A couple weeks ago, I recorded some voices for a new computer game set to hit the market next year. It was a fun little role playing game where I got to play a couple soldiers – one angelic and one demonic. The job itself took under an hour to record and it was really fun!

Well, I just got a phone call from the recording studio where we did the work telling me that they had forgotten to record three lines of text and wanted me to come back in to finish the project. No problem. But then they asked me if I would be expecting to get paid for this extra work. Hmm… I wasn’t terribly surprised since this was a studio that was famous for “cutting corners” so I calmly explained to them that actors traditionally get paid for any and all work they get contracted to do – either retakes or new work. He started moaning about having to bill the clients again and how this would complicate things for the accounting department. Again, he asked me if I could just come in and record the lines for free. Was this guy for real? I informed him of the rules stipulated by the actors union and assured him that paying someone for doing work is not that strange. He asked how much I wanted to get paid and I told him I’d have to think about it and call him back.

Normally, calculating payment for retakes is a no-brainer. An actor gets paid for showing up and then for every “take” they record. He should have known this. He was probably hoping I would quote a lower price and he could cut some more corners. But we had actually been paid very well for this last job and I needed to consult with some constituents of mine before offering to do any work for free. People seemed to agree that, since we were paid so handsomely for the job in the first place, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I offered to do this little rectification pro bono. Just this once. But I still didn’t feel very comfortable being asked to do work without getting paid.

Edit: I’d like to thank everyone for the great advice… and you’re absolutely right. Unfortunately, I went in to the studio this afternoon and recorded the three lines for free. I can rationalize it till the cows come home: it only took 45 seconds; the numbers still added up at the end; I’m writing myself into their Good Book for the next big project. But the bottom line is that if anyone had asked me my advice on a similar situation, I would have told them the same thing you told me. Stick to your guns and demand what’s right. Thanks again.