Watermarks for audio files

[wayna_green]

Hello everyone,

Today, i would like to talk and ask you about watermarks for audio files.

I am a voiceover artist and i ask my clients to purchase for the Commercial use extra if they want to use the recording publicly.

I have a client asking for a demo file ( an entire script ) and saying he will come back to pay for the commercial use if they choose my demo.

How can i protect my work and avoid the fact they use my work without paying the write amount ?

Does Fiverr plan to add watermarks in audio categories ?
Should i make my own watermark and add it to the audio ?
Would it be appropriate ?

What do you think ?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Eloïse.

[wayna_green]

Hi everyone,

I am coming back to edit this post.

After writting this post, i realised it is really important to protect our work as voice overs.

I decided to add a watermark on the audio file and i will in the future if people ask me for demos.
I will also edit my profile to let the clients know about this.
I have delivered the file telling the client about it as well.

If you want to know how to add watermarks on your audio file easily with Audacity, here is a youtube tutorial :

Export the file as you normally would if you had one track, you will have a message saying the tracks will be mixed as one single track.

Remember to export the clean file before you add the watermark so you can send the clean file to the client if needed.

Cheers,

Eloïse.

[leahemme]

Hm tough one.
I only offer free samples if I sense it’s a legitimate person who’s asking for them… it really depends on a case by case basis. I have refused to provide samples before if I think it’s someone taking advantage. At the end of the day, I think of it as an advertising cost for a business. Personally, I don’t mind wherever my voice ends up, as I record under a pseudonym… but I think it’s personal preference. So if it makes you uncomfortable having your voice floating around without you knowing it, you can politely refuse to provide free samples, and simply promise to deliver a great recording if they decide to order.
Best of luck : )

[stevebatesvo]

Just today I had a voice over client from ******(a country known for its scammers). They purchased a $10 voice over to promote a local night club. I have now told the client twice that they need to purchase the Commercial Rights, and sent them the order for the gig extra - both times I was ignored (they went offline after reading my message).

So, I sent them the following message: “I will complete the voice over order as promised, however, you will receive an Audio Watermarked copy of the recording. Once you have purchased the Commercial Rights License, you will receive the final voice over without the Audio Watermark”. So far, no response.

I am hoping that if this ends badly, that Fiverr will remove any negative feedback, as the client was informed twice, and refused to take action.

Mod Note: Post edited. References to certain countries or religions are not permitted!

[cubittaudio]

Just today I had a voice over client from ******(a country known for its scammers). They purchased a $10 voice over to promote a local night club. I have now told the client twice that they need to purchase the Commercial Rights, and sent them the order for the gig extra - both times I was ignored (they went offline after reading my message).

So, I sent them the following message: “I will complete the voice over order as promised, however, you will receive an Audio Watermarked copy of the recording. Once you have purchased the Commercial Rights License, you will receive the final voice over without the Audio Watermark”. So far, no response.

I am hoping that if this ends badly, that Fiverr will remove any negative feedback, as the client was informed twice, and refused to take action.

Mod Note: Post edited. References to certain countries or religions are not permitted!

“I will complete the voice over order as promised, however, you will receive an Audio Watermarked copy of the recording. Once you have purchased the Commercial Rights License, you will receive the final voice over without the Audio Watermark”.

Be careful with this. I have a nasty feeling Fiverr CS will deem this as ‘abuse of the delivery button’.

Also, taken from the TOS.

• Withholding the delivery of services, files, or information required to complete the Gig’s service with the intent to gain favorable reviews or additional services is prohibited.

For what it’s worth, I’m completely with you on this. We’ve had to have this very conversation numerous times, and I’m convinced that some buyers know that there’s little we as sellers can do. But just be aware that you could be playing with fire here.

Let us know how you get on… Got my fingers crossed for you!

[misscrystal]

Updating again.

The client was not happy with the audio watermark.

His reaction really does make me think of a scam.

Here is the conversation :

billyzero

OF COURSE I NEED THE BLIMPS REMOVED THIS IS FOR A DEMO FOR A CLIENT.

22:59July 26, 2016

wayna_green

Me

Please understand i cannot deliver a clean free file without knowing if you will ever come back to have the commercial use licence.

I have been scamed before and dont want this to happen anymore.

Sorry about that.

23:24July 26, 2016

wayna_green

Me

We can mutualy cancel the order.

No problem for me.

00:01July 27, 2016

billyzero

billyzero

well than cancel, you can EASILY fucking see which stations i have on air, every voice person that i use, is told what is used for commercial use. this is used in a demo, 1 in 10 clients sign up. Could be london, France, could be Memphis this week, Fucking sick of working with people that are not professional.

You can make your own opinion.

The client was not happy with the audio watermark.

I was pretty sure when I read that he wanted a “demo” it was an attempt to get it without paying for the commercial license.

edit: I see this is a two year old thread.

[stevebatesvo]

“I will complete the voice over order as promised, however, you will receive an Audio Watermarked copy of the recording. Once you have purchased the Commercial Rights License, you will receive the final voice over without the Audio Watermark”.

Be careful with this. I have a nasty feeling Fiverr CS will deem this as ‘abuse of the delivery button’.

Also, taken from the TOS.

• Withholding the delivery of services, files, or information required to complete the Gig’s service with the intent to gain favorable reviews or additional services is prohibited.

For what it’s worth, I’m completely with you on this. We’ve had to have this very conversation numerous times, and I’m convinced that some buyers know that there’s little we as sellers can do. But just be aware that you could be playing with fire here.

Let us know how you get on… Got my fingers crossed for you!

But just be aware that you could be playing with fire here.

Thank you for the info. I guess my only choice is to wait it out, and deliver last minute in the hopes of the client complying. I normally advertise 48 hours, but deliver in 24. This is going the full 48 hours.

Thanks again.

[wayna_green]

Hello everyone.

So as you can see it has been more than 2 years that i started this topic.
As the time went by, i honestly had less and less of these problems with clients.

If a client asks for a demo on a small script, i usually refuse and send them my demo.
But for larger scripts like audiobooks for example, i give them a free sample read from their scripts.
I think that is part of the business.

Anyway, i think it is important to be really carefull when receiving such a demand.
Now i simply tell them they have to add the commercial use to their order and i copy/paste a sample of the fiverr tos that explain it.
Either they accept (which often happens) and we’re cool, either they don’t and i don’t feel bad about cancelling the order anymore.
And i don’t bother with the watermark anymore either 🙂

What i regular see nowadays is people buying my gig without having the appropriate budget.
Once again, i stopped feeling bad about cancelling those kind of orders.

What would the butcher say if you come for a 1kg of meat but you only have half of the budget ?
I think we all know the answer 🙂

But i have one more question for you 🙂
What do you think about e-learning scripts ?
I often have buyers that tell me they don’t need commercial use because it’s an e-learning.

But my point is that there are numerous e-learning courses on line that are sold and could be considered as a business.
But it could also be a corporate e-learning that will be for internal use only and wont be commercialised…

I hope my words are clear… 🙂
What do you think about this ?
Do you charge the commercial use extra for e-learning projects ?

Thank you a lot 🙂

And please don’t let people take advantage of your work.
We should run our businesses like all businessman/woman do !

Cheers !