Do we get questions? oy . . .

What makes you better than the other on-line casting sites?

What makes us truly unique—and of genuine value to producers who need to find talent immediately—is that we feature pre-screened, well-trained professional voice talent exclusively.

  • When selecting talent for Voice Yenta, we consider only first rate, experienced non-Union voice actors recommended to us by established talent agents or casting directors.
  • Talent submissions are further screened by our panel of seasoned casting pros to determine which are truly "Yenta-worthy"—that is serious voice actors who consistently demonstrate superior acting skills, a solid technique and commitment to their craft.
  • Clients can rest assured that any talent they find on Voice Yenta will be professional, prepared and directable.

Listing on Voice Yenta is 100% free of charge to talent. There are no listing fees nor do we receive a percentage of any actor or agent's fees when they are cast. We choose actors based solely on their ability and preparation—not on their ability to pay us.
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Do you accept unsolicited demos from voice actors?

In a word, NO. In order to deliver on our promise to our clients that "any talent they find on Voice Yenta will be professional, prepared and directable," we can only consider the following non-Union voice talent:

  1. Actors we know who have actually auditioned at Voicetrax, or;
  2. Actors who are personally recommended to us by trusted voiceover talent agents and casting professionals who we work with regularly.

Additionally, all submissions are further screened by our casting experts to ensure that only those voice artists who demonstrate superior acting skills, a strong mastery of technique and dedication to craft make the final cut. If you don't fall into one of the above two categories, we cannot consider your submission. More simply put—if we don't know you, we cannot personally vouch for you, your professionalism and ability, no matter how good your demo or your resumé are. No exceptions.
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How does the Voice Yenta service work?

We offer a variety of on-line casting services. Some clients like to browse through our listings themselves to find the right talent they want for their project. Others don't have enough time to listen to lots of different audio clips, so they prefer to have us narrow down the field for them. And yet others want to hear their script interpreted by several actors before making their final choice. Each of our services is detailed on our Services & Rates page, so you can determine which of our services best meets your specific needs.
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How much should I expect to pay non-Union talent?

Just to be clear…the way our service works is that we help clients find the right actors for their projects, but since we don’t represent the actors ourselves, we don’t set their rates. Instead, we provide our clients with contact information for the actors or their agents; then the client calls them to discuss rates and availability.

To help you get a general idea of how much you should budget for voice talent, we asked several large talent agencies to provide us with a ballpark range of current rates charged by professional, non-Union voice actors:

  • For TV and radio ads, rates vary depending on where the spots are broadcast and for how long. Rates can range from between a few hundred dollars for a radio spot that airs in a small market for a few weeks to several thousands of dollars for a nationally broadcast TV ad that runs for several months.
  • For most other projects, including multimedia, podcasts, industrial narration and video games, professional non-Union actors are typically paid on an hourly basis, with a one-hour minimum fee:
    • Rates for the first hour typically range between $300 to $450. For sessions lasting longer than an hour, rates for each additional hour are normally between $200-350.
    • For sessions lasting more than four hours, or for projects requiring multiple recording sessions, agents and actors may be open to negotiating a reduced hourly rate.
    • Additionally, you'll need to budget an additional 20%—over and above the actor's hourly rate—for the talent agency's fee. (Please note that Voice Yenta does not receive any part of any actor's or agent's fees.)
    • For audio books rates are typically in the range of $125-$225 per hour, depending on the length and complexity of the project.

Of course, as with anything else, there are always exceptions. On Voice Yenta we've also included a few of the most renowned, experienced voice actors in the voiceover industry whose credits include animated TV series, blockbuster video games and national TV advertising campaigns. The hourly rates commanded by these actors may actually be one and a half to two times higher than the typical ranges noted above.
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How many actors do I need to select from Voice Yenta for my project?

For each role you need to cast, it's always advisable to have one or two alternate choices—especially if you're working on a tight schedule. Your first choice may be unavailable on the day that you're scheduled to record, so to avoid unnecessary headaches and disappointment, we recommend having a strong back-up choice or two.
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If I use one of your on-line services, how long will it take to get the casting information I need?

The following response times apply only to orders received during our normal business hours. (Orders received on weekends and holidays will be processed the next business day):

  • You Pick the Talent service—same day response for orders received by 4:00PM Pacific Time.
  • We Narrow It Down for You service—your selected audio will be delivered the next business day.
  • E-casting service—your edited audition files will be avaible for listening within two business days. (A one business-day turnaround may be possible in some instances.)

If we anticipate any delays in fulfilling your order we will advise you immediately, so that you can evaluate your options. Additionally, if you have an urgent deadline to meet, let us know and we'll try to accommodate your request whenever possible.
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How do I make arrangements to book the actors I've selected?

It's normally a two-part process:

1. After Voice Yenta sends you the contact information for the actors you've selected, you should call or email the actors or their agents to determine whether they will be available on the date(s) you plan to record your project and what their rates are. When you call the actors or agents, you should let them know the following:

  • You have been referred through Voicetrax's Voice Yenta service
  • You want to check on their talent's availability and rates.
  • The intended use of the voiceover (e.g., industrial, video game, multimedia, radio commercial)
  • Where it will be broadcast or played
  • The date (or dates) you plan to record, and approximate time, if known
  • The estimated length of the session
  • Location of the recording studio. (Even if you don't know the exact location yet, let them know which city.)

Once you've made your final choice, and reserved a studio time, you should re-contact the actors you've picked (or their agents) to provide the date, time and place of recording, and work out payment details.
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What if I want to hear selected actors perform my own script?

You have a couple of options...

If you are really pressed for time and only have one day or less to finalize your decision, you can use Voice Yenta's You Pick the Talent or We Narrow It Down for You services to narrow down your choices to two or three, then you can:

  • Contact the actors or their agents
  • Send them a copy of your script
  • Ask them to record it immediately
  • Have them email you an MP3 copy of their recording, so you can hear their interpretations before making your final choice.

If you have a slightly longer time frame, you can have us do a customized E-casting for you. We’ll:

Send your copy to the best non-Union actors available whom most closely match your specifications

  • Have them record your copy according to your directions.
  • Review and edit their auditions
  • Upload the auditions to a secure online file-sharing site for your final review and selection

If you are as concerned about presenting your work in the best light to your client as you are about finding the right voice actor for the job, you might also want to consider having us do a full-service, in-studio casting for you. Rates for a full casting start at $350, and include talent selection and scheduling, professional direction, broadcast quality recording, and assistance with availability checking. Visit Voicetrax Casting for more details.
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How do I find a high quality, reasonably priced recording facility?

Hourly rates for broadcast quality, professional studio recording services typically range between $150-$400/hour depending on geographic location, competitive climate and how plush the studio furnishings are! It definitely pays to shop around, because in LA for example, you may find that some studios charge $200/hour and others up to $400/hour for comparable quality services.

We are strong believers in the power of "word of mouth" advertising. Ask your colleagues and friends, and find out which studios they've worked with, the ones they recommend and why. Be sure to check our Resources page for information on a few of our favorite studios in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Austin.

Additionally, you may have a local multimedia resource guide or directory available for your geographic area that lists professional recording studios with descriptions of the services they provide.

Reel Directory is the most commonly used resource for Northern California. In Southern California, Voiceover Resource Guide is the most widely used reference. Similar guides and directories are published for other parts of the country.
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Should I stick with talent that is located in my same geographic area?

With modern digital recording technology so widely available, it makes little difference where your talent is physically located. You are free to choose the best talent for your project—regardless of where they are. Many studios now offer remote recording capabilities that allow you to easily set up a recording session with talent almost anywhere in the country, even internationally.

Via phone patch, you can participate in a recording session remotely at a cost that is marginally higher than the cost of a normal recording session. If you require an ISDN connection, however, you will need to budget for higher costs, i.e., studio rentals in two locations (the studio where you are located and the studio where the talent is located) plus the ISDN transmission fee. 

To find an ISDN-equipped studio in your area, contact any recording studio that advertises "digital patch" or "ISDN" capabilities for detailed information and rates. As we previously mentioned, when you're trying to locate a recording studio it really pays to check around. Studio rates for ISDN recording can vary between $150-$400/hour, and ISDN transmission fees can range between $75 to $250/hour. Incidentally, nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find professional voice actors—including some of the ones listed on Voice Yenta—who provide their own ISDN connection at no or very minimal additional cost.
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What if I don't find exactly what I'm looking for on Voice Yenta?

Contact us and tell us what you are looking for. We still may be able to help you find the talent you need through our extensive network of contacts and resources, or we may recommend that you use one of our custom casting services.

And if we're unable to help you find what you need, we'll do our best to refer you to another experienced, reputable casting service provider who might.
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If I pay for one of your services and subsequently decide that I need more selections, do I have to pay the full amount again?

If you contact us within 10 business days from the date we originally fulfilled your order, we'll charge you only the rates indicated for "each additional actor/selection" on our Services & Rates page for the casting service you selected. 
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If my budget is extremely limited, is there somewhere else that I might be able to find decent voice talent on-line?

If you have a low or no budget, we recommend that you try posting an ad on your local Craigslist.com under "TV/Film/Video/Radio" or “gigs.” You might also try posting a casting notice on any popular websites or in publications for on-camera and theater actors in your area. (Most sites and publications will post your "casting notices" for free.) The submissions that you receive in response may not all be top quality—or appropriate for what you are looking for—but you’ll likely get back at least a few decent auditions from which to choose.
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