This had to be a typo!

Brice Lewis · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008, 15:13 (GMT) Post subject: This had to be a typo!

CMCGrandOpening
Project ID: LTK14409571133X
Project Description: This is our Grand Opening commercial the VO must convey the following: enthusiasm without sounding too much like a car dealership. An heir of class but not overly stuffy.

30 second spot

Read word for word as written.

Read as if this was your facility and you spent that last 15 years working on this project and funding it.

This is a nonprofit facility, and the success of the center depends on the response from the community.

The price of the voiceover for a spot for something they've put fifteen years of their life into...fifteen bucks! That's right, a buck a year for something you've put your heart and soul into. We have a non profit theatre here in my town, and they're willing to cough up fifty buck and tickets to the show.

I have a guy that puts on a big magic show on every year. I do the spots gratis, but he gives me as many tickets as I want, always down front and I've even ended up on stage. The value of the tickets is worth my time to record the voice, and is a hell of a lot more than fifteen bucks.

The local theatre I'm talking about is not above getting corporate sponsors to help cover such expenses as advertising. Perhaps these people should try that before posting such a gig.

Before I get jumped all over by those who would say, "if it's too cheap, just delete it." I did. A year ago, I was the guy who jumped on everything that came into my in-basket. With more experience, and with SmartCast watching everything I audition for, I've gotten a lot more choosy. I just feel that this belittles the value of this thing we do. These people put their heart and soul into this center, and think that the quality of a fifteen buck vo talent will drive people into their facility and put the center onto a firm financial foundation. More likely, no one will show, and they'll blame the lousy talent on Voice 123 for the crappy commercial. We didn't give it the "heir" of class it deserved.

Frankly, I would have been less insulted if they had asked us to do it for free. I firmly believe in the value of pro bono work, but asking me to work for cheap is demeaning. Sorry for the rant...I'll shut up now. I feel better though. Robert, can I have a Moosehead?

JC Haze · **Voice Talent** Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 86

Wow. Very Very sad indeed.
...until we DELETE again!

don't let it bum you out Brice, just move on to the next gig.

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008, 16:31 (GMT) Post subject:

I like to get out my frustrations with silly poetry. Here's one I call:

Pro bono:an option...but, noooo!

Reply, reply
Ever tempted to reply
just to poke a thumb in the chintzy seekers eye

But don't dare
beware...
SharkCast is watching....
waiting everywhere....
breath baited...
appetite unsated
with premium ships
typing fins poised
smell the noise
of complaint
dare to taint
be the fool
water of the talent pool
infused with orange
end.
(because nothing rhymes with orange)
Laughing

Greg Houser · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 174

In a situation like that, if I knew the folks (and really that's the only way this would happen). I'd do the spot gratis and write it off after providing them an invoice for whatever I would normally charge for the spot.

The $15 isn't worth as much as the loss would be when it's deducted at tax time.

But again, only if I know you (and like you) would I be willing to go that far. Otherwise, it's not worth the price of powering up the studio.

Allison Scussel · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 928

As a woman who waitressed my way through college, I can tell U the biggest insult is to "UNDERTIP" rather than not tip at all. History is haunting.