CoverSpeak Service Details

Base Price: $130

• Speaking animation applied to an existing cover you provide.
  Note: If your cover contains more than one character, please indicate which character should be animated — only a single character will be animated.
• Animation and voice for 1 script of less than 30 seconds. (Additional scripts can be ordered (useful for A/B testing) - see Addons section below).
  Note: If you’re planning on using your animated cover as a Facebook video ad, Facebook recommends keeping it under 15 seconds, which is about 50 words or less per script.
• Choose from one of the AI voice samples above or provide an audio clip of your own (such as yourself or a narrator speaking the words of your script).
  Note: The AI voice on the finished product may not sound exactly as the voices in the samples above, as sometimes we will tweak it to better match the image provided. They are more an approximation of what they will sound like. If you have specific requirements you can add them to the notes field and we will do our best to accommodate but the AI voices are limited and require manual tweaking, so it is best if left up to us as much as possible. If you have very specific requirements, it is best to provide your own audio file
• DEPOSIT: An invoice for 50% of the total price will be submitted via Paypal once a job has been accepted by us (see below). Work on a job only begins once this deposit is made, and this deposit is non-refundable.
• JOB ACCEPTANCE: All new CoverSpeak orders are subject to approval by Hidden Gems before being accepted. Depending on the details of the order, some back and forth may be required before we are ready to begin, or some factors may cause us to have to reject an order. For example, we may determine that the cover submitted cannot be properly animated. Or we may decline a job because the script submitted is offensive. Hidden Gems reserves the right to turn jobs away for any reason. In the rare case that a job is canceled or rejected by us AFTER the deposit is paid, then any deposit paid will be fully refunded.
• DELIVERY: Finished covers may take up to 5 business days (starting from when deposit is paid)
• FINAL PAYMENT: The final balance will be due on delivery, and the rights to use the cover are granted once final payment is made. If there are issues with the final product, we’ll do our best to resolve all reasonable requests or changes but excessive changes may incur additional charges

Optional Addons

Rush Delivery: $70

• Need your order faster? We can prioritize your order and get it back within 2 business days or sooner.

Additional Scripts: $20 each

• Want to do some A/B testing of your animated cover using different scripts to see which version grabs the attention of your audience best? Ordering them together saves on having to pay the entire base price more than once. Each additional script (on top of the 1 included in the base price) will result in a completely separate video.

Have Us Create Your Script: $40

• Unsure of how to boil some compelling ad copy down into a short video? Let us take a crack at it by using your existing blurb or notes. Ad copy will be subject to your approval before we create the video. Reasonable revisions will be accommodated but excessive changes may incur additional fees.

Other: ?

• Have some other requests? Want different accents, longer videos (although we don’t recommend going much over 30 seconds), a video not based on a cover, or something else you’ve thought of entirely? Doesn’t hurt to ask! Just add your request to the Additional Notes field and we’ll get back to you as to whether we think it’s possible and what it might cost.
  Note: Hidden Gems reserves the right to offer future options to this service based on any ideas submitted.

FAQ

What if I don't have a cover?

We can create a cover for you, or even provide a more simple talking model. Add your needs/request to the Additional Notes field and we can discuss options and pricing with you.

What if I don't have the rights to editing my cover or am not sure?

One possible option would be that we create a new simple version of your cover using a new model (or the same if we can find the stock) to use in your animated promo or ad. It wouldn't be a full new cover, but we would try to make it look close enough that it's obviously the same book when people see the ad and click through. If this is something you are interested in, add your request to the Additional Notes field and we can discuss options and pricing with you.

Can I get a voice that has a different accent or has a specific type of sound?

You can make a request in the Additional Notes section of the order form and we can let you know if we can accommodate it. In general, it’s hard to really describe a voice and we work to make the voice fit what the cover model looks like. Accents can also be tricky with AI. It’s possible, but we will let you know. Depending on the complexity, additional fees may apply (but we would tell you that before going forward).

Can I add captions for the sound if people are watching the ad on mute?

The problem with us adding captions is that they would be added to the video and thus “always on”. A better solution is just to use the built in functionality of Facebook where they can autogenerate captions and only display when the ad is showing on mute. See this article for more details.

What is the best way to protect myself and make sure that my CoverSpeak cover is copyright compliant?

All covers are either designed by the author themselves or by an agent of the author, like a cover designer.

In the first instance, the cover is likely fine to submit to Coverspeak. The author has licensed all of the stock imagery and fonts, and has the rights to the overall composition itself. Since most royalty-free stock licenses can be used for multiple pieces of digital art, those same licenses would apply to the CoverSpeak animated cover.

It’s the second instance that can be tricky, and there are two likely scenarios:

• The author licenses the stock they need and provides it to the cover designer. In this case, the royalty-free licenses purchased by the author allow the individual components to be used for CoverSpeak. The author would just need to obtain permission from the designer to use the full composition itself (or would need to specify that the job is work for hire in the design contract, which would transfer the rights to the composition to the author).
• The designer licenses any stock images used. Because royalty-free licenses are not transferable, the cover would likely not be a candidate for CoverSpeak unless the author also paid for their own license(s) for all images used in the cover. The designer should be able to provide a list upon request. In addition, the author would just need to obtain permission from the designer to use the full composition itself (or would need to specify that the job is work for hire in the design contract, which would transfer the rights to the composition to the author).