Rights of use & buyouts
If you commission a voice recording for your project, you should clarify in advance whether any usage rights apply.
What do you need to bear in mind and what does it cost?
"We want unlimited use in terms of time and space for all media". Ok, but that will be really expensive and is usually oversized and unnecessary.
It is better to consider in advance in which media and for how long your project is to be used. For example, a local radio spot does not require national usage rights, campaign projects do not require unlimited buyouts, etc.
Usage rights apply if your project is used as paid advertising in cinemas, on TV, radio, at POS, online, etc. The "base prices" depend on the medium, area of use, and time. Well-known voice talent usually more expensive, while with others you can negotiate individual "package prices."
So, what do you need to bear in mind on the way to an optimal speaker performanceYou will find useful tips on the following topics:
- Paid advertising
- Online / AddsRadio / TV / Cinema
- Running times
- Local / national / worldwide
- Total buyout
- Celebrities
- Costs
In recent years, we - the Vox-Over team - have successfully managed projects large and small for many customers and found suitable solutions for all tasks and questions. We are happy to be there for you too!
Trevor Hurst & Markus Löhr
Our promise:
- Personal support for your projects
- Guaranteed quality according to EBU standard (European Braodcast Union)
- 100% native speakers, voice talent TV and radio quality
- Timely implementation
- Trust through NDAs with suppliers
- Legally compliant usage rights and licensing
- Archiving and problem-free continuation of all projects
General
Usage rights and buyouts are incurred when voice recordings are used for advertising, i.e. when payment is made for broadcasting or use. Whether in cinemas, TV, radio, POS or on the Internet, as soon as customers can hear the voice recordings without being asked, this is referred to as active use and buyouts are charged for this.
The amount of the fee depends on the medium and the time and place of use. It therefore makes sense to clarify in advance where, for how long and for what purpose the voice recordings will be used.
Utilization
As a rule, exploitation is valid for one year from the first broadcast/broadcast. If the same voice recording is used for another commercial, usage rights are due again. Cutdowns, reminders, spoilers and patronages - in short, variations of the main spot - are remunerated separately. Here, too, there are individual package solutions that can consist of a combination of TV and Internet commercials with cutdowns, for example.
The geographical exploitation should be defined sensibly; booking a local radio spot nationally or a German spot worldwide makes no sense and is only expensive.
Individual advice is always useful here.
Online
If the voice recording is used as an advertisement on the Internet, for example as a Facebook ad, sponsored link on Google or on a campaign page, etc., the usage rights for an Internet advertisement apply. In the case of passive use, e.g. if the video is only available on the company's own homepage or YouTube page, there are no additional costs.
TV/Cinema
The exploitation rights are most expensive for advertising use on TV and in cinemas. A distinction is also made here according to the area of use. Whether the commercial is used in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) or only in a special interest channel makes a big difference. It does not matter how long the voice recording is, even if only one word is spoken, it counts as one commercial.
Radio
The classic radio spot varies considerably from local to international exploitation, and the advertised product is also relevant for the price; if a large bank is advertised, it is usually more expensive than the small bakery around the corner.
POS, Trade fair
If the voice recording is used at a POS (point of sale), i.e. shown on a screen in a store or department store, usage rights are also incurred. These are comparable to the costs for an Internet spot. Use at trade fairs is usually not charged separately.
Tip: as the costs for the layout are independent of the utilization, you can also decide which utilization is best for your product after the voice recording. The costs for this will then only be incurred once utilization has taken place.
Prominent voice talent
Voices of well-known actors or popular dubbing actors can attract special attention to certain projects. The recognizability of celebrity voices can pay off. In fact, almost any wish can be fulfilled, as long as the budget allows.
Terminology
Many abbreviations and terms are not self-explanatory, so here are a few tips:
Layout: the pure voice recording
Cut-down: new motif from an existing spot
Allonge: local versions of an existing spot
Disruptor: changes to an existing spot
Claim: the brand name or brand slogan at the end of a spotPOS: brand presentation in a store, DIY store, department store, in-flight service
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us directly!
