How much do you charge for transcription services? विषय पोस्ट करनेवाला व्यक्ति: Danik 2014
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Hello,
An outsource has asked me to state my per hour charge for transcription (German to German, German to English). I have never worked with transcription as yet so I don´t know what the usual charges are. Any suggestions are very welcome!
| | | | LilianNekipelov 
संयुक्त राज्य अमरीका
Local time: 17:17
रूसी से अंग्रेजी
+ ...
| It is usually $5 to$10/min for | Aug 3, 2014 |
transcription with translation (translation directly from audio or video). Probably about $5/min for transcription only.
I hour of audio usually takes the whole day (when you translate it). Transcription may take half of that--it depends on the quality of the tape.
[Edited at 2014-08-03 09:57 GMT]
| | | | Danik 2014
ब्राजील
जर्मन से पुर्तगाली
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विषय आरंभकर्ता
Thank you very much, Lilian!
| | | | Thayenga
जर्मनी
Local time: 22:17
सदस्य (2009)
अंग्रेजी से जर्मन
+ ...
Danik 2014 wrote:
Hello,
An outsource has asked me to state my per hour charge for transcription (German to German, German to English). I have never worked with transcription as yet so I don´t know what the usual charges are. Any suggestions are very welcome!
When they ask you for your hourly rate (usually it's per audio minute), then you just multiply your rate per minute by 60 for transcription services. When you are asked to not only transcribe, but to translate as well, then it's your hourly transcription rate plus your per minute translation rate times 60. Should amount to several 100 Dollars.
I received (perhaps the same?) request, and had the feeling that the PM (or agency) was under the impression that transcribing into a language other than the audio's language is the same as the transcription of an audio in the same language as the transcript. But you are performing 2 different services, and should be paid for both.
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Nicole Schnell
संयुक्त राज्य अमरीका
Local time: 14:17
अंग्रेजी से जर्मन
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की याद में | @Lilian: One day only? | Aug 4, 2014 |
LilianNekipelov wrote:
I hour of audio usually takes the whole day (when you translate it).
My last audio translation was 60 minutes (interviews, so they were talking nonstop) which resulted in a word count of roughly 10,000 words. There is no way that 10k words can be translated properly in one day.
| | | | Danik 2014
ब्राजील
जर्मन से पुर्तगाली
+ ...
विषय आरंभकर्ता | Different services, different ratings | Aug 4, 2014 |
Thayenga wrote:
"I received (perhaps the same?) request, and had the feeling that the PM (or agency) was under the impression that transcribing into a language other than the audio's language is the same as the transcription of an audio in the same language as the transcript. But you are performing 2 different services, and should be paid for both."
Thanks for pointing out that there are two different services. In this case the agency implied that there were two different services by... See more Thayenga wrote:
"I received (perhaps the same?) request, and had the feeling that the PM (or agency) was under the impression that transcribing into a language other than the audio's language is the same as the transcription of an audio in the same language as the transcript. But you are performing 2 different services, and should be paid for both."
Thanks for pointing out that there are two different services. In this case the agency implied that there were two different services by separating the rating from the transcription German/German from the rating for the transcription German/ English. ▲ Collapse
| | | | xxLecraxx (X)
जर्मनी
Local time: 22:17
फ्रांसीसी से जर्मन
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| transcription | Aug 4, 2014 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
LilianNekipelov wrote:
I hour of audio usually takes the whole day (when you translate it).
My last audio translation was 60 minutes (interviews, so they were talking nonstop) which resulted in a word count of roughly 10,000 words. There is no way that 10k words can be translated properly in one day.
Exactly. One hour can amount to lots and lots of pages of written text. Don't underestimate it.
Transcribing one hour of audio alone might take 8 hours or even more, depending one the quality of the audio, the speakers' speed etc. Also, transcribing tends to be very tedious and you will have a hard time starting to translate on the same day. I definitely can't think straight anymore after transcribing one hour of bad quality audio/unnerving speakers/group discussions etc.
And yes, some agencies try to convince you that you can easily translate "on the fly" while listening to the audio. A little bit like an interpreter. You can't. Two steps are required: transcription, then translation. Just like in protein synthesis.
| | | | Penyalin
मलेशिया
Local time: 05:17
अंग्रेजी से मलय
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| Charging in GBP, too high? | Oct 3, 2014 |
I am new in this field, and I need your advice.
A documentary film from Europe asks me to transcribe/translate from my native language into English. They had sent me quite a number video clips and the total time for all the clips was about 58 hours. I worked on every clip at the average of 4 times (i.e 4 hours on a 1 hour clip). Now that I am charging them GBP5/min of my work hours. My invoice was 58 x 60 x 5. Is this calculation correct? Isn't the GBP too high for me to ask for? Or... See more I am new in this field, and I need your advice.
A documentary film from Europe asks me to transcribe/translate from my native language into English. They had sent me quite a number video clips and the total time for all the clips was about 58 hours. I worked on every clip at the average of 4 times (i.e 4 hours on a 1 hour clip). Now that I am charging them GBP5/min of my work hours. My invoice was 58 x 60 x 5. Is this calculation correct? Isn't the GBP too high for me to ask for? Or, what is the standard currency used when charging between an Asian country and a European country? Or, are we free to charge with any currency on our clients? Please advise.
Thanks.
Penyalin ▲ Collapse
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Sheila Wilson
स्पेन
Local time: 21:17
सदस्य (2007)
अंग्रेजी
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| What was decided? | Oct 3, 2014 |
(addressing Penyalin's post) There seem to be two different problems here.
Firstly, there's the question of how much to quote to your client before accepting a job. I think that's already been discussed in the thread. Basically, you need to earn your hourly rate on average, whatever it is. Why earn less? Why charge more? (well, of course, if you can get away with more...)
Secondly, there's the question of ... See more (addressing Penyalin's post) There seem to be two different problems here.
Firstly, there's the question of how much to quote to your client before accepting a job. I think that's already been discussed in the thread. Basically, you need to earn your hourly rate on average, whatever it is. Why earn less? Why charge more? (well, of course, if you can get away with more...)
Secondly, there's the question of not knowing how much and in which currency to charge the client, even when you've finished the work. I'm afraid it's far too late to be considering that now. What did you agree? Was nothing said about the price, the currency, the payment method and the payment period before you started the work? That's highly irregular and puts both you and the client in a very difficult position.
[Edited at 2014-10-03 17:36 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
नीदरलैंड
Local time: 22:17
सदस्य (2006)
अंग्रेजी से अफ्रीकान
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Penyalin wrote:
A documentary film from Europe asks me to transcribe/translate from my native language into English. They had sent me quite a number video clips and the total time for all the clips was about 58 hours. I worked on every clip at the average of 4 times (i.e 4 hours on a 1 hour clip). Now that I am charging them GBP5/min of my work hours.
I echo what Sheila asks: what rate did you agree on with them? If you agree only "GBP 5 per minute" then it is likely that they interpreted it to mean "GBP 5 per minute of audio" and not "GBP 5 per minute of labour".
Assuming they meant "GBP 5 per minute of audio", then... since it takes on average about 6-8 hours to transcribe 1 hour of average quality audio, a rate of GBP 5 per minute of audio works out to [GBP 5 per audio minute / 8 minutes per audio minute * 60 minutes of audio] = GBP 37.50 per hour of labour. Do you think that GBP 37.50 per hour would be considered a reasonable rate per hour by a client in the UK with a service provider in the UK? It seems a bit high to me.
By the way, setting a price on transcription per minute of audio is not uncommon, but it is risky because you don't know what the quality of the recording is and how long it will take to do the transcription. It is safer (for you) to set a price per hour of actual labour, and to warn the client in advance that for average quality audio it takes 6-8 hours to transcribe 1 hour of audio.
If the agreement was GBP 5 per minute of audio, and the audio was 58 minutes long, then the final price would be [GBP 5 x 58 minutes] = GBP 290.
My invoice was 58 x 60 x 5. Is this calculation correct?
No, it's not. 58 x 60 x 5 is the price for 58 hours of audio, not 58 minutes of audio.
Isn't the GBP too high for me to ask for? Or, what is the standard currency used when charging between an Asian country and a European country? Or, are we free to charge with any currency on our clients?
You are free to charge your clients in any currency, but it is often easier to get your money quicker if you charge in a currency that the client has easy access to, e.g. the client's own currency.
However, if you didn't agree on a rate with the client beforehand, then the client may be in for a nasty surprise about the final price, even if you try to be reasonable. So my suggestion is to first ask the client "oh, did we agree on a rate? my usual rate for this type of work is X, which works out to Y in total" and then see how they respond.
[Edited at 2014-10-03 19:03 GMT]
| | | | Penyalin
मलेशिया
Local time: 05:17
अंग्रेजी से मलय
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| Still in the dark | Oct 4, 2014 |
Hi Ms Wilson,
Firstly, there's the question of how much to quote to your client before accepting a job.
This client of mine had asked me for help with his video project but initially I had turned down his request as I never worked on any video. But a few weeks later he came back to me with the same request but he only promise that he's paying me a good fee (without any details, etc). When I notice that he was insisting I can understand that he's desperate in looking for some help. Finally I took the job.
As I'm new in this field, I feel that I shouldn't demand like a seasoned translator/transcriber. I'll accept any amount but it shouldn't be too low.
Hello Mr Murray.
So my suggestion is to first ask the client ...
Thank you very much for your suggestion. It has been difficult for both my client and I, as we only discuss via emails, but never met in persons.
| | | | Samuel Murray
नीदरलैंड
Local time: 22:17
सदस्य (2006)
अंग्रेजी से अफ्रीकान
+ ...
| You can ask, you don't have to demand | Oct 4, 2014 |
Penyalin wrote:
As I'm new in this field, I feel that I shouldn't demand like a seasoned translator/transcriber. I'll accept any amount but it shouldn't be too low.
You'll get many negative comments about that attitude in this forum, but I think I understand what you mean.
Well, you don't have to "demand" (i.e. force a price on the client unilaterally) if you don't want to, but you still have to "ask", if you want to get an answer. If you don't ask, then you won't know what the client wants to pay you, and then you can't create an invoice. And it is better to create an invoice with an amount that the client expects than to create an invoice that is a surprise for the client.
Write to him "I'm about to make an invoice for this job, and I just realised that we did not agree on a price. Can you please tell me what price you had in mind?"
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Sheila Wilson
स्पेन
Local time: 21:17
सदस्य (2007)
अंग्रेजी
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| You'll have to ask the client; it's too late for anything else | Oct 5, 2014 |
Penyalin wrote:
he only promise that he's paying me a good fee (without any details, etc).
At least your client seems to think he has an idea of what the job should cost. So you can do as Samuel advises, and ask how much he thinks is a good fee.
As I'm new in this field
Frankly, it sounds as though you're new to freelancing if you'll spend hours working without having any idea of what you're going to earn for your labour.
The normal process of fixing a price comes before work starts, and you don't have to ask what the client wants to pay; neither do you have to "demand" a certain rate. You simply need to state what it's going to cost the client. It isn't rude or arrogant. It's just setting the price, like a baker telling you the price of a loaf of bread, or the numbers on a menu telling you how much your meal will cost.
I'll accept any amount but it shouldn't be too low.
I can understand that you don't feel it appropriate to quote a high figure when you have no experience of this medium, but your profile says you have eight years of translation experience so it isn't as though you'll be likely to do a job that isn't worth a reasonable payment. As it is, by not having agreed on a rate before starting work, all you can do is hope the client's figure is reasonable. Even if it's crazily low you'll just have to accept it .
As far as communications are concerned, few of us ever meet our clients in person. Personally, I don't have any regular clients in my country of residence, let alone close enough to have ever met in person.
| | | | Penyalin
मलेशिया
Local time: 05:17
अंग्रेजी से मलय
+ ...
Thank you very much for all the good suggestions here.
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