USA Rate Guide - Gravy For The Brain

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Voiceover Rate Guide - United States

The following tables represent a guide to the voiceover rates typically charged by voice artists in the United States. The guide has been compiled by Gravy For The Brain and a working group of top USA VO professionals and includes the published agreed rates* of the US actors union SAG AFTRA. Note that most quotations are done through negotiation and you should not feel restricted by any upper or lower limits!

"How to Charge Clients" Webinar

ADR
Additional Chargeable Items
Animation
Audiobooks
Cinema
Corporate
Gaming
IVR
Internet
Radio
Television
Text to Speech / AI Voices
Voice of God / Live Announcer

ADR

ADR Audio Description

SAG-AFTRA Published Rates*

In Progress

Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved)

Typical Lower

In Progress

Typical Average

In Progress

Typical Upper

In Progress

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)

Typical Lower

We are doing some further research on ADR Rates - check back here soon for updates!

Typical Average

In Progress

Typical Upper

In Progress

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)

Typical Lower

In Progress

Typical Average

In Progress

Typical Upper

In Progress

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)

Typical Lower

In Progress

Typical Average

In Progress

Typical Upper

In Progress

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

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)

Typical Lower

$20

Typical Average

$35

Typical Upper

$50

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 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)

Typical Lower

In Progress

Typical Average

In Progress

Typical Upper

In Progress

Licensing/Usage

In Progress

Notes

Research in Progress

Audiobooks

Audiobooks Audiobooks

SAG-AFTRA Published Rates*

N/A

Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved)

Typical Lower

$100 per finished hour

Typical Average

$250 per finished hour

Typical Upper

$400 per finished hour

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.

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 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)

Typical Lower

In Progress

Typical Average

In Progress

Typical Upper

In Progress

Licensing/Usage

In Progress

Notes

We are researching this area currently.

Corporate

Corporate Corporate/Explainer

SAG-AFTRA Published Rates*

N/A

Typical Current Actual Market Rates** (see note below about what typical means & the variables involved)

Typical Lower

$35 per finished minute

Typical Average

$50 per finished minute

Typical Upper

$100 per finished minute

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)

Typical Lower

$.10 per word concept; $15 per finished minute concept; $1200 per finished hour concept

Typical Average

$.20 per word concept; $35 per finished minute concept ; $2400 per finished hour concept

Typical Upper

$.30 per word concept; $50 per finished minute concept; $3600 per finished hour concept

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

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)

Typical Lower

$150 p.h.

Typical Average

$250 p.h.

Typical Upper

$300 p.h.

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

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)

Typical Lower

$15 pfm

Typical Average

$35 pfm

Typical Upper

$50 pfm

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)

Typical Lower

$0.10 per word

Typical Average

$0.20 per word

Typical Upper

$0.30 per word

Licensing/Usage

One year if possible, though buyouts are common in this sector.

Notes

Internet

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)

Typical Lower

$750

Typical Average

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Voiceover Rate Guide - United States