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SAG-AFTRA Video Game Voice Actors Authorize Strike (they're not striking yet)

S

Shard

XBLAnnoyance
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/sag-aftra-video-game-voice-actors-authorize-strike-1201612750/

SAG-AFTRA video game voice actors have authorized the union’s national board to call a strike with 96.5% of those voting backing a work stoppage.

SAG-AFTRA plans to ask companies to return to the bargaining table. Previous talks in February and June failed to produce an agreement on a successor deal.

“It is important to note that the referendum result does not mean that members are on strike, rather, it gives the National Board the authority to declare a strike,” the union said. “A 75% ‘yes’ vote was required to give the National Board that authority. With this result in hand, the Negotiating Committee will seek to return to the bargaining table and continue to press for a fair resolution on behalf of performers working in video games.”


SAG-AFTRA is also seeking language covering what it called “vocally stressful” recordings, stunt coordinators on performance capture and transparency during auditions.
Click to expand...

There is more in the article at the jump above.
 
G

gdt

Member
Good.

Good luck to them.

Edit: I wonder if this will affect Uncharted 4. All of Norths lines gotta be done by now I think.
 
B

border

Member
Some of their demands are reasonable.....some of their demands are stupid.

Good luck though -- I definitely think publishers can weather the storm here.
 
A

Alcoholikaust

Member
Maybe this will allow developers to hire young blood that wants to give all they have for a chance being part of a game.

Not paying someone thousands for a half-assed performance for a few days worth of work.
deal-with-it-gif-cat.gif
 
C

cloudzack117

Banned
selfishly does this mean that persona 5's localization will get done quicker? just use the seiyuus and ad subs.


hopefully they can get something worked out, there are some really talented VA's out there who get stuck doing the same voices everytime
 
B

benicillin

Banned
Once again, this is just to authorize a strike being on the table IF IT COMES TO IT. They still have to vote to authorize the actual strike should that arise.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm behind them 100%. Now time to vacate the thread before I have to sit through pages of "no one cares about voice actors its all about the GAMEPLAY."
 
M

Madness

Member
I absolutely love voice actors. There is a distinct difference when you have someone who does this as a career as opposed to a celebrity or other actor providing their voice. Look at Keith David, his voice acting has been superb. Jennifer Hale, Troy Baker, Nolan North, John DiMaggio, Kevin Michael Richardson and many many more.

I don't know how successful this strike will be though. Unlike other actors or celebrities, no one knows as much about voice actors. Right away I knew that Spartan Locke voice acting was better than in the past and it was because they were using Ike Amadi a career voice actor now while Mike Colter was filming Luke Cage for Marvel. But I'm sure for many, they couldn't tell a difference at all. And therein lies the problem. How many play games without ever caring who's voicing the characters? Will Uncharted or Halo not sell as well if they're not using the industry well known names? Who knows. I don't want this to become an ugly battle that adds to how crazy difficult and time consuming and resource draining games are becoming.
 
B

BahamutPT

Member
akachan ningen said:
Maybe now we'll see more than the same 5 actors in every game.
Click to expand...

Actually if something like that were to happen, it would probably be the opposite.
Since VAs are fighting for more benefits and better work conditions, I could see them reusing the ones in each game to cut down on the new costs.
 
M

Mushroomer25

Member
Alcoholikaust said:
Maybe this will allow developers to hire young blood that wants to give all they have for a chance being part of a game.

Not paying someone thousands for a half-assed performance for a few days worth of work.
deal-with-it-gif-cat.gif
Click to expand...
Except anybody who works on a game during the stroke would be getting on the bag side of SAG. If they ever wanted work as an actor, that's just about the worst thing imaginable.
 
P

Pez

Member
I'm glad most of this fall's games are in the can, but I'm sure this'll put a dampen on any DLC that's being developed for them.
 
W

Walpurgis

Banned
I hope they come to an agreement before they strike. Most of their demands are pretty reasonable and should have already been in place. Publishers need to stop being so greedy.
 
B

benicillin

Banned
Pez said:
I'm glad most of this fall's games are in the can, but I'm sure this'll put a dampen on any DLC that's being developed for them.
Click to expand...

No one is striking yet, hopefully the fact that it was overwhelmingly approved by the people who voted will give them some bargaining power in the negotiations so publishers won't just shit all over them and ask them to take it.
 
G

Gentleman Jack

Member
cloudzack117 said:
selfishly does this mean that persona 5's localization will get done quicker? just use the seiyuus and ad subs.
Click to expand...

Atlus isn't about to hamstring its overseas sales by releasing a Japanese-voice only title in one of its flagship franchises. And any time saved by not recording English audio would likely be wasted re-negotiating distribution contracts with the Japanese actors and their representatives, a nightmare in the making.
 
A

Armadilo

Banned
Article

SAG-AFTRA video game voice actors have authorized the union’s national board to call a strike with 96.5% of those voting backing a work stoppage.

SAG-AFTRA plans to ask companies to return to the bargaining table. Previous talks in February and June failed to produce an agreement on a successor deal.
Click to expand...

Reps for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have refused to comment.

“It is important to note that the referendum result does not mean that members are on strike, rather, it gives the National Board the authority to declare a strike,” the union said. “A 75% ‘yes’ vote was required to give the National Board that authority. With this result in hand, the Negotiating Committee will seek to return to the bargaining table and continue to press for a fair resolution on behalf of performers working in video games.”

The contract covers work performed for Activision, Electronic Arts, Disney, Warner Bros. and other employers of video game voice actors.

The strike authorization has been supported by several notable voice actors including Elias Toufexis (“Deus Ex’s” Adam Jensen), D.C. Douglas (“Resident Evil’s” Wesker) and Jennifer Hale (“Mass Effect’s” Femshep). The movement also has Twitter hashtags: #PerformanceMatters and #iAmOnBoard2015.
Click to expand...

One of the key proposals seeks bonuses for voice actors on games that sell over 2 million units with subsequent payments when sales reach 4 million, 6 million and 8 million.
Click to expand...
 
S

ShockingAlberto

Member
Their list of demands, outside of a few exceptions, were really reasonable.

Meanwhile, the publishers' list of demands was veering on cartoon villainy.
 
S

Stuart444

Member
Good luck to them though I can't help but wonder what would happen if a strike did happen.

Guess we'll see if they call a strike or not. All depends on how negotiations from now on goes.
 
Y

Yabberwocky

Member
I hope it works out without them having to strike, and I really wish them all the best. Some of their points were extremely important, especially with better safety measures re: mo-cap/stunt work, and sensible sessions/communication for strenuous vocal work. The latter is relevant for all actors who work in games, especially considering how vocally taxing a lot of voice work for games can be. Even good technique won't help in some instances.

karasu said:
Maybe this will send us back to a text based dialogue valhalla.
Click to expand...

GTA VI is going to be bitchin'.
 
B

BatDan

Bane? Get them on board, I'll call it in.
Let's see if this brings results.

ShockingAlberto said:
Their list of demands, outside of a few exceptions, were really reasonable.

Meanwhile, the publishers' list of demands was veering on cartoon villainy.
Click to expand...

How bad were the publishers' demands?
 
U

User1608

Banned
I respect and love VAs so I hope it ends well for them. I'd love to be a va myself one day as a possible path, so I'm biased and sympathetic towards their demands.
 
R

RipperGrim

Member
Alcoholikaust said:
Maybe this will allow developers to hire young blood that wants to give all they have for a chance being part of a game.

Not paying someone thousands for a half-assed performance for a few days worth of work.
deal-with-it-gif-cat.gif
Click to expand...

Wow what an ignorant comment to make. Dismissing all VA's work as half assed and then hoping they get replaced with people who should just be grateful they are on a videogame?
 
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