French voice over rate

As you’ve probably already noticed, French voice over rates vary enormously from one quote to another, for a number of reasons that we’ll explain in detail on this page. First of all, it depends on the actor and their status, but also on how famous they are. Famous actors are paid much more than an unknown voice for the same work. Then there’s the nature of the project and its distribution. Finally, the services provided in addition to the voice recording.

Home studio actor or entertainment intermittent?

Here’s the first factor that influences the rate: the professional status of the voice. An intermittent performer will ask you for a fee, for which you will have to pay additional charges (around 40% of the fee). A French voice talent with auto-entrepreneur status will send you an invoice with a net amount, which is usually not subject to VAT. Finally, a French voice-over artist working for a company or as a sole trader, for example, will also send you an invoice with a net amount, to which VAT will generally have to be added. There are also price differences between voiceovers with auto-entrepreneur status and those with SARL or EI status, due to the cost of charges, which can be doubled. However, it is a legal requirement to switch to the real system once certain turnover thresholds have been exceeded. It goes without saying that if you go to an actor who is the manager of his company, a shareholder in his SAS or the entrepreneur of his EI, the rates will certainly be higher, but you are buying expert work. You’re buying the skills of a real comedian who doesn’t do voice work as a sideline to make ends meet, but whose real job is to make a living from it, and who will therefore be 100% committed and professional to your project.

The French voice over rate depends on the project and its use

What type of audiovisual project do you need voice overs for? A corporate video, a corporate film, an advertising spot, an e-learning module, a podcast, a documentary, a dubbing, an audiobook, a voice over?

The nature of the project and its use have a major influence on the cost of the service:

• The nature of the project: A TV advert broadcast before the 8 o’clock news on TF1 or a telephone message for a small business will obviously not be charged at the same rate. It’s a question of brand awareness and return on investment.
• The length of the script: With the exception of commercial, which are always very short, the length of the script for other projects is one of the factors in the final rate. French voiceover rates are generally calculated by the word count or by the minute recorded.
• The type of broadcast: A video broadcast in-house does not involve the same purchase of broadcasting rights as an international TV campaign, for example. The purchase of rights is generally the criterion that weighs most heavily in the balance. It is often the largest item of expenditure in a quote, particularly in advertising. It is also the most complex, because it is based on the media plan, and today there are more and more media. It’s no longer just TV advertising and radio spots. Today, we buy advertising space on replay, streaming platforms, social networks, YouTube, etc. The buyout is therefore calculated according to all the media chosen, although for my part it remains individual, but discounts apply when a customer chooses to communicate on numerous broadcast media.
• Territoriality: Another very important factor is territoriality. An advert broadcast locally or in several French-speaking countries will not involve the same rights buy.
• The duration of the campaign: Generally, exploitation rights are assigned for one year, renewable if necessary. However, sometimes a customer wishes to buy the rights directly for 3 years, for example. In this case, a discount is usually negotiated. Conversely, for small campaigns linked to a very specific event, the customer may only need the rights for a very short time, sometimes less than 3 months. Here too, negotiation is possible. In short, rights can also be calculated according to the duration of the broadcast.

Rates depend on the service provided

Firstly, if the session takes place in a production studio with an on-site sound engineer, it is billed by the hour and the voice-over artist’s work is limited to recording her voice. On the other hand, when you call on an online French voice talent, who works from her home studio, she wears several hats: her work does not simply consist of interpreting the text, she also invests in high-quality equipment to deliver professional sound files, and offers a service to clean up and edit the files so that they are ready for use. This includes extra time and investment.

The stages of a home studio recording

• Preparatory work: In order to get as close as possible to your artistic universe and to fully understand who your target audience is and the purpose of your production, a preliminary brief is essential. Then it’s essential to take the time to get to grips with the project, to read the script or storyboard carefully in the case of motion design, for example, so as to find the right tone and get as close as possible to the client’s expectations.
• Recording: Then we move on to the recording itself, which has to be done in perfect acoustic conditions, using high-quality equipment, for a premium final result. It goes without saying that this equipment differs widely from one voice to another. Some actors plug a low-end microphone directly into their PC, while others, like me, invest tens of thousands of euros in top-of-the-range equipment. Here too, the final bill necessarily differs, as does the quality of the audio files.
• Artistic direction: If you wish to attend the live recording session to provide artistic direction, this also entails an additional cost. This involves making yourself available at a date and time convenient to you, and generally requires more time than when recording alone.
• Additional services : Unless otherwise requested by the customer, the files are delivered cleaned and edited to the desired format. This requires additional work time specific to home studio voice-overs, since as mentioned above, during a face-to-face studio session with a sound engineer, it is the engineer who takes care of this part.
• Delivery and any revisions: Once the audio files are ready, they are sent to the client. Sometimes changes are required. When these are due to a typo on the part of the actor, the retake is of course offered. On the other hand, sometimes the client decides to change the text, or its artistic direction, and this entails an additional cost.

Why don’t I publish a price list?

Quite simply because every project is unique and deserves special attention. Although a price list can give you an idea, and is perfectly suitable for a ‘classic’ project, it is increasingly common these days to multiply the distribution channels within a single campaign. It is therefore necessary to propose a personalised quote, taking the whole project into account. Recurrence is also a factor. For example, a reliable partner who trusts me every month with a substantial volume of voice-over recordings will benefit from appropriate rates. Similarly, discounts are applied to rights when a customer signs up for several years instead of the contractual 12 months. Rates can vary depending on a number of factors.

For all these reasons, I think it’s best to know the details of your project so that I can offer you the fairest possible rate.

Calling in a French professional voice actor: essential investment or futile expense?

Guess the answer? It’s essential, of course, because a French voiceover artist represents your brand image and offers you services that an amateur or computer-generated voice cannot match:

• Experience and expertise: With over 10 years’ experience, I can offer you my vocal expertise.
• A vocal signature: My unique and atypical voice gives a human and authentic dimension to your project and your brand. It speaks to people and makes a lasting impression.
• High sound quality: My professional home studio ensures that your recordings are of the highest quality.
• Adaptability and flexibility: By listening carefully to your needs, I can deliver a recording that meets your expectations as closely as possible, while respecting your deadlines.

Do you have an idea? A project? A French casting?

I’d be delighted to discuss it with you! Contact me with as many details as possible, including the following points:

• The type of project (video, advertising spot, e-learning, etc.).
• The length or number of words of the script.
• Media plan (web, TV, in-house, etc.).
• Territory and duration of broadcast.

In this way, I can offer you a detailed estimate, perfectly tailored to your overall project.

Choose a professional French voice actress to make your message an impactful communication tool and a real success. Together, let’s bring your ideas to life!