Korean Job Discussion Forums

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

My boyfriend and I were hired by my school to teach and to be on their iBT team. Our school is developing a practice test, but launching it nationwide. So my boyfriend and I were chosen to do voice talent for the tasks on the test that have lecturers, professors, and conversations between two people. Now, it is, of course, not explicitly stated in our contract that we have to do this, and it was never mentioned when we were hired. We also have to travel to Hagye Station from Daechi, which takes about an hour and a half, a lot of time wasted when you are teaching 15 writing classes a week and need to grade papers.

So, we agreed that first of all, we don't want to do this. But, since we basically have to, we want to get paid especially if this is a nationwide launch of the product.

Does anyone have any ideas about how we should go about this? Our director is incredible, and always accomodates her employees when applicable, so I am not worried about making her angry. I just don't know, rhetorically, what to say to ask for compensation that I am not/will not be receiving. Compensation for travel expenses would be nice also.

Has anyone done voice talen for their school?

dam_on · Joined: 12 Dec 2006

Hmmm...perhaps start by telling the director what you like about the job and how helpful she has been etc etc. Also, about the number of hours you're currently spending grading papers outside of class hours. Mention how, although it's not listed in your contract explicitly nor falls under the scope of teaching, you are excited about the voice recording but in all fairness would expect to be compensated for your time.

Maybe ask her what value the company puts on making these recordings (I guess if you didn't do it, they would have to hire outsiders to do it), and start from there.

Hope this helps.

BTW...compensation for travel expenses should be a given.

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

Good tips!

dam_on · Joined: 12 Dec 2006

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

You could tell her two things:

1) It's a terrible idea to have two people without any experience tackle a recording such as the iBT. The quality will suffer, and it will take a lot more studio time to get the project finished. If she plans on releasing this, she's be better off going with experienced voice actors at a reputable studio.

2) The going rate is around 70-100 thousand won/hour for experienced voice actors. Actually, it's more like a 50 minute set plus a 10 minute break. If she is not paying you in this ballpark, she is trying to get the project done on the cheap at your expense.

It's probably not her fault. She sounds like she just doesn't have any experience. Most people without direct experience think that any native speaker can pull off a recording successfully. Not true.

Good luck if you do end up doing it. You'll see what I mean.

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

Actually, I have experience. My father does voice acting and tv/radio voice-overs for a living, and I did some jobs when I was younger. My director did not know that when I was hired. So I guess this is all (bad) luck.

But have you heard the voices of the people doing some of these tasks? From the Compass Publishing Co.'s iBT books, there is this woman with a serious nasally NYC accent. And the guy almost sounds gay. I really hope those people were not professionals.

Thank for the ideas!

poet13 · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:40 am Post subject:

"We also have to travel to Hagye Station from Daechi,..."

I think it sounds like it could be fun, but I would definitely want to get paid. Your father did or does it for a living. Why don't you ask for his advice? Also, you could ask yourself, would HE do it for free?
I also did a few radio ad voiceovers a long time ago after doing some courses at NIB in Toronto. There is real work involved, not just reaading a nursery tale to kids...
If you like your boss that much, I would suggest that you find out from some other sources what the industry standard here is, and offer to do it for a major discount....+ transportation of course.
I don't know what visa you are here on. E-2? If so, and if things go bad, like if the boss gets nasty about it, and you decide you want out of it, you can point out that it is illegal for you to work at another location.

Hope that helps.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Just to be safe, start doing cold readings now. A little experience a long time ago won't help much, and your boyfriend will be lost. My dad was a chemist, and I had a Mr. Wizard Chemistry Set when I was a kid, but that doesn't mean you'd like me putting together your prescription for you now.

The recording you mentioned was done by people off the street or imported.

The long and short of it is that you shouldn't be doing this for free. While voice actors here are not paid for commutes, they are paid. I'd ask for at least 50 an hour, or say no.

Let us know how it turns out.

the1andonly · Joined: 08 Feb 2007

I used to do voice recording quite a bit with another guy. The two of us locked in a booth for 3 hours every sunday. We got paid 175,000 for each stint.

regicide · Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Location: United States

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

gsxr750r · Joined: 29 Jan 2007

I did lots of voice work in the USA. I also did some here in Korea, but no longer. Why? After a sit-down with immigration, I found out that it's illegal without the paperwork and approval to do so.

If I get married and go on an F2, I will start doing voice work again. For now, it's just not worth chancing my job/life in Korea over a few willie-nillie 70,000 won every once-and-a-blue moon voice acting jobs. And when the clients have changes, they expect them done for free.