Here’s a list of frequently asked quesiotns (FAQ) with as many questions as I can think of that might help you understand how things work…
Richard, How do I contact you?
Simply fill in the contact form HERE . If you want to send me a sample of what you want or an audition script then send it to admin@richardfostervoices.com
Can I Listen to work you’ve done before?
Yes of course. I’ve put a selection of samples from projects I’ve been working on in the ‘SAMPLES PORTFOLIO page. I try to keep this up to date with samples from my most recent projects (I’ve done hundreds!) but I can’t put them all there so if there’s something you want that you can’t find just let me know – Calling me on the phone is best as it saves a lot of time.
Where do you live Richard – I’m thousands of miles away from you – Does this matter?
No it doesn’t matter – although I live in the ‘Pays de La Loire’ in France in a 250 year old farmhouse (I love it!), not everything is 250 years old! – I have a high speed internet connection and I have a fully equipped home studio with various types of studio quality microphone, a vocal booth, 4k camera and industry standard professional audio recording and editing facilities. This means I can do almost all projects (about 99% in fact) from home. I even have studio link-up technology where I can work ‘live’ with you and get direction, do re-takes and interact with you as if you and I were in the same room. Of course I also have video conferencing capability too.
Do we need a contract?
It depends how you’ve arrived at my doorstep – I get work from four different sources…
- Repeat business from clients I’ve worked with before (about 30% of my work comes this way).
- Direct from the client
- Through an ‘artist’ agency.
- Through one of the many ‘referral’/ ‘gigging’ websites (some of which are dedicated to voiceover work only and others include all sorts of work).
If you’re coming direct to me as the end client, or you’re an agency representing the end client, then one of the contracts listed below will most likely suit what we need. If you’re coming via a ‘referral’ website, then that website will already have a contractual framework in place – you create a description of what you want, I get to see (along with many others) the ‘advertisement’ for the job and I apply for it. In return the referral website gets a cut of the price from me.
Please call me if you want to clarify anything – then lets get on with the job!
How much does it cost?
There’s a whole section about rates HERE.
What is ‘Usage’, ‘Perpetual’ or ‘In Perpetuity’
Voiceover ‘Usage’ , sometimes called ‘buy-out’ fees, are paid to voiceover artists to cover the ongoing use of their recording. You don’t always have to pay though. So when do usage fees apply? A basic rule of thumb is that any material for use in the public domain will require a usage fee. This means things like commercial advertising, YouTube, etc but not things like audiobooks etc. Take a look at my rates guide for further information. When usage or buy out fees are paid this will often cover the ‘usage’ by the client for ever more – or ‘in perpetuity’. Equally a usage or buyout fee may have a limit put on it – it might say that it’s valid for one year, one month, two weeks etc or it might say it applies only to one country or multiple countries etc. By all means contact me for more info or download my rates card at the bottom of my RATES PAGE which gives more detail about where usage fees apply and when they don’t.