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Services & Rates
Please be aware that my rates and services adhere to the SAG-AFTRA guidelines for audiobook production. Though I am not a SAG-AFTRA member, I adhere to these regulations in order to ensure a professional final product, a seamless production experience, and to ease the burden when I do join the union.
Standard 30-day terms apply for all charges. Invoices are sent 1) upon receipt of the proofing notes from the rights holder/author or 2) 10 days after the delivery of the finished audio, whichever comes first.
*Rates do not include service charges for credit card or other payment processing. Additional fees may apply.
Rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Not for public posting. Always contact Kirt directly for the most up-to-date information.
1
FULL AUDIOBOOK PRODUCTION
$350 / PFH *
You will receive a completed, proofed, edited, and mastered version of your audiobook. Editing, mastering, and proofing are completed by a third party, ensuring a professional third-person review of the material is completed and the audio is of the highest quality. After delivery, you provide one round of additional proofing notes at no additional cost.
2
NARRATION ONLY
$275 / PFH *
You will receive raw, unmastered, punch-and-roll files of my narration. You will be responsible for proofing the audiobook and providing one round of notes. You will also be responsible for making sure the audiobook is edited and mastered to meet distribution standards. This option is available for those who are already working with experienced audio editors or production houses.
3
ADDITIONAL PROOFING
$50 / Hour *
If you require additional edits after the first round of proofing, I will bill for the time it takes me to complete that work at $50/hour. Minimum one hour.
4
AUDIO REPACKAGING
$100 / Hour *
If you wish to reformat or make changes to previously recorded audio (combining individual novels into a collection or splitting up a short story collection, for example), I will bill for the time it takes me to complete that work at $100/hour. Minimum one hour.
AUDIOBOOK FAQs
What is PFH?
PFH stands for Per Finished Hour. Audiobook rates are calculated based on the total runtime of the audiobook. For example, a 10 hour and 14-minute audiobook would be billed at 10.23 hours.
How can I calculate the final runtime of my book?
There are many factors that can affect the final runtime, but conventional wisdom is that 9,300 words will make one hour of audio. I have found that my recording is closer to 9,000 words for one hour of audio.
How long does it take to record a book?
It depends on how long the book is. I try to record 4 or 5 days a week and to complete 1.5 or 2 hours of finished audio each recording day. So in a typical week, I complete about 10 finished hours of audio. Based on the math above, a 90,000-word book would take me one week to record. Once recorded, it takes an additional few days to proof, edit, and master.
What is proofing?
Proofing is the process that takes place after the audiobook has been recorded. Proofers check for mispronunciations, inconsistencies, extraneous noises, and significant departures from the text. The narrator receives the proofing notes and records pickups, which are then inserted into the existing audio.
How much control do I have over the narrator's performance?
There is a period of time at the start of the audiobook process in which your feedback is encouraged. Tell me everything you can about your characters and story. I will take the information and provide a representative sample (sometimes called the "First Fifteen" though it is not always the first fifteen minutes) to you prior to recording the entire book.
Once you have approved that sample, I will complete the rest of the book without additional input. To ensure the final product meets your expectations, make sure to communicate as much as you can upfront. Changing character voices, pacing, tone, or book-specific pronunciations after the sample is approved will result in additional charges.
Do I pay upfront?
No. You pay once the project is complete and approved. Invoices are sent once your proofing notes are sent to me OR 10 days after the audio files are delivered to you, whichever comes first. This ensures that I am paid within 40 days of completing the bulk of my work on your project.
Do you require a deposit?
Only sometimes. A deposit of 50% of the estimated runtime of the audiobook will be required for any projects estimated to exceed 12 hours, which is approximately 110,000 words. The deposit must be paid before recording begins. If you choose to cancel the project at any point thereafter, a portion of the deposit will be refunded based on how much work was already completed on the audiobook.