What Influences Voice Over Rates?

If you’re looking for the perfect voice over actor for your project, you might have noticed that everyone’s rates are different—sometimes extremely different. This is because voice over work, like many art forms, relies on several different factors, such as recording time or the type of content you create. When you know what influences voice over rates, you can find a fair deal for everyone involved in the project, creating a collaborative and supportive team from the beginning.

Time Frame

As with most jobs, the scheduling and time frame play a major role in pay rates. Most voice over actors charge based on the word count of the script or number of finished minutes on the recording. When you pay your voice over actor based on a time frame, it’s important to also consider the length of your final project, the amount of retakes or revised recordings you might need, and the type of recording. For example, a lip-sync recording will take much longer than reading naturally, because the actor will need to try several times to get the pacing exactly right.

Audio Usage

The type of content you plan on making also plays a huge role in what influences voice over rates. One of the biggest examples of this is broadcast vs. nonbroadcast voice over projects. Broadcast jobs like TV, radio, and internet ads are projects that will continue to air for weeks, months, or even years after you complete the project. Broadcast rates ensure you pay your actor for their work as long as you’re still gaining profit from the spot.

Miscellaneous Factors

There are many other factors and fees that might show up in your voice over actor’s pay rates. Their resume and experience, the networking potential within the project, and union regulations can all impact prices. It’s also important to consider the value your voice over actor is adding to the project, even beyond their lines. For example, if you are using commercial voice over services, you are depending on your voice over talent to make you and your product sound relatable, reliable, and necessary. This means your voice over actor is adding value to your work even beyond the minutes or words they record. Keep these ideas in mind as you go through the process of hiring and negotiating pay for your voice over actors.