The digital voice landscape is ever-changing. As a result, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. But as voice over artists, we have to stay ahead of the curve and be ready for any technological advancement that comes our way. Why? So we can protect our income and rights as voice over artists!
With artificial intelligence (AI) voice over slowly but surely making its way into our industry, it's important to understand what this new technology is and how it can harm or benefit us. In this blog post, I'll give you a guide to AI voice over (also known as synthetic voice) so you can protect your voice and income in the new digital age. From understanding the difference between digital and traditional work to signing contracts that safeguard your income, I'll make sure you're prepared to navigate the digital voice landscape with confidence and clarity.
What is AI Voice Over and Why Do You Need to Protect Your Voice?
AI voice over, or synthetic voiceover, is an audio sound byte that is created using a computerized text-to-speech program. These programs are designed to mimic the cadence and inflection of human speech, and they can be used to generate long paragraphs of text very quickly. While this technology has many uses, it can also be misused.
The voice-over industry is in the midst of a major change, due to the rapid evolution of AI. Many companies are now considering AI to create and enhance their audio content, from automatic lip-sync to realistic character dialogue. As a result, voice-over artists are facing an increasingly competitive landscape. To stay ahead of the curve, it's important to be able to adapt to new technologies and consider how AI may (or may not) be used alongside your regular voice-over work. Luckily, there are a number of online resources that can help you do just that. Make sure to check out the extensive VO BOSS Voice and AI series for a comprehensive look at the issues and technologies surrounding AI voices. By staying up-to-date on the latest industry trends and investing in your own skill set, you'll be well-positioned to succeed in the new digital landscape.
As I write this, digital voice licensing and usage are in their infancy stages of being defined and standardized. There are companies who may not be knowledgeable (or even care) about voice licensing, so it’s up to you to protect your voice—especially since the future of work will be digital. This is our time as a community to make sure our voices are heard!
For example, let’s take the case of voice actor Bev Standing vs. media giant TikTok. Bev Standing, a veteran voice actress, had filed a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging that the social media giant had used her recordings without permission.
In her lawsuit, Standing claims that TikTok used recordings of her voice without authorization in a number of videos, including brand name accounts such as Mcdonald's, as well as with other brands promoting products. The case highlights the ongoing debate over the intellectual property rights of voice actors and other content creators. With social media platforms becoming increasingly popular sources of entertainment, it's likely that we'll see more cases like this in the future.
So now, more than ever, you must make sure you’re signing contracts that safeguard your voice and your income.
"By staying up-to-date on the latest industry trends and investing in your own skill set, you'll be well-positioned to succeed in ths new digital landscape." - Anne Ganguzza
Sign Contracts That Safeguard Your Income
An important step in protecting your income and rights as a voice over artist is signing contracts that safeguard your income. When you're entering into any type of agreement—whether it's for AI or traditional work—it's important to have a contract in place that outlines the terms of the agreement and protects your interests.
Some things you should include in your contract are:
A detailed description of the services to be provided
The fee you will be paid for those services
The length of time you will be working on the project
Usage - Where your voice will be used - location and medium, and how long your voice files will be used
For a digital or synthetic voice, consider a separate contract for the creation and ownership of your voice, which retains your rights and ownership of the data.
If possible, secure an agreement that is non-exclusive
You own the original recordings and if the other side allows, you own your finished voice;
The recordings can’t be sold or transferred to 3rd parties without your consent;
If the voice is no longer being used like in the situation where the company goes out of business, the voice will be given to you, or the files will be destroyed;
The company will use proper security measures so your voice recordings can’t be hacked.
By including these items in your contract, you can rest assured knowing that your income and rights are protected should anything go wrong with the project.
How to Price Traditional vs. AI Voice-Over Work
With traditional voice over work, there are two types of fees when it comes to pricing work.
Session fees
Usage fees
Session Fees
A session fee is what you get paid to record your voice for a client. Whether it's directed by the person who hired you or it’s self-directed, this fee covers the time the actor spends in the booth on mic.
For example, if you are given a script and the client estimates it will take two hours to record, they would book you for two hours regardless if you went to a recording studio or recorded from your home studio.
Session fees can vary widely and they depend on what the actor decides is their hourly rate. You should always include a session fee in your price quotes so that clients know how many hours they will be paying for before booking you.
Usage Fees
A usage fee is a payment that is based on how the client will use your work. It is both time and location based. Time-based assures you get compensated for the specific amount of time the client uses your VO. Usage Fees may apply to both human and AI voiceover.
My recommendation is to stay far away from any terms that state "in perpetuity" (meaning "forever"), if possible. Even if the price seems like a great deal now, and it might be convenient for the client - beware. You will have no control over where or how (or how much) your voice is being used in the future.
Basically, you are signing away your rights to your own voice by giving the client carte-blanche to be able to use your voice however they see fit. This includes the possibility of your voice being sold to an AI dubbing company to use in their text-to-speech software, and not having control over the content your voice uses.
For non-broadcast usage, make sure your terms specify specific usage for the project so that your voice is not used for any other purposes. For very large projects, I like to add a length of term on the contract, so I am not worried about my voice files being used for any other purposes than intended.
Now, since the digital voice revolution, we need to also consider that our voices may also be used on voice devices (think Amazon, Google and Samsung) and the apps that run on them.
Usage also specifies where the client is going to use your voice, for example:
local, regional, or national for broadcast purposes
internet or web-based purposes, or
internal usage
Some companies will refer to these fees as "licensing" fees or as a "buy-out". Typically the larger the audience, the larger the fee.
How to Negotiate Fees In The New Digital World
With new mediums and formats popping up daily, every voice actor needs to pay attention and be vigilant regarding their voice rights and subsequent usage in order to negotiate a fair price, whether it be for your human voice, or your synthesized voice. Make sure to be aware of what format, platform, and content your clients need covered so there aren't any surprises down the line! Also, you want to make sure that your session time and usage fees are clear and covered when doing digital voice work, as well as any brand exclusivity.
One important fact to understand is that synthetic voice audio files (as of the time of this writing) need to be generated by the company that has created your voice, or by the company where the data files and AI engine reside. You create and/or purchase a synthetic voice that is created by an AI engine with voice files that you provide as data. The engine to create that voice is owned by the AI company. Voice actors don't typically have the rights to run the AI program on their own computer to generate the final audio unless they have purchased a client account from the company and are reselling the final synthetic audio files to clients. This is why you need to consider payments for synthetic voices as a "revenue share" model. This means that your synthetic voice will typically get paid less than a human voiceover job that you record in your studio. However, with synthetic voice, you didn't need to record any audio files for the project - they are generated for you automatically from your created synthetic voice - this is pure passive income. And passive income is always a bonus.
Because this is new territory for all of us, I strongly recommend having a lawyer involved in the process, if possible. Consider it an investment in your future.
A great VO attorney who I highly recommend is Rob Sciglimpaglia. Rob has assisted me in multiple legal matters over the years for my VO business, has vetted many of the synthetic voice contracts I have been offered, and is well-versed in the evolving AI/digital space. He also represented Bev Standing in her case against TikTok, which - great news for the voiceover industry - was settled earlier this year.
In my recent VO BOSS AI and Voice: Legal podcast episode, Rob shared that if you did not sign a contract and you recorded files for a TTS job in your own home studio, you own the copyrights to all of your files.
Another potential danger of AI voice over to keep in mind is that synthetic voices can say anything the user wants, including words that were never even recorded. This can lead to spots created without your knowledge, spots that are off-brand, and it may even prohibit you from getting additional work if the voice is used for a brand that wants exclusivity, or competes with any brands that you have already voiced for.
How AI is changing the landscape of voice over work and what you can do about it
One of the best ways to protect your income and rights as a voice over artist in this digital world is to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies. While AI voice over technology is still in its infancy, it has the potential to disrupt the voice over industry in a number of ways. As AI continues to develop, it is likely that it will have a profound impact on the voice over industry.
It's important for voice actors to stay ahead of the curve. There are several ways to do this, including keeping up with the latest industry news, diversifying your portfolio, and honing your craft . Staying informed about the latest AI advancements will help you understand how the technology is being used and how it might be used in the future.
This knowledge will help you adapt your performance style to remain competitive. In addition, by continuously working to improve your vocal skills, you'll be able to deliver top-quality performances that stand out from the crowd. Finally, diversifying your portfolio will give you a greater chance of landing work in a variety of genres and formats. By taking these steps, you can protect your voice and income as the AI voice over industry continues to grow.
By understanding the difference between digital and traditional work, signing contracts that safeguard your interests, and staying up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies, you can navigate the digital world with confidence—safe in the knowledge that your income and rights are protected every step of the way.
Thanks for reading!
Keep on rocking your business like a #VOBOSS
Agent Workout with Lau Lapides
Let's have a fun and fabulous workout getting down and dirty with detailed commercial direction and individual feedback on your delivery from start to finish. We will focus on getting focused and conquering your fears and ultimately offering a bold and incisive delivery from the origins of breath, to vocalics and speech clarity, to character development and nailing the "real" in your read...let's go!
Agent Workout with Lau Lapides
December 7
Know your Digital Rights!
You are the master of your domain! Anne and special guest co-host Rob Sciglimpaglia, aka “the VO Attorney,” talk about new technologies, synthesized and AI voices, and how the new technology affects the rights of voiceover actors.
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About Anne:
Anne Ganguzza is a professional voice actor and award-winning director and producer who works with students to develop their voiceover and business skills - including voice over Coaching and Genre-based Demo Production. She specializes in conversational Commercial & Narration styles, including Corporate, eLearning, Technology, and On-Hold Messaging. Located in Orange County, California, Anne offers private coaching and mentoring services to students via ipDTL and Zoom.
