GVAA Rate Guide – Terminology & Additional Resources

Introducing the most comprehensive
voiceover rate guide in the industry!

Looking for Additional Rates?

Click the links below and head to your desired Rates Resource!

SPACER

We’re proud to recommend the Voice Over Network for fair UK Rates!

Take a look at our condensed SAG-AFTRA rate card. Visit the SAG-AFTRA Production Center for specific contract rate sheets and additional information.

Quoting a Union project? The SAG-AFTRA Numbers site is a great resource!

Best Practices

Use these when quoting projects and as a guide to develop your business processes!

Administration/Agent Fees
– Add 10%-20% to rate total
– This covers the administrative costs of running your business and fees when using an agent to negotiate or manage private client projects

Healthcare & Pension
– Add 16.8% to rate total
– This accounts for the cost of health care and pension/retirement contributions in accordance with the current SAG-AFTRA contract.

 

Set Your Minimum
– Determine your minimum per hour rate for each voiceover category. What’s the minimum you’ll work for?

The Client’s Budget
– Always ask the client, “what’s your budget?”, before quoting. Build your quote according to their budget within your standard rates

Ask Questions!
– Find what the client needs: Raw or edited audio? Separate files? Use and usage time? Payment terms? etc.
– Get as much information as possible so both parties know the expectations of deliverables

Session Fees
– These are commonly included on all types of projects. It is recommended to build this charge into your quote presented as one figure to the client. Itemizing session and other fees can lead to reduced rates on renewals – Fee Covers:

  • Studio – Recording studio used for session (including a home studio!)
  • Recording session – Time taken to record and Voice Actor’s professional expertise
  • Equipment & Technology – The use of your microphone and other studio equipment as well as any bridging or remote recording capabilities you offer (ex: ipDTL, Source Connect, & ISDN)

Bulk Rates & Quoting
– Consider a “bulk rate” for ongoing or recurring projects/clients
– Consider the type of project and/or client when determining your quote. ex: Small business project vs Large Corporate/Commercial project

 

Market Size
Market size is a component of usage for both TV and Radio Broadcast projects. Local markets earn lower rates while Major Markets are quoted as a Regional Market due to their size. Refer to the TV and Radio Broadcast sections for market rates and usage terms.
 – Major Markets: Los Angeles, Chicago, New York
 – National Markets: 4+ States (Major Markets can be included)
 – Regional Markets: 2-3 States, International Only, or 1 Major Market
 – Local Markets: 1 City or State Only

Quoting Internationally

Rate ranges will vary from country to country. If an international client is inquiring about your services in U.S. English however, there is no reason why you should not base your quote on U.S. voice over rates. If necessary, we recommend adjusting rates in accordance with the countries GDP per capita (based on purchasing power parity; international dollars per capita).

Resources for evaluating GDP per capita and purchasing power parity to consider:

International Monetary Fund – October 2017 Data
Wikipedia List of Countries by GDP (PPP) Per Capita