November 2009 Archives
Since I recently began including my Twitter entries in my blog, I thought you might enjoy reading this interesting article in the Nashville Business Journal. It highlights the success stories of several businesses in using Twitter to build their brand and their business. Voice talent will find some ideas for implementation in your own marketing plan.
- Why do announcers say "it's been a terrific game and a credit to both schools" when one (ie GA Tech) clearly was not playing their best?
- Watching the GA Tech-GA game reminds me why I don't watch football the rest of the year. If Tech would listen to me, they'd be ahead by now!
- THANKS-round 6 of text! RT @DrewCommins Directing @KarenCommins narrating part of HR3590 for http://HearTheBill.org http://twitpic.com/rdoub
- Just posted a new blog article titled "Time required to narrate and produce audiobooks" http://tinyurl.com/yfd8t8z
Two weeks ago, the following ad appeared on one of the freelance work sites. While it wasn't on a site aimed solely at voiceover talent, it prompted me to write about the time required for audiobook production.
Since I usually work alone in my stunning soundproof studio, I have to consider my total time commitment when submitting a bid on audiobook work. My rule-of-thumb is that each finished hour of audio requires 4 hours of real time to create: 1.5-2 hours to record and 2 hours to edit. While editing, you must consider the overall story flow when determining tracks, as well as editing pauses for dramatic effect.
Hello. I am looking to turn 14000 word e-books into audio and or video format, this will be ongoing work i know it is a simple process to do and can be done free with max and or various softwares, if you have the knowledge and have done this before please reply this will be ongoing work i will pay $40 per e-book converted into audio. If you have a sample of your work please provide it this will help me make my dicission. [sic]
In reading this ad, I'm not clear what kind of work is actually requested. I'm not even sure the ad's author knows what s/he wants. However, 2 things are immediately evident to me:
- a 14,000-word book is about 1.5 hours of finished audio narration
- $40 is entirely too little pay to even consider narrating this e-book
But Paul's article only tells half the story. What about the editing and production aspects of audiobook work?
If the person who wrote the ad above is expecting a voice talent to narrate his e-book, I can easily estimate that I might need 6 hours in my studio to complete the process. If I divide 6 into 40, I get an hourly rate of $6.66. If that rate looks like a devilish number, consider this point: At this moment, the US federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Do you really want to do voiceover or audiobook work so much that you're willing to make less than minimum wage?
The example Paul used in his blog is a book that would run about 8.33 hours of finished time. I don't think even the world's most accomplished narrator could record an 8-hour book in 10 hours. Not only might the narrator stumble on words, but other influences can stop the recording, like growling stomachs, external noise, and calls of nature. In addition, the vocal chords grow tired after hours of recording. Furthermore, errors like mispronunciations and incorrect inflections are caught during the editing process that must re-recorded and inserted into the edited material. Using my time commitment formula with Paul's sample book, I would actually expect to spend over 33 hours in my studio to complete the assignment!
Establishing rates is always a concern for voice talent and all freelance professionals. Whether you're quoting rates for audiobooks or some other kind of long-form narration, don't be afraid to set a rate that truly compensates you for your time spent on the project.
PS. Speaking of time commitments, I wrote this article on 15 November but haven't made time to record it. I decided I'd rather post it for you now without the accompanying narration than continue to delay its publication.
- A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized. -- Fred Allen
- Why did @DrewCommins' mother tell me today about a "skunk" on her wedding day? She always wants to shock us. Some things are better unsaid.
- I've had front row tickets to Barry Manilow's shows in the past; now you have to bid on them. I am happy to get 2nd row tix. Fan club rocks!
- On Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for sooo much, starting with @DrewCommins, our families, friends, my voice-over clients, & now Barry at Paris!
- It's a dream come true! Barry Manilow will be at the Paris Las Vegas when @DrewCommins and I will be there. I just ordered fan club tickets!
- .@CourVO Instead of TNNT, your blog could've been titled TTTT--These Things Take Time. Whether it's a voiceover career or Google Wave, TTTT!
- 45 degrees & rain doesn't seem like flip flop weather to me, yet 2 girls waiting outside at this restaurant wear them. Cold feet=cold body!
- Narrating my blogs increases time. I'd never finish w/custom layout! RT @problogger The death of the boring blog post?: http://is.gd/50To7
- .@audiobookreview I highly recommend Etymotic Research ER6i earbuds. They block external noise & have excellent sound. http://bit.ly/4hAVIy
- .@ScottBrick We might see more narrators here soon. Per email today from Audio Pub Assn, members can add Twitter name to their APA profile.
- Does anyone know the 2 male voice talents in the Jimmy John Subs radio ad in Atlanta? The clever writing & fast talkers always crack me up!
- .@BarbaraSher: I knew you were a woman of discerning taste! I LOVE Boston Legal! I always look forward to any courtroom scene w/ Alan Shore.
- Hello @ScottBrick & @TantorAudio! Some audiobook narrators on Twitter: @KarenCommins, @BobSouer, @JeffreyKafer, @BobbinBeam, @JRodriguez315
- Nice story about 10-year-old voice actor Elizabeth Dampier, the princess in the movie "The Princess and the Frog" http://tinyurl.com/yc4uqoj
- Soc Media Xprt!-->RT @CourVO Make the most of your VO biz w/Social Networking. Join my teleseminar this Sat http://www.courvo.biz #voiceover
- Heading into the #voiceover studio to record some more pages in the health care reform bill for http://HearTheBill.org (1 million hits!) #in
- Awesome, Bob! Wishing you joy & continued prosperity! RT @BobSouer #voiceover studio build project photos are on FB: http://bit.ly/2FqCxX
- Words=power! RT @paulocoelho The whole universe helps when you want something. It does not select positive or negative thoughts. Be careful
- Listen to the bill narrated by voice talent! http://HearTheBill.org RT @LoreleiKing US healthcare bill passes House http://bit.ly/QtBco
- FREE mp3 of 4-Hour Work Week audiobook. Log into Audible 1st then go to promo link in Audible's Facebook post http://tinyurl.com/yef6bs9 #fb
Dear loyal readers of my blog,
You may be surprised to see Twitter updates appearing instead of my normal essays about the topics of voice-over, marketing, and audiobooks. I have not abandoned my style or intention in maintaining this blog for voice talent. However, three life-altering events during the past 6 months -- primarily the loss of my mother -- have left me with little time to write anything of length.
I also realized that many of the links I have posted on Twitter are often excellent resources for voice talent and audiobook narrators. Even if you're following me on Twitter (and if you're not, it's always a good time to start!), you may have missed some of this useful information.
Therefore, I am including my tweets as a supplement -- not a replacement -- to my usual writing on this blog. I have more feature-length articles in the works. I also plan to expand my content to include more short entries like this one since I know it can be difficult to make time to read a longer article.
I thank you for your continued interest in and support of this blog, and I hope you are living the life of your dreams!
Cordially,
Karen Commins
Photo credit: Akirastock/iStockPhoto
Recent Comments
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