go straight to your genre
go straight to your genre
PRICING
DH.£1
TRANSPARENT PRICING GUIDE
very
reasonable
VO is charged in different ways depending on:
• The medium (TV, online, radio, internal, etc.).
• The purpose (Commercial Advertising, E-Learning, Podcast, etc.).
There are 2 elements to VO pricing:
• The Recording Session (& Processing if required).
• Usage (which is not applicable to all genres).
Rates for Professional Voiceover and the related services are, historically, fairly complicated.
I have put this page together as a helpful guide and to be a transparent as possible.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A PERSONALISED QUOTE
SPECIFIC TO YOU AND YOUR PROJECT
david@holmesvoice.co.uk | 07973 122 034
The more specific you are about what you want, the easier it is to give you an
informed quote and deliver the read you need.
To make the process as swift as possible, here are 4 things to let me know if you can :
1 . The Genre
Is it a commercial, online video, corporate, eLearning?
2 . The Usage
Is it for an Ad, in-house only, for your website & socials, etc.?
Will you use it for 3 months, a year, forever?
- And, if it's an Ad or for Broadcast:
• What is the reach - national, international, targeted, etc.?
• What are your TVRs or predicted impressions?
• How many weeks will it air?
3. The Length
What is the approximate duration in seconds, minutes, words?
4. Music or Visuals
• If you have any music you will use (or even a placeholder) this is
extremely useful to help set the tone of the read and match the
mood you're looking for.
• Likewise with visuals or draft visuals - it all helps me match the
energy and timings you're after and, potentially, helps highlight
any timing issues sooner rather than later.
Getting in touch ensures your quote is correct and that I'm right for your job.
The guides below are to give you an approximate idea of a starting point for discussion.
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
Click to skip to the rates for your genre!
REMEMBER
I'm happy to provide a free sample of your script before you commit
Radio Advertising
EQUITY ILR Rates
As is standard practice, when the commercial is being produced by a UK radio station itself then I am happy to work within the UK Equity ILR bands.
Other projects
Otherwise, UK rates are based on BSF of £220ph + Usage of between £40 and £220 per ad/per tag/per station/per 3 month block.
(this Usage range is usual but not definitive, based on whether the work is for use on local stations, national stations, size of reach, and other factors).
Rates for non-commercial radio are less...
Please get in touch to discuss your needs.
TV & Video Advertising & Narration
Session
Basic Session Fee
£ 220
per recording hour
charged per hour (or part thereof)
minimum 1 hour
Studio Fee
£ 80
per editing & processing hour
charged per half-hour (or part thereof)
minimum 0.5 hours
Re-recording mispronunciations and mistakes are, of course, free of charge.
Re-recording owing to mistakes in or changes to the text are chargeable at BSF (£220ph) in half-hour blocks (minimum 0.5 hours).
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
Usage
All visual advertising is also subject to Usage Fees - this varies widely depending on your medium, period of use and audience size.
Let me know your
• medium/platform/hosting
• period of use
• audience size
(TVRs, predicted impressions, no. of subscribers)
and I'll get back to you asap!
In the meantime you might like to visit https://www.usefee.tv/
BACK
TO TOP
Corporate Narration
What kind of project is it?
Corporate fees are charged by the word.
Corporate work may, in addition, be subject to a Usage fee (see below).
If the content is to be used internally, on your internal intranet or within employee communications then there is no fee for Usage.
If the content is to feature on your website, be distributed as part of marketing emails, or be used on your company's YouTube channel or
Facebook page (for example), then there will be a fee for Usage calculated per 12 months or as a Buy Out in perpetuity.
If the content is to be used in advertising, public broadcast, in-store broadcast, television, TVOD, YouTube pre-roll, Facebook Ads, Google
Ads, or any Paid Advertising, then the Advertising Usage rate will be used (see the Visual Advertising Usage section for more details).
If you know you have a one-off project coming up - please get in touch.
I'm happy to chat through any thoughts or questions free-of-charge.
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
DON'T FORGET: It's EASY AS PIE to ask me for a custom quote listing your options along with a free voice sample!
I run a Retainer Service for companies that know they will have regular work and would like to be able to:
• Have fast access to the same voice.
• Have minimal waiting times.
• Prefer not to deal with budgets project-by-project.
I also run a Special Offer for any business with 5 employees or fewer, or in their first year of trading which amounts to
considerable savings for SMEs.
If you know you have upcoming projects and are able to commit, I can offer discounts based on "bulk buying".
If none of these are suitable for you right now, don't forget you get a New Client discount on your second project!
I offer fully edited and Ready-to-Go audio and also Raw (Punch'n'Roll) audio for slightly less cost.
Below is a table of standard per word charges...
Discounts & subscriptions
years
2
years
3
E-Learning
E-Learning is charged by the word.
For E-Learning projects there is no Usage Fee.
I offer fully edited and Ready-to-Go audio and also Raw (Punch'n'Roll) audio for slightly less cost.
DON'T FORGET: It's EASY AS PIE to ask me for a custom quote listing your options along with a free voice sample!
Below is a table of per word charges.
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
Ready
to Go
Raw
PnR
Session
Each session can accommodate up to 4 characters over (up to) 2 episodes (or part thereof).
Basic Session Fee
£ 220
per recording hour
charged per hour (or part thereof)
minimum 1 hour
Studio Fee
£ 80
per editing & processing hour
charged per half-hour (or part thereof)
minimum 0.5 hours
Re-recording mispronunciations and mistakes are, of course, free of charge.
Re-recording owing to mistakes in or changes to the text are chargeable at BSF (£220ph) in half-hour blocks (minimum 0.5 hours).
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
Usage
Usage is included for one online outlet (eg. YouTube, own site, etc.)
Broadcast on a second or more platforms (concurrently or otherwise) is subject to an additional fee.
Broadcast on TV, TVOD or paid services is subject to a further fee.
Please get in touch to discuss what you need and I'll get an accurate quote to you swiftly!
Audiobooks
I work to mid-range US rates for audiobooks. Quality and continuity are paramount and these take time.
I provide only a Professional and Quality service, this takes time and expertise.
Why have cotton when you could have silk?
Audiobooks are charged "Per Finished Hour": I charge a fee for every hour of audiobook recording I deliver to you.
Minimum 1 Finished Hour. Charged to the half-hour (or part thereof).
I offer Raw (Punch & Roll) recordings for those with their own engineer/studio, and also Ready-to-Go files which are
...erm, ready to go!
This all includes Third-Party Proof Reading and Mastering to your platform's own audio specifications.
Typically I read at between 8600 - 9100 words per Finished Hour
There is no Usage fee for Audiobooks
(given that the recordings are to be used as audiobooks only and not be sold, reappropriated, or used in any paid advertising).
DON'T FORGET: It's EASY AS PIE to ask me for a custom quote listing your options!
Re-recording mispronunciations and mistakes are, of course, free of charge.
Re-recording owing to mistakes in or changes to the text are chargeable at PFH rate in half-hour blocks (minimum 0.5 hours).
Below is a table of per word charges.
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
Short stories & Chapter reads
Some of the most experimental and new writing comes in the form of short stories.
It's also in vogue to have chapters read by different narrators.
For this work the costs are the same but are charged in smaller blocks:
Minimum 0.5 Finished Hours. Charged to the quarter-hour (or part thereof).
Raw
PnR
Ready
to Go
Full consultation
Sample including Characters
Use of fully equipped studio
48kHz/24-bit recording
Professional narration
FULLY EDITED
THIRD-PARTY PROOF READING
EQ
TONE & LEVEL MATCHING
COMPRESSION
ANY REQUIRED PROCESSING
MASTERED TO YOUR PLATFORM'S SPECIFICATIONS
Fast transfer file delivery
One file per Chapter
READY TO USE
years
2
years
3
PER FINISHED
HOUR
£ 255
SHORT STORY / CHAPTER
PER FINISHED
HALF-HOUR
£ 315
£ 130
£ 160
US$ 360
US$ 185
US$ 290
US$ 150
BACK
TO TOP
Meditation & Wellbeing
Session
Basic Session Fee
£ 220
per recording hour
charged per hour (or part thereof)
minimum 1 hour
Studio Fee
£ 80
per editing & processing hour
charged per half-hour (or part thereof)
minimum 0.5 hours
if required
Re-recording mispronunciations and mistakes are, of course, free of charge.
Re-recording owing to mistakes in or changes to the text are chargeable at BSF (£220ph) in half-hour blocks (minimum 0.5 hours).
If you have a different system for pricing voiceovers then let me know!
Usage
If the content is to be used internally, on your internal intranet or within employee communications then there is no fee for Usage.
If the content is to feature on your website, be distributed as part of marketing emails, or be used on your company's YouTube channel or Facebook page (for example), then there will be a fee for Usage of £220 per 12 months or as a Buy Out in perpetuity to be negotiated.
If the content is to be used as part of a membership, paid app, subscription or similar, there will be an additional Usage Fee to be negotiated depending on medium, duration/buy out.
Please get in touch to discuss what you need and I'll get an accurate quote to you swiftly!
BACK
TO TOP
Live Directed Sessions
I'm very happy to self-direct for your project. I have a lot of experience in script analysis and character & delivery development and am very at home with working on your project alone.
However, it's always nice to have you along for the ride.
Remote Recording
If you have a studio & engineer you may want me to connect via SourceConnect, ipDTL, Cleanfeed, SessionLinkPro, etc ... great!
If you need a remote engineer let me know and I will happily recommend someone for you.
Attend the Live Session
If not, I can record here in the Studio while you attend the recording via Zoom, FaceTime, or similar.
You'll be there to guide the way and, if you'd like, I can play sections of the recording back down-the-line to you for you to check.
Once we begin there may be particular tones that you prefer, timings you become aware of, or certain words that seem jarring or more fun. Having you there means you can make the most of the session and perhaps avoid the cost of a potential further session.
In my experience Live Directed sessions tend to get the result you are looking for first time.
However, it's worth noting, that often less text is recorded per hour in a Live Session owing to the conversational back and forth.
I am very happy either way, let me know your preference.
No additional
charge
Remote Recording Live Session
Connecting to your studio via
your chosen connection protocol
Attend the Live Session
You attend the session in my studio
via Zoom or similar
£ 25
per hour
(capped at £50)
No additional
charge
subject to location
In-person Session
I come to your recording studio - live
...in actual person!
BACK
TO TOP
Other information
Depending on the job I will either issue a short, simple contract or, for simpler jobs, include licence terms on my Quote and Invoice.
Technically speaking, what you get from me are recordings and a licence to use them for a period of time.
It's a common misconception that the client owns the recording outright and forever.
Just as you (or your writer) own the words, the voiceover artist owns the audio performance.
I grant a licence (either via our contract or licensing detail in the invoice) which is activated when I receive payment.
When payment is received you are free to use my voice within the terms of the licence.
If payment has not been received, use of the audio would represent a breach of copyright law.
The licence is for a period of time and a specified medium or media.
This can be amended at any time if you wish to extend the licence to cover more time or platforms - just get in touch!
I am always happy to discuss a "buyout".
This does not give you ownership but does give you a licence to use the recording on your selected media in perpetuity.
Whatever you need your audio for, there is a perfectly worded and reasonably priced licence for you!
Licences are not restrictive, just specific.
They protect both my interests AND they make sure you don't spend more than you have to!
Get in touch, we can quickly chat about what you need and I'll get you an accurate quote in a flash.
BACK
TO TOP