A few tips for freelance rate negotiations (updated 2020)

As you grow and evolve as an actor and start taking on more projects, chances are you will have situations come up with freelance clients where you are no longer content with the pay rates you are working for, but worry about alienating clients or losing jobs by asking for higher pay. Talking about money isn't easy, but remember that you are not just an actor, you are also a businessperson!




Ultimately, you are the only one who can make the decision for yourself on how much to charge and how much flexibility you have in rates. It can be difficult, especially for newer talent, to know when they're ready to go strictly paid-only or to know whether it's worth the risk of losing a client by standing firm on a higher rate. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself that may help you better evaluate what you can be asking for:

• How good is your home recording setup? If you have reasonably high quality and a relatively quiet space, you'll have an easier time justifying the cost than if you sound like you're recording off a phone or in a cave.
• Do you have training and experience in voiceover? One of the reasons people pay for services is because they want someone who is knowledgeable about the field they work in, good at what they do, and can deliver results. If the client sees that you know what you're doing and have done it before, they'll feel more at ease knowing they'll be taken care of. If you're not quite there yet, remember there's no shame in continuing your acting training and doing non-profit hobby/passion projects for exposure in the meantime.
  
• Are you confident in your ability to follow instructions and interpret direction, including on possible revisions?
  
• Are you able to deliver the work in the guaranteed timeframe that the client asks for? Deadlines tend to be much stricter for pro work than volunteer work, and if the client is paying you for the work, they'll expect to have the files delivered on time unless an emergency happens.
• Are you getting so many voice requests and jobs that it's difficult for you to keep up with them or know what to say no to?
• Are you OK with walking away from jobs or potentially getting fewer requests because they're not willing to pay the rates you ask for?
  

If clients are used to a certain voiceover budget when working with you, it can be difficult to convince them that they need to start budgeting a higher amount for the future. But here are some tips for how you can go about making such transitions as soon as possible.

• Don't "bait and switch" in the middle of a project. If you already agreed to do a project at a certain rate, it's not exactly courteous to threaten to quit midway through, and if you already signed a contract you may be beholden to the initial rate. There are projects that go on for years, however, and sometimes actors' schedules make it difficult to continue to work on a project for "outdated" rates. If you do need to negotiate midway through a long-term project, it's best to do it at the beginning of a new season, installment, etc.
  
• If you need to leave a project, make the transition as smooth as possible. A fairly common example of this is if you are asked to reprise a role from a project you did years ago, but the pay no longer aligns with your current rates. If possible, it's good to attempt to negotiate with the client in good faith and consider coming to some type of compromise if they can't fully meet your new rates. However, if neither of you can come to an agreement, the role will likely need to be recast. Try to let the client know as soon as possible if this is the case so that they have enough time to search for a replacement, and if you are leaving the project on good terms, you may even recommend a friend or colleague to take over the role.
  
• Inform your ongoing clients well in advance, and consider a "grace period" for those who have been working with you long-term. You can say something like "Just to let you know, I've been moving up in my career and getting busier, and I've had to raise my rates as a result. This will be in effect starting (x date). However, since I value our working relationship, I'm willing to finish up our current projects and wait until (later date) before costs will go into effect." The New Year is often a convenient time for new rates to go into effect.
  
• Understand that you may lose the job. Unfortunately, some clients either aren't able to or don't want to pay certain rates, and it may mean that they have to go with someone else for their future work. The harsh reality is that there are many freelancers on the Internet willing to work for cheap---and in some cases, notoriously cheap clients may end up being burned later when they realize they get what they pay for. However, if you're secure in your decision, say that you understand and wish them the best with their future casting.
• Offer to help them find a replacement. While it's technically not your job or obligation to do this, it can be a nice gesture of goodwill if you want to stay on good terms with the client. Assisting them in finding other talent who are hungry for work helps them not feel as burdened by trying to find a solution, and can also pass along opportunities to your (perhaps not quite as experienced or busy) peers.
• If they push back, let them know what you COULD be charging. Many clients have absolutely zero idea what hiring a professional actually costs, and don't realize how good they have it with your rates. The GVAA Rate Guide is a good reality check for clients who claim that, for instance, $100 to record a game character is "too high". Clients see a rate increase as detrimental to their budget, but don't realize that the industry standard is usually much higher than what an independent online voice talent may be asking.
• Let them know how the industry standards have evolved. For example, the Los Angeles industry standard hourly rate for nonunion video games and prelay animation has gone up pretty universally to $250 from the previously accepted $200, but many clients may still be unaware that the rate has changed. You can, for example, say you'll agree to do this particular project at the previously accepted rate (as it's difficult to change the budget once it's already been set) but that you'd like to stick to the new rate for future projects.
  
• Consider banding together with other castmates. If the majority or entire cast of a project feels they are being treated and/or paid unfairly, it may be worth talking to your other friends in the cast about coming together and negotiating for better pay. While you should understandably be careful about confidentiality, NDAs do not always, and ideally shouldn't, bar people from discussing working conditions amongst themselves. Here is an article that discusses this in more detail.
  
• Don't open with the absolute lowest price you're willing to work for. If so, you'll have no room for negotiation. However, if you just ask for a little bit higher and mention that you're willing to negotiate, the client feels like they got a deal and you don't feel burned. It doesn't mean you have to accept their offer if they really try to lowball you, but having that little extra padding helps if they try to come back with a counter-offer.
  
• Use a "favor" or "freebie" to your advantage. Sometimes you may accept a job that pays less than what you're worth because you honestly just really need the money, but then feel stuck because the client comes back for future work expecting to pay that same low rate. You can let them know "hey, I'm accepting this first job for you at the rate you offered, but just so you know, my usual rate for any future projects is (x)." Just like with the point above, they feel like they got a "discount" or "deal" on their first job and hopefully the quality of your work will hook them enough to where they're willing to meet your asking rate going forward.
• If they're firm on the pay offered, ask for other terms that will make your work easier as a compromise. This could mean asking for more flexible deadlines, not doing your own editing, or asking to record independently rather than via live-directed sessions. If you can save yourself time and work, the lower rate can be more worth it for you. (Thank you to VAC member Bindy for this tip!)
  
• Use a busy schedule to your advantage. When clients know you are in high demand, they may be willing to meet the quote you give them. You can mention something like "Hey, I'd love to accept this project, but unfortunately due to how many other projects I'm doing right now at higher rates, I have to give those priority. If you're willing to bump up the price to (x), I can make extra room in my schedule to take on this one."
  
• Keep the doors open. Maybe they can't pay you the rates you ask for now, but might get the budget in the future. If you enjoyed working on the project aside from the money aspect, you can encourage them to keep you in mind for future opportunities should their budget change.
• If all else fails...sometimes things crash and burn. Sometimes you'll get clients who just aren't willing, and say that they'll be happy to just go on another site and pay someone $5 or $10 to voice act for them. At the end of the day, you generally get what you pay for. The quality of work they'll be getting probably won't be on the same level as if they were paying $200 for that script, and they may either have to be okay with that or it will be a lesson learned and they'll come back to professionals in the future. But if nothing else, you saved yourself the headache of spending a lot of time working on something that wasn't worth your time for the small amount they'd have given you.