With over a decade as a professional voiceover artist, Jenny is often booked for corporate video reads and chosen for her authentic Lancashire / Manchester accent and conversational Northern tone.

But, what does it cost to hire a professional voiceover artist like Jenny, to record a corporate voiceover?

Well, the starting point is the Basic Studio Fee (or BSF).

To put it simply, this is the rate a voiceover artist charges for the hire of their home studio for an approx. 3-min corporate, equivalent to approx. 1-hour of studio time. And to do this, you can expect to pay anywhere in the region of £285 – £450 (inc. internal usage) for one our Great British Voices.*

and then we need to negotiate usage – and this is where it can get slightly tricky. As Jenny states…

I understand it can be confusing, but it’s how us Voiceovers make a living. It’s what we’re legally entitled to if the corporate video goes in the public domain. ie online/broadcast etc..

In short, the amount of eyes and ears that can potentially land on the corporate video you commission me for. The more eyes and ears, the higher the usage fee. It may come as a surprise to learn that unless a full buy-out/in perpetuity rate is agreed, even if the end client owns the copyright to the script itself, they don’t actually own the rights to the voice recordings.

When you pay a usage fee, you’re buying a license to USE a voice for your corporate video, across agreed platforms, for an agreed amount of time in an agreed geographical location or locations.

Jenny M.

and, that’s simply why voiceover artists SHOULD NOT be expected to work to in-perpetuity buy-outs, or allow there voice to be used anywhere, as Jenny continues…

But, do note, that if you really wish to secure in-perpetuity usage rights, then be aware that this will cost you a lot more because you are waiving the usage rights on the artist’s intellectual property and potentially preventing them from voicing for a similar brand/competing company in the future – so the rate has to be worth the risk!

Instead, Jenny suggests opting for a longer usage license;

“A corporate explainer video like this will no doubt be irrelevant after 12 to 18 months. A 2 – 5 year license fee should more than cover it and will cost you much less than a full buy-out in perpetuity fee.”

Ultimately, if you’re looking to hire a professional voiceover for your corporate video, then it’s important to remember that it’s not just the artist’s time you’re paying for, but the usage too. By hiring a professional voiceover artist with us at Great British Voices, we can help you to acquire the usage you’re after at the right price. Make an Enquiry.

Why Hire a Voiceover at Great British Voices?

As a voiceover bureau (not an agency) at Great British Voices, we do have a bit of flexibility when it comes to rates and always take our client’s budgets into consideration, but at the same time, we never wish to undermine the industry nor our artists by accepting low fees. Therefore we always set our rates in line with the UK rate guide, created by the wonderful team at Gravy for the Brain.

We work on the principle that ”all rates are negotiable” but for us to work to these terms, our clients have to offer us full transparency also. So, providing that there’s no ambiguity on what the job involves and usage required, we’re always happy to negotiate to find you the best rate possible.

Here’s what can you expect if you hire a voiceover artist at Great British Voices;

1. We have over 300 professional British voiceover artists on our books – adults and kids – so no matter what age or accent you’re after, we can deliver and provide customized shortlists and custom demos on request.

2. All of our artists have professional home studio facilities – so no travel restraints or logistically issues to worry about.

3. All of our artists can clean/edit audio to a high standard.

4. Dial-in can be arranged as standard, so you can direct the artist as they record your script.

5. Turnaround time is often between 24-48 hours from receipt of script.

6. We are a small team of 4, so you know you’ll be getting a truly personal service when working with us.

7. We have worked with some of the world’s most well-known brands and have many repeat clients.

8. Wish to book a recognisable voice? We work alongside a number of high profile Celebrities available to hire for your voiceover project too!

9. We work to fair negotiable rates that does not underpay our artists or undermine the industry. You can see how the UK voiceover rate guideline, by clicking here.

10. And despite our British branding, we also work alongside an amazing selection of international voiceover artists too, just let us know what language you require.

Make an Enquiry

If you’d like to book Jenny or any of our other voiceover artists for your next corporate project then please do get in touch with your brief and Alex – our Great British Voices bookings coordinator, who will be able to assist you. Email alex@greatbritishvoices.co.uk or call +44 1753 439 289 to speak to a member of the Great British Talent team.

• *Prices correct at the time of publication and are subject to change in line with the UK industry guidelines. Rate stipulated are for British adult VO artists only and includes Great British Voices project management fee.