invoicing, and the contract terms — including AI and voice cloning clauses — worth reading twice before you agree.
When setting voice over fees, amateurs make assumptions while professionals ask questions before quoting on a job, advises veteran voice actor Paul Strikwerda. So – what questions to ask? Here’s what you need to know …
AFTRA and SAG members are currently voting on whether to merge the two powerful performers unions. If approved, the new SAG-AFTRA union will have tougher membership requirements than AFTRA’s current rules. So – should you join AFTRA ASAP? Attorney / voice actor Robert J. Sciglimpaglia Jr. helps you evaluate options …
What will change if members of SAG and AFTRA approve a proposed merger? For one, the initiation fee – rising significantly from AFTRA’s current level. See what else might be ahead …
Your voice over clients are concerned about their “bottom line” – so should you! Always ask a client “What’s in the budget for voice over?” before committing to a price, advises veteran voice talent and trainer Terry Daniel. Here’s why and how …
The merger plan approved by the boards of AFTRA and SAG reportedly pushes entry requirements closer to the more stringent SAG rules, and raises the initiation fee. Existing members of both unions will vote in February on whether to adopt the new SAG-AFTRA to be the one union “to stand united to secure more union work and better benefits for members” ….
Dec. 31 is your deadline for collecting and spending voice over business money to declare in your 2011 tax returns, reminds full-time voice actor Johnny George. Take all your legit deductions, save receipts, and reinvest in your business, he advises …
Every professional deals with low-ball inquiries from clients, notes voice talent / coach Terry Daniel. “I used to get upset,” he says, but “there are some things you can do about it. Now I just ask them a few questions” …
Lowballing voice over job bids – the practice of bidding extremely low on projects in hopes of landing the gigs – is causing a slow decline in voice over salaries and “cheapening our image as highly-trained professionals,” says veteran voice actor David Radtke. “If everyone is willing to work for peanuts, why would a voice seeker offer prime rib?” …
AFTRA members have ratified a new 3-1/2 year Interactive Media Contract for videogame performances, that includes the industry’s first-ever streaming payment to performers as a “cloud gaming fee” …
Pricing is one of the most important tools for managing your clients’ expectations, as well as your bottom line, says veteran voice talent Paul Strikwerda. So how do you determine what to charge? Begin by knowing these three crucial factors …