Voiceover residuals/royalties

[Guest megmclachlan]

One gig client asked me to doa VO, to be paid with royalties from the sales/hits on the videos. I am amenable to this, but was wondering how to do it through a Fiverr gig. We have options for buyouts, I don’t see options for percent residuals.

[lisabaarns]

Not going to happen via Fiverr.

In theory you could have the buyer just purchase a gig every month, and you send the same audio again, but still that would be between you and the buyer.

And if they decided to not pay you one month, there would be nothing you can do.

They either pay you up front, you give them a reduced price, or you say “Sorry, that doesn’t work via the Fiverr system.”

I wouldn’t do it… the prices are already crazy low on Fiverr, you are basically financing the buyers product.

I’ve done plenty of Royalty Share audiobooks, but VO for a product doesn’t usually make sense.

That implies the buyer doesn’t have confidence in their ability to sell the product, otherwise they would invest (could mean “borrow”) to find the money to do the VO.

If I thought I could earn $2,000 on my product, borrowing $50 or $100 to get the VO done wouldn’t be an issue.

[damooch916]

This is a major problem in audio performing gigs stemming from incorrect buyer expectations and a lack of understanding regarding royalties vs commercial sales vs usage.

Royalties are collected by publishing firms. If a work isn’t registered to a national copyright firm, royalties will not be collected.

Specifically royalties relate to instances where third parties distribute the performance (television, radio, bookstore’s etc.)

Performance royalties, writer royalties and publishing ownership are all different things.

If a work is NOT registered for copyright- then by law, said work is owned by the person who created it. Copyright registers and harbors a legal document of the creators but is not technically necessary to “own” your creation… it’s only necessary to collect royalties.

“Buyouts” are not technically what audio “art creators” are offering on fiverr. Time is what we’re offering. If you created something while your time was purchased, your creation may have a specific reason…and you may grant the person who purchased your time commercial use of that creation (meaning they may benefit financially from your creation or even own the master) but that doesn’t suggest you are giving away ownership :

With that said- your time is what you’re selling. Your fees may reflect how long something takes or how many things you did during that time. Working for promises and aspirations hurts the standard prices of other sellers.

[matureactress]

This is a major problem in audio performing gigs stemming from incorrect buyer expectations and a lack of understanding regarding royalties vs commercial sales vs usage.

Royalties are collected by publishing firms. If a work isn’t registered to a national copyright firm, royalties will not be collected.

Specifically royalties relate to instances where third parties distribute the performance (television, radio, bookstore’s etc.)

Performance royalties, writer royalties and publishing ownership are all different things.

If a work is NOT registered for copyright- then by law, said work is owned by the person who created it. Copyright registers and harbors a legal document of the creators but is not technically necessary to “own” your creation… it’s only necessary to collect royalties.

“Buyouts” are not technically what audio “art creators” are offering on fiverr. Time is what we’re offering. If you created something while your time was purchased, your creation may have a specific reason…and you may grant the person who purchased your time commercial use of that creation (meaning they may benefit financially from your creation or even own the master) but that doesn’t suggest you are giving away ownership :

With that said- your time is what you’re selling. Your fees may reflect how long something takes or how many things you did during that time. Working for promises and aspirations hurts the standard prices of other sellers.

Well stated!

However, I’d like to clarify that VO gigs (like the posters), are sold by word count and musical recordings are sold by time. But they are similar in the fact that they’re the entire production team.

[pedromleitao]

Well stated!

However, I’d like to clarify that VO gigs (like the posters), are sold by word count and musical recordings are sold by time. But they are similar in the fact that they’re the entire production team.

If you are sure you will get paid (that’s a very big if), you should do it.

[matureactress]

You’re new to Fiverr and you’ll soon discover that things work quite differently for VO artists, like you and me, than they do in the “real” world. You’ll be shocked.

[damooch916]

Well stated!

However, I’d like to clarify that VO gigs (like the posters), are sold by word count and musical recordings are sold by time. But they are similar in the fact that they’re the entire production team.

Mostly I was referring to the idea of royalty collection being similar… VO work, unlike music, usually is specifically “for hire” even if you’re the copy writer. So it makes even less sense to work for “royalties.” I have yet to meet a single buyer who has understood copyright law much less royalty distribution.

Your invaluable input would good here.

[matureactress]

Mostly I was referring to the idea of royalty collection being similar… VO work, unlike music, usually is specifically “for hire” even if you’re the copy writer. So it makes even less sense to work for “royalties.” I have yet to meet a single buyer who has understood copyright law much less royalty distribution.

Your invaluable input would good here.

Accepting payment or soliciting for payment outside of Fiverr is a violation of the TOS. Report this Buyer immediately or risk being barred for violating it too. You’re new, so you don’t know that our messages are filtered and even a hint of foul play is flagged.

[Guest megmclachlan]

OThanks guys. I just did a straight up gig for him. Super honest guy. No problems. Then this morning someone wanted me outside of Fiverr for much less money than my posted gig. Why would I get myself banned for taking a loss like that? My rates are already low because I’m in portfolio-building/reviews building mode and I’m getting work st these rates. Does this happen on the daily? Low ballers and clandestines I mean.

[pedromleitao]

OThanks guys. I just did a straight up gig for him. Super honest guy. No problems. Then this morning someone wanted me outside of Fiverr for much less money than my posted gig. Why would I get myself banned for taking a loss like that? My rates are already low because I’m in portfolio-building/reviews building mode and I’m getting work st these rates. Does this happen on the daily? Low ballers and clandestines I mean.

I was never particularly enticed to sell outside of Fiverr. Had one or two people asking how we should do it, and when I replied that it was best (safer for both parties) to do it through Fiverr, they all went ahead and ordered. I think a lot of people are extremely afraid of the TOS, though. I regularly give my e-mail to clients, or ask their e-mail, because I work in video and the 150 mb limit is simply not enough. The number of clients that try to disguise their email (they’ll send something like “xxxx at g-m-a-i-l dot com” or similar) is hilarious.

[lisabaarns]

I was never particularly enticed to sell outside of Fiverr. Had one or two people asking how we should do it, and when I replied that it was best (safer for both parties) to do it through Fiverr, they all went ahead and ordered. I think a lot of people are extremely afraid of the TOS, though. I regularly give my e-mail to clients, or ask their e-mail, because I work in video and the 150 mb limit is simply not enough. The number of clients that try to disguise their email (they’ll send something like “xxxx at g-m-a-i-l dot com” or similar) is hilarious.

I think a lot of people are extremely afraid of the TOS, though. I regularly give my e-mail to clients, or ask their e-mail, because I work in video and the 150 mb limit is simply not enough.

I know this is older but:

You don’t need to use email to deliver over the 150 MB limit. You can send a link from GDrive, Dropbox, WeTransfer or a few other services.

Eventually the Fiverr system will note the emails and cut you off. Some people get away with it for months, then have their account shut down.

Not to mention there is no reason needed to send emails just for the delivery.

While most of my files are not over the 150 mb limit (Voice overs), I’ve done plenty where I’m delivering 25 to 90+ WAV files that are hundreds of MB in size. (Large eLearning and/or video syncing projects.)

A Google Drive or Dropbox share works great (along with a few others), and is allowed. Passing emails is just a matter of time before it bites someone. It may work for a while, but not a best practice.

[pedromleitao]

I think a lot of people are extremely afraid of the TOS, though. I regularly give my e-mail to clients, or ask their e-mail, because I work in video and the 150 mb limit is simply not enough.

I know this is older but:

You don’t need to use email to deliver over the 150 MB limit. You can send a link from GDrive, Dropbox, WeTransfer or a few other services.

Eventually the Fiverr system will note the emails and cut you off. Some people get away with it for months, then have their account shut down.

Not to mention there is no reason needed to send emails just for the delivery.

While most of my files are not over the 150 mb limit (Voice overs), I’ve done plenty where I’m delivering 25 to 90+ WAV files that are hundreds of MB in size. (Large eLearning and/or video syncing projects.)

A Google Drive or Dropbox share works great (along with a few others), and is allowed. Passing emails is just a matter of time before it bites someone. It may work for a while, but not a best practice.

What are you talking about? I deliver through wetransfer / file mail a lot, and that requires an e-mail.

I despise google drive and drop box. Terrible, slow, low space services. Not worth it when there are better alternatives. And no, Fiverr system will not note the emails and cut me off - the instructions are clear: don’t share emails UNLESS needed to complete the order. This falls under that umbrella, so I’m not breaking any rules.

BTW, sending a link to google drive is EXACTLY the same thing as sending an e-mail. I’ll get your e-mail from your google drive account and I can contact you outside of fiverr, if I want to. Absolutely pointless suggestion. Dropbox is the same deal, had problems multiple times in the past with not having access to the clients folder, and had to send him my e-mail to get authorised access. Sending the files through wetransfer /filemail is just better, whichever way you look at it.

I do all my business inside Fiverr, all the payments go through Fiverr, all the communication goes through Fiverr. I need a way of sending multiple GB files fast and easily, and file mail is unmatched - 25 gb fast and free transfers. Drive and dropbox can’t even get near that.

And I honestly don’t get all the panic with “people trying to do business outside Fiverr”. I have nothing to gain by doing that, I will just be taking unnecessary risks. One of the benefits of working on Fiverr is the safety of knowing the payments are secure and the buyer cannot rip me off. Dealing outside of Fiverr would be a very bad move on my part, even if I was sure I wouldn’t get banned - I’m willing to pay 20% to be sure I will get paid and the buyer won’t just disappear with my work.

Now, if Fiverr wants to provide me with an equivalent upload method that’s fast (10mbps upload/download, which is what I get on file mail/wetransfer) and has a size limit of 5-10 gb right inside their site, even better 🙂

[Anna]

What are you talking about? I deliver through wetransfer / file mail a lot, and that requires an e-mail.

I despise google drive and drop box. Terrible, slow, low space services. Not worth it when there are better alternatives. And no, Fiverr system will not note the emails and cut me off - the instructions are clear: don’t share emails UNLESS needed to complete the order. This falls under that umbrella, so I’m not breaking any rules.

BTW, sending a link to google drive is EXACTLY the same thing as sending an e-mail. I’ll get your e-mail from your google drive account and I can contact you outside of fiverr, if I want to. Absolutely pointless suggestion. Dropbox is the same deal, had problems multiple times in the past with not having access to the clients folder, and had to send him my e-mail to get authorised access. Sending the files through wetransfer /filemail is just better, whichever way you look at it.

I do all my business inside Fiverr, all the payments go through Fiverr, all the communication goes through Fiverr. I need a way of sending multiple GB files fast and easily, and file mail is unmatched - 25 gb fast and free transfers. Drive and dropbox can’t even get near that.

And I honestly don’t get all the panic with “people trying to do business outside Fiverr”. I have nothing to gain by doing that, I will just be taking unnecessary risks. One of the benefits of working on Fiverr is the safety of knowing the payments are secure and the buyer cannot rip me off. Dealing outside of Fiverr would be a very bad move on my part, even if I was sure I wouldn’t get banned - I’m willing to pay 20% to be sure I will get paid and the buyer won’t just disappear with my work.

Now, if Fiverr wants to provide me with an equivalent upload method that’s fast (10mbps upload/download, which is what I get on file mail/wetransfer) and has a size limit of 5-10 gb right inside their site, even better 🙂

I can’t help but wonder why your attitude is always so special :roll_eyes:

What Lisa said is correct. Your method is plain ridiculous and can lead to an account suspension.

But if you think it’s working fine…well good luck then.

[pedromleitao]

I can’t help but wonder why your attitude is always so special :roll_eyes:

What Lisa said is correct. Your method is plain ridiculous and can lead to an account suspension.

But if you think it’s working fine…well good luck then.

My method is plain ridiculous? Why? How can I deliver a 4 gb file, then? Please enlighten me. I would love to deliver it through Fiverr and not have to share e-mails, etc. But it’s simply not possible. So, what can I do? Seriously?

Please note that google drive is not a solution, as that also will give away your e-mail information, defeating the purpose. Dropbox probably allows people to get your email from the link (although I’m not sure on this one, since I don’t use that service).

In other words, pretty much any upload service outside of fiverr allows people some way of communicating outside of the website, if they want to. I mean, you can just google my name, or contact me through my youtube channel. It’s pointless to try to stop people from communicating outside a website if they want to. It’s impossible to control anyway. So what you’re saying is that no seller can deliver any file over 150 mb, or use their name, or have a link to their youtube channel portfolio / website, or they are violating TOS.

Btw, if I wanted to contact a client, I wouldn’t even need to ask their e-mail. I work with bands. They send me the name of their band for the credits, etc. I can contact them directly with a 2 minute google search if I want to, and Fiverr will have no idea. It’s impossible to control.

Simultaneously, I don’t see any advantage to communicating outside the platform. I don’t trust my buyers to pay me unless they are “forced” to, I just don’t trust people I’ve never met. I wouldn’t take that risk, and the buyer should not take the risk of paying in advance. So all the payments go through Fiverr anyway, so why would Fiverr care?

[Anna]

My method is plain ridiculous? Why? How can I deliver a 4 gb file, then? Please enlighten me. I would love to deliver it through Fiverr and not have to share e-mails, etc. But it’s simply not possible. So, what can I do? Seriously?

Please note that google drive is not a solution, as that also will give away your e-mail information, defeating the purpose. Dropbox probably allows people to get your email from the link (although I’m not sure on this one, since I don’t use that service).

In other words, pretty much any upload service outside of fiverr allows people some way of communicating outside of the website, if they want to. I mean, you can just google my name, or contact me through my youtube channel. It’s pointless to try to stop people from communicating outside a website if they want to. It’s impossible to control anyway. So what you’re saying is that no seller can deliver any file over 150 mb, or use their name, or have a link to their youtube channel portfolio / website, or they are violating TOS.

Btw, if I wanted to contact a client, I wouldn’t even need to ask their e-mail. I work with bands. They send me the name of their band for the credits, etc. I can contact them directly with a 2 minute google search if I want to, and Fiverr will have no idea. It’s impossible to control.

Simultaneously, I don’t see any advantage to communicating outside the platform. I don’t trust my buyers to pay me unless they are “forced” to, I just don’t trust people I’ve never met. I wouldn’t take that risk, and the buyer should not take the risk of paying in advance. So all the payments go through Fiverr anyway, so why would Fiverr care?

How can I deliver a 4 gb file, then? Please enlighten me.

pedromleitao:

I would love to deliver it through Fiverr and not have to share e-mails, etc

You don’t have to share emails. If you are using We-transfer you can send the file to your own email address, once you get the download link forward it to your client.

Same with Google drive. You can send a shareable link only, in this case your email address won’t show.

I wouldn’t take that risk, and the buyer should not take the risk of paying in advance. So all the payments go through Fiverr anyway, so why would Fiverr care?

Because they are always people who are trying to game the system.

I regularly give my e-mail to clients, or ask their e-mail, because I work in video and the 150 mb limit is simply not enough. The number of clients that try to disguise their email (they’ll send something like “xxxx at g-m-a-i-l dot com” or similar) is hilarious.

Again, I would be really careful with this. Please, to anybody reading this, DO NOT exchange personal contact information unless you got permission from CS. Better safe than sorry.

[pedromleitao]

How can I deliver a 4 gb file, then? Please enlighten me.

pedromleitao:

I would love to deliver it through Fiverr and not have to share e-mails, etc

You don’t have to share emails. If you are using We-transfer you can send the file to your own email address, once you get the download link forward it to your client.

Same with Google drive. You can send a shareable link only, in this case your email address won’t show.

I wouldn’t take that risk, and the buyer should not take the risk of paying in advance. So all the payments go through Fiverr anyway, so why would Fiverr care?

Because they are always people who are trying to game the system.

I regularly give my e-mail to clients, or ask their e-mail, because I work in video and the 150 mb limit is simply not enough. The number of clients that try to disguise their email (they’ll send something like “xxxx at g-m-a-i-l dot com” or similar) is hilarious.

Again, I would be really careful with this. Please, to anybody reading this, DO NOT exchange personal contact information unless you got permission from CS. Better safe than sorry.

Anyway, my point being, if you want to contact your client outside of fiverr, you can do it without needing to ask for an e-mail in most cases.

However, that’s a pretty good tip, hadn’t thought about that. Sending it through wetransfer to your own e-mail had never crossed my mind, and it does solve the problem of asking for the e-mail. I’ll start doing it that way. Thanks for the tip.

The advice of sharing a google drive / dropbox is still pointless though, as it solves nothing.

[Anna]

Anyway, my point being, if you want to contact your client outside of fiverr, you can do it without needing to ask for an e-mail in most cases.

However, that’s a pretty good tip, hadn’t thought about that. Sending it through wetransfer to your own e-mail had never crossed my mind, and it does solve the problem of asking for the e-mail. I’ll start doing it that way. Thanks for the tip.

The advice of sharing a google drive / dropbox is still pointless though, as it solves nothing.

The advice of sharing a google drive

Same as We-Transfer…shareable link ;).

Anyway,

Thanks for the tip.

Wow, thank you. I didn’t expect that :star_struck:

[eoinfinnegan]

The advice of sharing a google drive

Same as We-Transfer…shareable link ;).

Anyway,

Thanks for the tip.

Wow, thank you. I didn’t expect that :star_struck:

Wait, so it isn’t called Wet ransfer?

[Anna]

Wait, so it isn’t called Wet ransfer?

😂 That’s what I was thinking for the longest time.

I see we think alike ✋

[pedromleitao]

The advice of sharing a google drive

Same as We-Transfer…shareable link ;).

Anyway,

Thanks for the tip.

Wow, thank you. I didn’t expect that :star_struck:

🙂

What I can’t stand is the mindless bureaucracy, the following rules just because they exist with no though to weather they make sense or not. Fiverr needs to think a fair bit about this and come up with a valid solution. There will always be ways to contact your buyers if you want to and remain completely undetected by Fiverr. So saying that people who OPENLY share contact information because they feel it’s the only way to deliver will get banned, is completely unfair, when other, shady sellers can do the same under the radar and nothing will happen to them. Can’t you understand how that can be offensive?

[eoinfinnegan]

Unlike what some may think, I’m not a troll, nor looking to just cause trouble. So I don’t really get why you’d be surprised, you really gave me a solution to what I asked 🙂

What I can’t stand is the mindless bureaucracy, the following rules just because they exist with no though to weather they make sense or not. Fiverr needs to think a fair bit about this and come up with a valid solution. There will always be ways to contact your buyers if you want to and remain completely undetected by Fiverr. So saying that people who OPENLY share contact information because they feel it’s the only way to deliver will get banned, is completely unfair, when other, shady sellers can do the same under the radar and nothing will happen to them. Can’t you understand how that can be offensive?

I don’t really get why you’d be surprised, you really gave me a solution to what I asked

In the past when people have done this, they get called a d***** so that may be the source of surprise.

FWIW, I don’t think you are a troll, I think you are just careless about the rules and then get annoyed when you are moderated for breaking them. That’s not trolling, I am not sure how to describe that to be honest.

[pedromleitao]

I don’t really get why you’d be surprised, you really gave me a solution to what I asked

In the past when people have done this, they get called a d***** so that may be the source of surprise.

FWIW, I don’t think you are a troll, I think you are just careless about the rules and then get annoyed when you are moderated for breaking them. That’s not trolling, I am not sure how to describe that to be honest.

I’m not careless about the rules. I’m actively against rules that don’t make sense. Fiverr is constantly pulling stuff like this, like recently saying there would be an outage and for people to just deliver early so they won’t get late deliveries. Now, Fiverr clearly has the power, easily and at no cost, to, at least, stop the timers during the outage, or to not penalize sellers for late deliveries due exclusively to the outage. That’s the minimum they could do. Yet they pull stuff like this all the time. Is your solution for everything “if you don’t like it, get lost?” Because that’s not really a good long term plan…

In the case of the “no communication outside fiverr allowed”, I understand the idea behind it, but the simple fact is that it’s unenforceable, and it’s pretty clear to see, with a bit of investigation, who’s getting buyers e-mails for legit reasons and who is trying to game the system.

[pedromleitao]

I don’t really get why you’d be surprised, you really gave me a solution to what I asked

In the past when people have done this, they get called a d***** so that may be the source of surprise.

FWIW, I don’t think you are a troll, I think you are just careless about the rules and then get annoyed when you are moderated for breaking them. That’s not trolling, I am not sure how to describe that to be honest.

Point in case - just check my most recent flagged post in another thread. Really? I was asking a genuine question. What rule did I break? Why was that flagged? This happens constantly.

[eoinfinnegan]

I’m not careless about the rules. I’m actively against rules that don’t make sense. Fiverr is constantly pulling stuff like this, like recently saying there would be an outage and for people to just deliver early so they won’t get late deliveries. Now, Fiverr clearly has the power, easily and at no cost, to, at least, stop the timers during the outage, or to not penalize sellers for late deliveries due exclusively to the outage. That’s the minimum they could do. Yet they pull stuff like this all the time. Is your solution for everything “if you don’t like it, get lost?” Because that’s not really a good long term plan…

In the case of the “no communication outside fiverr allowed”, I understand the idea behind it, but the simple fact is that it’s unenforceable, and it’s pretty clear to see, with a bit of investigation, who’s getting buyers e-mails for legit reasons and who is trying to game the system.

I’m actively against rules that don’t make sense

If that is about forum rules then that is not really a good long term plan; it won’t end well.

there would be an outage and for people to just deliver early

Over 48 hours notice has been given about this outage - that is pretty sufficient for people to rearrange things surely.

no communication outside fiverr allowed

Personally, I don’t believe Fiverr would ever ban people simply for sharing emails etc in the manner you are mentioning. I have been told by my success manager (who works in the Trust and Safety department of CS) that those who are banned for these things actually deserve it and are likely to have been trying to get around the system in a negative way.

That said, if there is a way to avoid sharing emails, then it should be utilized to avoid misunderstandings.

Point in case - just check my most recent flagged post in another thread. Really? I was asking a genuine question. What rule did I break? Why was that flagged? This happens constantly.

You were completely O/T. You have been told before about being critical of people’s gigs when they have not asked for advice/critique.

[pedromleitao]

I’m actively against rules that don’t make sense

If that is about forum rules then that is not really a good long term plan; it won’t end well.

there would be an outage and for people to just deliver early

Over 48 hours notice has been given about this outage - that is pretty sufficient for people to rearrange things surely.

no communication outside fiverr allowed

Personally, I don’t believe Fiverr would ever ban people simply for sharing emails etc in the manner you are mentioning. I have been told by my success manager (who works in the Trust and Safety department of CS) that those who are banned for these things actually deserve it and are likely to have been trying to get around the system in a negative way.

That said, if there is a way to avoid sharing emails, then it should be utilized to avoid misunderstandings.

Point in case - just check my most recent flagged post in another thread. Really? I was asking a genuine question. What rule did I break? Why was that flagged? This happens constantly.

You were completely O/T. You have been told before about being critical of people’s gigs when they have not asked for advice/critique.

Exactly. Before this last idea of sending the file to myself (which you must admit it’s kinda of a non-intuitive process when really you are trying to send the thing to someone else), I was finally able to find a way to not need e-mails at all. However, during all this time, when I was trying to offer my way of doing things as a solution, people kept insisting I would get banned, even though I wasn’t trying to break anything, just to do my work.