Voiceover Rate Guide - United States
   ADR Audio Description | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
In Progress | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
We are currently investigating Audio Description | |||
Notes | |||
1. Audio Description means voicing the on-screen action / dialogue for a visually impaired audience. 2. Rates listed are per-hour 3. There are reported occurrences of this work being priced per film or episode |
   ADR Group ADR (Looping) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
In Progress | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
In Progress | |||
Notes | |||
1. ADR is (Additional or) Automated Dialogue Replacement, replacing unusable/altered dialogue to picture 2. Group ADR is usually referring to crowds and background voiceover, usually to create atmosphere. 3. Group ADR is also known as 'Wallah' 4. Actors can voice no more than 10 words relating specifically to on-screen scenes. For more than 10 words see the Single ADR rate |
   ADR Reversion Dubbing | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
In Progress | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
We are currently investigating the Reversion Dubbing Rates. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Reversion Dubbing means voicing a character's lines in a different language, e.g., localising a German language film into UK English 2. This fee does not apply when the dubbing is English to English - in which case see the other relevant ADR section 3. The 2 hour session is limited to actors who have not previously worked in this field or in case of experienced dubbers may be used for one principle role only, or several small characters in a single production |
   ADR Single Voice ADR | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
In Progress | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
We are currently investigating the rates for Single Voice ADR | |||
Notes | |||
1. Single ADR means one actor voicing individual lines of dialogue, to picture (usually replacing poor or unusable on-set dialogue) 2. Rate quoted is per-hour 3. This does not include reversioning, or 'reversion dubbing' a different language |
   Additional Chargeable Items Audio Editing | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Per hour of work performed, average rate of 3x raw audio length. | |||
Notes | |||
1. The artist, if required may charge additionally for post-production services (if this is not inherent in the original contract) 2. Post production in this instance means the editing, renaming, de-popping/clicking, file separation, renaming, compression/normalisation/EQ of the audio recordings 3. Rates listed are per-hour |
   Animation Animation | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Animationl: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
In Progress | |||
Notes | |||
Research in Progress |
   Audiobooks Audiobooks | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Usage included within the price. Royalty share jobs pay a portion of book sales, but that often leads to little or no pay. |
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Notes | |||
1. Per Finished Hour means per hour of playback of the edited recording. 2. The PFH rate does not include a cost for you to edit the recordings. 3. How long it takes you to complete one PFH depends on how well you perform as a voice artist - know your rates! |
   Cinema Cinema | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Cinema: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
In Progress | |||
Notes | |||
We are researching this area currently. |
   Corporate Corporate/Explainer | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Typically for one year for www use, excluding broadcast/paid internet ads. | |||
Notes | |||
$300 minimum is typical. 1. Corporate voiceover is defined as generic VO used for a companies AV content. 2. This does not include commercial or paid advertising use 3. For commercial content used on the www, or hosted on Youtube, see the other relevant sections to negotiate the usage fee |
   Corporate E-Learning | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
E-Learning does not typically pay usage/royalties, though this can be negotiated in some cases, especially where the end product is for retail. | |||
Notes | |||
1. $300 minimum is typical. 2. Add 50% for highly technical or medical narration that will reduce talent output speed. |
   Gaming Video Games / Gaming | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Gaming: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Studio dependent. Some offer a fixed buyout price, e.g. $1000, some offer a percentage of fee, e.g. 50% of studio fee. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Video Games means games released on any platform capable of playing games 2. Examples are PS4, XBOX, PC, Mac, IPhone/Android etc 3. Games are ranked as A, AA and AAA titles, denoting their size, budget, distribution and marketing scale 4. The Usage fees in the UK vary from producer to producer and none are agreed, hence the 3 different usage fees listed 5. Today's games are often built once and then distributed to multiple platforms and multiple regions 6. Negotiation can sometimes take place based on the game size, the number of platforms it will be distributed to and the global reach 7. Usage is usually indicative of a license in perpetuity for that title 8. Be aware of the contract terms on usage in incremental games in a series, e.g., Fallout 1, Fallout 2, Fallout 3 and re-use of your performances |
   IVR Per Finished Minute | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | |||
Notes | |||
Add 50% if client requires dial-in or use of proprietary software that may be time consuming. 1. IVR means Interactive Voice Response systems, i.e., the menu systems on corporate telephone systems 2. Most VO's will have a minimum charge |
   IVR Per Word | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | |||
Notes | |||
Add 50% if client requires dial-in or use of proprietary software that may be time consuming. 1. IVR means Interactive Voice Response systems, i.e., the menu systems on corporate telephone systems 2. Most VO's will have a minimum charge |
   Internet 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 Impressions (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
   Internet 10,000,000+ Impressions (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
   Internet 100,000 to 1,000,000 Impressions (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
   Internet Spotify | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
N/A - See Notes | |||
Notes | |||
Spotify works on scripts and tags. Generally you can command $500-$600 per script and then additionally $50-$100 per tag. Note that this price is for a general 13-week run only. |
   Internet Up to 100,000 Impressions (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
   Radio Commercials: Major Market Local (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Radio Commercials: National (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Radio Commercials: Regional (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Radio Commercials: Small Market Local (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Radio Imaging & TV Affiliate - Large Market | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Generally 1 year, sometimes buyout. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. |
   Radio Imaging & TV Affiliate - Medium Market | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Generally 1 year, sometimes buyout. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. |
   Radio Imaging & TV Affiliate - National/Satelli | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Generally 1 year, sometimes buyout. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. |
   Radio Imaging & TV Affiliate - Small Market | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Generally 1 year, sometimes usage buyout. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. 3. $200 minimum. |
   Television Narration - 30m Long Show | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Narration: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Per Episode pricing which usually includes usage. | |||
Notes | |||
The prices stated are per episode, and are for a 30m-long show. Discounts can apply for multiple episodes/series, and can also apply based on experience, and also the density of copy/script. Density of copy is often given in #pages rather than #words The large variation in pricing is usually dependent on the network type and scale |
   Television Narration - Hour Long Show | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Narration: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Per Episode pricing which usually includes usage. | |||
Notes | |||
The prices stated are per episode, and are for an hour-long show. Discounts can apply for multiple episodes/series, and can also apply based on experience, and also the density of copy/script. Density of copy is often given in #pages rather than #words The large variation in pricing is usually dependent on the network type and scale |
   Television TV - Commercials - Exclusivity in Large Sector | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Per Year | |||
Notes | |||
1. This includes soft drinks, cellular service providers, healthcare etc. 2. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 3. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Television TV - Commercials - Exclusivity in Small Sector | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Per Year | |||
Notes | |||
1. This includes local service providers, uncommon products etc. 2. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 3. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Television TV - Commercials - Major Market Local (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Television TV - Commercials - National (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Television TV - Commercials - Regional (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Television TV - Commercials - Small Market Local (up to 30s) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | |||
Notes | |||
Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
   Television TV - Promos | |
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |
See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | |
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |
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Licensing/Usage | |
Notes | |
   Text to Speech / AI Voices Company TTS / AI Voice (Voice Used) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
(Almost always) Included in fee, although some larger corporations will additionally pay for a fixed exclusivity period | |||
Notes | |||
1. Company TTS is where you are being hired to deliver the TTS voice for a specific company - you know it's end-use. You can then decide whether you wish to lend your voice to this brand or company. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on. The huge variance in the pricing structure reflects the huge variance that different TTS companies have with the amount of words they wish you to record. This can vary from 2000 words to 200,000 words. 3. Your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect) 4. Your fee should respect the fact that you will likely not be able to voice for the company's competitors for an extended period 5. Some larger companies will agree to a retainer for future work, and possibly even a lump sum exclusivity payment on top of the main batch of work. 6. This pricing structure is based on your dialogue actually being used to deliver the end-synthesis to the audience - and not TTS jobs where your voice will not be used but is just helping to train their algorithms which use a different voice to deliver the end-synthesis |
   Text to Speech / AI Voices Point-Of-Sale TTS / AI Voice (Voice Used) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
(Almost always) Included in fee. | |||
Notes | |||
1. Point-Of-Sale TTS is where you are being hired to deliver the TTS voice for a company who is going to resell that TTS voice to anyone who is willing to buy individual/bulk lines of dialogue either on a price-per-line or a subscription basis - you do not know it's end-use. You cannot legitimately decide whether you wish to lend your voice to the end brand or company as you do not know who they are. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on. The huge variance in the pricing structure reflects the huge variance that different TTS companies have with the amount of words they wish you to record. This can vary from 2000 words to 200,000 words. 3. Your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect) 4. Your fee should respect the fact that you will likely not be able to voice for the company's competitors for an extended period. Point-Of-Sale TTS is often a worrying path as you do not know who the end company's are, and therefore which companies competitors you now may not be able to voice for. 5. Some larger companies will agree to a retainer for future work, and possibly even a lump sum exclusivity payment on top of the main batch of work. 6. This pricing structure is based on your dialogue actually being used to deliver the end-synthesis to the audience - and not TTS jobs where your voice will not be used but is just helping to train their algorithms which use a different voice to deliver the end-synthesis |
   Text to Speech / AI Voices Prospective TTS / AI Voice (Voice Used) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
(Almost always) Included in fee | |||
Notes | |||
1. Prospective TTS is where you are being hired to deliver the TTS voice for a company who is going to resell that TTS voice to a different, often multiple companies - you do not know it's end-use. You cannot legitimately decide whether you wish to lend your voice to the end brand or company as you do not know who they are. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on. The huge variance in the pricing structure reflects the huge variance that different TTS companies have with the amount of words they wish you to record. This can vary from 2000 words to 200,000 words. 3. Your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect) 4. Your fee should respect the fact that you will likely not be able to voice for the company's competitors for an extended period. Prospective TTS is often a worrying path as you do not know who the end company's are, and therefore which companies competitors you now may not be able to voice for. 5. Some larger companies will agree to a retainer for future work, and possibly even a lump sum exclusivity payment on top of the main batch of work. 6. This pricing structure is based on your dialogue actually being used to deliver the end-synthesis to the audience - and not TTS jobs where your voice will not be used but is just helping to train their algorithms which use a different voice to deliver the end-synthesis |
   Text to Speech / AI Voices TTS Algorithm Training (Voice Not Used) | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
N/A - Your voice is not used in the end product | |||
Notes | |||
NB, unlike the other TTS categories, Training Algorithm work is done usually by the hour, and is stated here as such 1. TTS Algorithm Training is where you are being hired to record dialogue samples which are used to assist in training the AI Synthesis Model, with the aim of being to improve or help manipulate the end dialogue that is delivered to the audience. Crucially, your voice is not the voice that delivers the end dialogue which is voiced by another artist. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price by the hour (but sometimes for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on.) 3. If the requirement is not paid by the hour and is per word, your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect). That said, with TTS Algorithm Training, quality standards may not be as high as with the main voice recording if, for example, they are only using your prosody patterns (the frequency curve) to help train their models, and in such cases you may achieve a higher hourly word-rate. 4. Training Algorithm work is rarely a worrying option for your future for you personally as your voice is not used as the end product. 5. Very few companies will agree to a retainer for future work with Algorithm Training. |
   Voice of God / Live Announcer Live Announce - In-Person/On-Site | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
Per day. | |||
Notes | |||
"Name" and celebrity voices can command significantly more. |
   Voice of God / Live Announcer Live Announce - Pre-Record | |||
SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | |||
N/A | |||
Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | |||
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Licensing/Usage | |||
N/A | |||
Notes | |||
N/A |
Radio | ||||||
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SAG-AFTRA Published Rates* | Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved) | Licensing/Usage | Notes | |||
Typical Lower | Typical Average | Typical Upper | ||||
1,000,000 to 10,000,000 Impressions (up to 30s) | Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | $750 |
$1000 |
$1500 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
10,000,000+ Impressions (up to 30s) | Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | $1250 |
$2000 |
$3000 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
100,000 to 1,000,000 Impressions (up to 30s) | Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | $500 |
$750 |
$1250 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
Animation | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Animationl: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | In Progress | Research in Progress |
Audio Description | In Progress | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | We are currently investigating Audio Description | 1. Audio Description means voicing the on-screen action / dialogue for a visually impaired audience. 2. Rates listed are per-hour 3. There are reported occurrences of this work being priced per film or episode |
Audio Editing | N/A | $20 |
$35 |
$50 | Per hour of work performed, average rate of 3x raw audio length. | 1. The artist, if required may charge additionally for post-production services (if this is not inherent in the original contract) 2. Post production in this instance means the editing, renaming, de-popping/clicking, file separation, renaming, compression/normalisation/EQ of the audio recordings 3. Rates listed are per-hour |
Audiobooks | N/A | $100 per finished hour |
$250 per finished hour |
$400 per finished hour | Usage included within the price. Royalty share jobs pay a portion of book sales, but that often leads to little or no pay. |
1. Per Finished Hour means per hour of playback of the edited recording. 2. The PFH rate does not include a cost for you to edit the recordings. 3. How long it takes you to complete one PFH depends on how well you perform as a voice artist - know your rates! |
Cinema | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Cinema: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | In Progress | We are researching this area currently. |
Commercials: Major Market Local (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $400 |
$600 |
$750 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
Commercials: National (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $800 |
$1500 |
$2500 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
Commercials: Regional (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $500 |
$750 |
$1000 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
Commercials: Small Market Local (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $150 |
$200 |
$400 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Never to exceed one year at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for: 60 second spots 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
Company TTS / AI Voice (Voice Used) | N/A | $10000 |
$20000 |
100k+ by Negotation | (Almost always) Included in fee, although some larger corporations will additionally pay for a fixed exclusivity period | 1. Company TTS is where you are being hired to deliver the TTS voice for a specific company - you know it's end-use. You can then decide whether you wish to lend your voice to this brand or company. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on. The huge variance in the pricing structure reflects the huge variance that different TTS companies have with the amount of words they wish you to record. This can vary from 2000 words to 200,000 words. 3. Your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect) 4. Your fee should respect the fact that you will likely not be able to voice for the company's competitors for an extended period 5. Some larger companies will agree to a retainer for future work, and possibly even a lump sum exclusivity payment on top of the main batch of work. 6. This pricing structure is based on your dialogue actually being used to deliver the end-synthesis to the audience - and not TTS jobs where your voice will not be used but is just helping to train their algorithms which use a different voice to deliver the end-synthesis |
Corporate/Explainer | N/A | $35 per finished minute |
$50 per finished minute |
$100 per finished minute | Typically for one year for www use, excluding broadcast/paid internet ads. | $300 minimum is typical. 1. Corporate voiceover is defined as generic VO used for a companies AV content. 2. This does not include commercial or paid advertising use 3. For commercial content used on the www, or hosted on Youtube, see the other relevant sections to negotiate the usage fee |
E-Learning | N/A | $.10 per word concept; $15 per finished minute concept; $1200 per finished hour concept |
$.20 per word concept; $35 per finished minute concept ; $2400 per finished hour concept |
$.30 per word concept; $50 per finished minute concept; $3600 per finished hour concept | E-Learning does not typically pay usage/royalties, though this can be negotiated in some cases, especially where the end product is for retail. | 1. $300 minimum is typical. 2. Add 50% for highly technical or medical narration that will reduce talent output speed. |
Group ADR (Looping) | In Progress | We are doing some further research on ADR Rates - check back here soon for updates! |
In Progress |
In Progress | In Progress | 1. ADR is (Additional or) Automated Dialogue Replacement, replacing unusable/altered dialogue to picture 2. Group ADR is usually referring to crowds and background voiceover, usually to create atmosphere. 3. Group ADR is also known as 'Wallah' 4. Actors can voice no more than 10 words relating specifically to on-screen scenes. For more than 10 words see the Single ADR rate |
Imaging & TV Affiliate - Large Market | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $250 |
$350 |
$500 | Generally 1 year, sometimes buyout. | 1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. |
Imaging & TV Affiliate - Medium Market | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $150 |
$250 |
$400 | Generally 1 year, sometimes buyout. | 1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. |
Imaging & TV Affiliate - National/Satelli | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $300 |
$400 |
$600 | Generally 1 year, sometimes buyout. | 1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. |
Imaging & TV Affiliate - Small Market | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Radio Commercial: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $50 |
$75 |
$125 | Generally 1 year, sometimes usage buyout. | 1. Per page price can be reduced for retainer clients who prepay for a set number of pages monthly. 2. Retainers should be negotiated if possible. 3. $200 minimum. |
Live Announce - In-Person/On-Site | $750 |
$1500 |
$2500 | Per day. | "Name" and celebrity voices can command significantly more. | |
Live Announce - Pre-Record | N/A | We are doing some further research into Pre Recorded Live Announcing Rates - check back here soon for updates! |
N/A |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
Narration - 30m Long Show | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Narration: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | $500 |
$750 |
$1000 | Per Episode pricing which usually includes usage. | The prices stated are per episode, and are for a 30m-long show. Discounts can apply for multiple episodes/series, and can also apply based on experience, and also the density of copy/script. Density of copy is often given in #pages rather than #words The large variation in pricing is usually dependent on the network type and scale |
Narration - Hour Long Show | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Narration: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | $1200 |
$1350 |
$1500 | Per Episode pricing which usually includes usage. | The prices stated are per episode, and are for an hour-long show. Discounts can apply for multiple episodes/series, and can also apply based on experience, and also the density of copy/script. Density of copy is often given in #pages rather than #words The large variation in pricing is usually dependent on the network type and scale |
Per Finished Minute | N/A | $15 pfm |
$35 pfm |
$50 pfm | One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | Add 50% if client requires dial-in or use of proprietary software that may be time consuming. 1. IVR means Interactive Voice Response systems, i.e., the menu systems on corporate telephone systems 2. Most VO's will have a minimum charge |
Per Word | N/A | $0.10 per word |
$0.20 per word |
$0.30 per word | One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector. | Add 50% if client requires dial-in or use of proprietary software that may be time consuming. 1. IVR means Interactive Voice Response systems, i.e., the menu systems on corporate telephone systems 2. Most VO's will have a minimum charge |
Point-Of-Sale TTS / AI Voice (Voice Used) | N/A | $2500 |
$10000 |
100k+ by Negotation | (Almost always) Included in fee. | 1. Point-Of-Sale TTS is where you are being hired to deliver the TTS voice for a company who is going to resell that TTS voice to anyone who is willing to buy individual/bulk lines of dialogue either on a price-per-line or a subscription basis - you do not know it's end-use. You cannot legitimately decide whether you wish to lend your voice to the end brand or company as you do not know who they are. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on. The huge variance in the pricing structure reflects the huge variance that different TTS companies have with the amount of words they wish you to record. This can vary from 2000 words to 200,000 words. 3. Your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect) 4. Your fee should respect the fact that you will likely not be able to voice for the company's competitors for an extended period. Point-Of-Sale TTS is often a worrying path as you do not know who the end company's are, and therefore which companies competitors you now may not be able to voice for. 5. Some larger companies will agree to a retainer for future work, and possibly even a lump sum exclusivity payment on top of the main batch of work. 6. This pricing structure is based on your dialogue actually being used to deliver the end-synthesis to the audience - and not TTS jobs where your voice will not be used but is just helping to train their algorithms which use a different voice to deliver the end-synthesis |
Prospective TTS / AI Voice (Voice Used) | N/A | $2500 |
$10000 |
100k+ by Negotation | (Almost always) Included in fee | 1. Prospective TTS is where you are being hired to deliver the TTS voice for a company who is going to resell that TTS voice to a different, often multiple companies - you do not know it's end-use. You cannot legitimately decide whether you wish to lend your voice to the end brand or company as you do not know who they are. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on. The huge variance in the pricing structure reflects the huge variance that different TTS companies have with the amount of words they wish you to record. This can vary from 2000 words to 200,000 words. 3. Your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect) 4. Your fee should respect the fact that you will likely not be able to voice for the company's competitors for an extended period. Prospective TTS is often a worrying path as you do not know who the end company's are, and therefore which companies competitors you now may not be able to voice for. 5. Some larger companies will agree to a retainer for future work, and possibly even a lump sum exclusivity payment on top of the main batch of work. 6. This pricing structure is based on your dialogue actually being used to deliver the end-synthesis to the audience - and not TTS jobs where your voice will not be used but is just helping to train their algorithms which use a different voice to deliver the end-synthesis |
Reversion Dubbing | In Progress | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | We are currently investigating the Reversion Dubbing Rates. | 1. Reversion Dubbing means voicing a character's lines in a different language, e.g., localising a German language film into UK English 2. This fee does not apply when the dubbing is English to English - in which case see the other relevant ADR section 3. The 2 hour session is limited to actors who have not previously worked in this field or in case of experienced dubbers may be used for one principle role only, or several small characters in a single production |
Single Voice ADR | In Progress | In Progress |
In Progress |
In Progress | We are currently investigating the rates for Single Voice ADR | 1. Single ADR means one actor voicing individual lines of dialogue, to picture (usually replacing poor or unusable on-set dialogue) 2. Rate quoted is per-hour 3. This does not include reversioning, or 'reversion dubbing' a different language |
Spotify | N/A | 500 + tags |
550 + tags |
600 + tags | N/A - See Notes | Spotify works on scripts and tags. Generally you can command $500-$600 per script and then additionally $50-$100 per tag. Note that this price is for a general 13-week run only. |
TTS Algorithm Training (Voice Not Used) | N/A | $250 |
$300 |
$400 | N/A - Your voice is not used in the end product | NB, unlike the other TTS categories, Training Algorithm work is done usually by the hour, and is stated here as such 1. TTS Algorithm Training is where you are being hired to record dialogue samples which are used to assist in training the AI Synthesis Model, with the aim of being to improve or help manipulate the end dialogue that is delivered to the audience. Crucially, your voice is not the voice that delivers the end dialogue which is voiced by another artist. 2. The fee stated is usually an all-inclusive buyout price by the hour (but sometimes for a specific amount of words, including usage. You should also quote a day-rate for pickups and additional dialogue once the project has finished as there are often further requirements later on.) 3. If the requirement is not paid by the hour and is per word, your fee should reflect the fact that the time taken to deliver TTS dialogue is much more than standard dialogue - you might expect to deliver 500 words per hour for example. This is due to the stringent quality requirements and the much higher rejection rate of dialogue compared to normal (as this dialogue is used to train the AI synthesis models and so must be perfect). That said, with TTS Algorithm Training, quality standards may not be as high as with the main voice recording if, for example, they are only using your prosody patterns (the frequency curve) to help train their models, and in such cases you may achieve a higher hourly word-rate. 4. Training Algorithm work is rarely a worrying option for your future for you personally as your voice is not used as the end product. 5. Very few companies will agree to a retainer for future work with Algorithm Training. |
TV - Commercials - Exclusivity in Large Sector | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | $25000 |
N/A |
N/A | Per Year | 1. This includes soft drinks, cellular service providers, healthcare etc. 2. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 3. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
TV - Commercials - Exclusivity in Small Sector | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | $5000 |
N/A |
N/A | Per Year | 1. This includes local service providers, uncommon products etc. 2. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 3. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
TV - Commercials - Major Market Local (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $500 |
$750 |
$1250 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
TV - Commercials - National (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org | $1250 |
$2000 |
$3000 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
TV - Commercials - Regional (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $750 |
$1000 |
$1500 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
TV - Commercials - Small Market Local (up to 30s) | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $150 |
$350 |
$500 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. Regional and National spots in particular should hold to cycle rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds. 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. |
TV - Promos | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for TV Commercial (Voiceover/Off Camera): http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | We are just doing some further research about TV Promo Rates - check back here soon for updates! | ||||
Up to 100,000 Impressions (up to 30s) | Flat fee to be paid within 13 weeks of work date 4 weeks: $744.93 8 weeks: $893.92 1 year: $2,234.80 21 months: $4,469.60 | $150 |
$350 |
$500 | Ideally per 13 week cycle. One year buy max at these rates. | Note: up to 30 seconds 1. Add 50% for 60 second spots. 2. Reduce by 50% for short tags. Tag rates in volume can be lower. 3. Premium can be charged for major brands. |
Video Games / Gaming | See the Sag Aftra Numbers calculator, and search for Gaming: http://sagaftranumbers.sagaftra.org/ | $150 p.h. |
$250 p.h. |
$300 p.h. | Studio dependent. Some offer a fixed buyout price, e.g. $1000, some offer a percentage of fee, e.g. 50% of studio fee. | 1. Video Games means games released on any platform capable of playing games 2. Examples are PS4, XBOX, PC, Mac, IPhone/Android etc 3. Games are ranked as A, AA and AAA titles, denoting their size, budget, distribution and marketing scale 4. The Usage fees in the UK vary from producer to producer and none are agreed, hence the 3 different usage fees listed 5. Today's games are often built once and then distributed to multiple platforms and multiple regions 6. Negotiation can sometimes take place based on the game size, the number of platforms it will be distributed to and the global reach 7. Usage is usually indicative of a license in perpetuity for that title 8. Be aware of the contract terms on usage in incremental games in a series, e.g., Fallout 1, Fallout 2, Fallout 3 and re-use of your performances |
**Typical Current Actual Market Rates: The rates specified in these tables are those generally commanded in the US by working voiceover artists. Of course any voiceover artist can charge anything they want – and should do so - but we have surveyed and found that this range is what voiceover artists typically charge. Accordingly, these rates may not be indicative of those charged by very established or well-known artists through their agents who can generally charge more. In those instances, fees are always agreed by negotiation and are subject to many variables. Also, lesser known artists may charge less in order to establish themselves or to build a reputation. We have tried to cover a typical spread of what the industry normally charges, even though any specific instance may vary from our Typical Low/Typical Average/Typical Upper classifications.
A Note from GFTB on Rates: Please note that this rate guide is intended to be a guide for current industry rates charged in general by US Voice Artists, and is not intended to imply that these rates are fixed, or set - they are not. As a voice artist you must make your choice as to what you charge (unless you are a member of a union and then please refer to their policies), but please do be aware that what you charge as a voice artist also affects other voice artists in the industry. If you as a voice artist want to charge much more, or much less than these rates you are freely within your rights to do so.
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