2010 was a very successful year for my business, and I want to thank all of my new and returning clients for allowing me to be “their voice”! I am also grateful for those who have shown interest in my voice by bookmarking me as a “favorite” on Voices.com, placing me in the top 20 all-time favorite female voice talent on the world’s largest voice over marketplace!
Here is just a quick sampling of a few of the places my voice was used in 2010. To view or hear each sample click on the links (in red) below.
Informational / Instructional Video
DALSA Corporate Video
MyPrint eTools informational web video (Click on the 3 videos to “see why you should choose MyPrint”)
Planet GPA web promo (Click on “What Can We Do For You? – Planet GPA About Us”)
Miller Brown Family Companies (videos automatically begin on each page): Introduction What To Expect Why We Exist
Ocean Club Resorts (Click on “Resort Video”)
Zurvita – ZLinked promo video
Kohjin – Glutathione promo video
Smart Way America Realty promo video
Cathe Friedrich Workout Blender Tutorial (Click on “View the Tutorial”)
Excent – Special Educators informational videos (25 videos)
Radio/TV Advertising
Gleen Cloth TV Commercial
Gleen Cloth Radio
Cyber Clean TV & Web Ad
Gold 915 – Radio in Curacao – Prowin Motors – Seat – Hyatt Regency Medi – Hyatt Regency Shor – Bruna Bookstore – Goudsmid Jewelry – Vreugdenhil Supermarket
Phone Systems / IVR
EEMA Lighting Group (Welcome & On-Hold messages) – EEMA Main Welcome Message — EEMA On-Hold — Liton On-Hold Message South Carolina Bar (Full phone system) – Welcome and Main Menu Loring Ward (Full phone system) – Welcome and Main Menu Steel Aviation (Welcome & On-Hold messages) – Main Greeting — Company Info — On-Hold Excent (Welcome & On-Hold Messages) – Welcome — On-Hold Startec (IVR Prompts) – New Prompts
I am looking forward to the privilege of providing quality voice overs to represent many businesses, industries and individuals in 2011.
Thanks for listening!
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Come on down!!! You’re the next contestant on The Price Is Right!
Sometimes, setting VO rates can feel like you are playing a game. But that is the last thing I (or most voice talent) want to do. There are so many variables that go into each project, and therefore, into each price quote. I am often asked for my rate card. While I do have predetermined rates for all categories of voice over, I use them as a guideline, and not an amount carved in stone. Why? Well let’s take a look at the variables.
One thing that goes into consideration is the type or purpose of the recording. Is it a radio commercial? TV commercial? Corporate video? In-house training video? Telephone messages? You may wonder why this matters. Well, my voice can be used to simply welcome someone who calls a particular company, or it can be used to actually bring in money for the company through advertising. It can be used to train new employees, or it can be used to increase the company by recruiting new employees. Even the unions such as SAG and AFTRA recognize this is a valid starting point for determining rates.
Next, we need to look at the target market or audience. If that radio commercial is going to be heard on syndication nationwide, it obviously should cost more than a spot only being used at a couple of stations in a rural community. The unions have some base rates for radio and television spots and then add additional fees according to the cities where they will be broadcast. So, for me, the amount quoted for an advertising voiceover can vary greatly.
Even with non-advertising jobs, the target audience can still come into play. A training video being used by a large corporation to train employees at multiple locations will most likely pay more than a small business that is using the video in-house for a handful of employees. And if the video will be distributed, rented or sold to other businesses within an industry, or if it will be sold to the general public, then the rates just went up again. So, you see part of the determining factor has to do with whether the client will monetarily profit from the use of my voice or not.
Then, of course, we come to the length of the script. How much time will it take for me to record? And, if I am expected to record from my own studio and also edit, and/or mix the audio, and convert it to the required format, that not only takes more time, but also more expertise and equipment.
This is not an exhaustive list of variables for determining rates, since there are also items like the use of ISDN to record, or whether this is for a buy-out of usage or if residuals will be expected, or even if and how many sessions of revisions will be allowed without new charges. So, if you ask me for my rate card, and I ask you to provide me with some more information first, hopefully now you can understand why. It’s not because I’m trying to find ways to get more money out of you, it’s because I want to be fair to you, to me and to the voiceover industry.
For a general idea of common voice over rates, here are a few links (in red below) to some websites that offer guidelines for non-union fees for VO. You will notice a wide range of rates between each of these resources, so again, consider the variables. The more information I receive about a project, the more accurate (and fair and reasonable) my quote will be. Edge Studio Voice Over Industry Ratecard
Voices.com – Voice Over Rates
Voice123 – How Much Are Talents and Voice Producers Charging for Non-Union Voice Over Work Delivered Online?
And one site that provides a list of current union rates for SAG and AFTRA: Producers Handy Dandy Mid-Atlantic Voice Over Resource for Union Talent
Another valuable resource I use for determining length of audio: Edge Studio Words to Time Calculator
Please call or email me with the details of your project for a quote. Oh, and I’m always glad to provide you with a custom sample of your script at no charge!
email: diane@dianesvoice.com phone: 240-580-3355 web: DianesVoice.com
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OK, so I wasn’t reviewed by Good Housekeeping, however, I find this to be every bit the honor as their well-known “Seal of Approval”. I received word yesterday that I had passed the required technical and peer reviews to become a fully-accredited voice talent by the SaVoa, the Society of Accredited Voice Over Artists.
So, what does that mean? Well, according to the SaVoa website, “Accreditation by SaVoa is recognition of the ability of a member to provide vocally and technically proficient, broadcast-quality voice over services and to conduct business in such a way that it enhances the profession as a whole.” It also explains that “Members of SaVoa are conscientious and active voice over artists pursuing excellence in the vocal, technical and business skills their craft requires, while working diligently to enhance the profession as a whole. Ethical business practices can be achieved by maintaining fairness and “striving for equity in all things” — for example, between the needs of the client and the skills of the voice artist.”
This has been a goal of mine ever since I learned of SaVoa. For me, I wanted this accreditation for several reasons. First, I believe this will bring added credibility to my services as I compete in an ocean of “voice talent” riding the wave of the Internet. There are many, many talented and professional voice over artists to be found on the web. However, there are just as many (probably more) people with a computer, a microphone, and a friend who has told them they have a good voice. This seal from the SaVoa enables others to immediately know that they have found someone who does this professionally and who will deliver a high-quality product.
This accreditation is also a confirmation to me that my facilities and equipment are in-line with the industry standards, and that my talent and skills are considered by my own peers to be that as well. Finally, since this business only thrives through networking, I am hoping this will bring me some additional exposure and opportunities.
If you are interested in learning about the accreditation criteria I had to pass, and the specific qualifications necessary for vocal delivery and technical delivery, you can find it all outlined on the SaVoa website under Accreditation Criteria.
Production Director - WJJB, circa 1995
For those who don’t know me yet, my name is Diane Bean, and I live in the mountains of beautiful Western MD, and I really love the area. I grew up here, went away to college, and stayed away a couple of years after that. But, despite my best intentions, I found myself back in the city of Cumberland, and I finally realized what a picturesque place it is.
Ever since high school, I’ve been involved in drama and public speaking, then once in college, I added radio experience and voiceovers to my resume, while continuing to enjoy doing theatre (even some professional summer theatre). I studied Mass Communication at Towson University in Baltimore, with an emphasis in broadcast performance and production. I did some internships and independent studies in radio, and a fabulous internship at Flite Three Recording Studios in Baltimore, MD. I made some wonderful connections through those experiences that have helped me throughout my career.
Once back in Cumberland, I truly enjoyed my 10 minute commute to work at WJJB-FM (JIB-100, as it was known then). Don’t get me wrong — I loved living in Baltimore, but not sitting in traffic to and from work was a nice change. I took a job at this fairly new radio station as production and continuity director, but as is often the case in radio, I ended up doing so much more. Writing copy, assigning production, recording spots, features and interviews were my main responsibilities. But, there were the times that I did trafficking and billing as well. Honestly, it doesn’t seem all that long ago, but I have to just shake my head when I think of how much technology has changed in that short time.
The station was automated, and while we did have some live, local programming, much was from a satellite network. All of the spots were recorded on carts (and assigned a “cart #”), and they went into this giant automation machine that took up almost a full wall in the office. The machine would be programmed by the traffic department, and it would suck in the corresponding cart to play each commercial when it was time. Of course, there were always times when a cart would be misplaced in the automation monster, which had the potential of causing dead air, especially when the machine tried to suck in a cart that wasn’t there. Ah, the good ol’ days…
Actually, the best part was how proficient I became with a razor blade, grease pencil and splicing tape. Yes, recording was done on a reel-to-reel machine, and editing was done by actually marking and cutting pieces from the quarter-inch tape. I was quick! And I was good at keeping my pieces somewhat organized in case I needed to “undo” an edit. Boy, that undo button would have saved me a lot of time. Anyway, I bet I could still race you on the splicing block!
I eventually left that station, but continued to record spots for some clients along with other VO projects, but never stopped yearning to do voiceovers full time. However, there was always this one big obstacle that I couldn’t quite figure out how to overcome — I lived in Western Maryland, which is a driveable 2 hours away from Baltimore, D.C., or Pittsburgh, but no big recording studios in Cumberland. Most people here don’t even know what a voice talent does. Some people think I give singing lessons! Ugh! What’s a girl to do?
