Video game voice actors may finally be taking the fight to their employers. SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents the voice actors, is considering a strike if demands on a new Interactive Media Agreement are not met.
Video game performers are proposing a change to four key issues in their renegotiation of the Interactive Media Agreement.
The bulk of the changes is in regards to performance bonuses. More commonly known as residuals or royalties, the idea behind this is that performers take a lower fee for their service but a percentage of the gross. The union proposes that a bonus isn’t given until a video game sells a total of 2 million units, which would qualify it for what they call “blockbusters”.
We’re asking for a reasonable performance bonus for every 2 million copies, or downloads sold, or 2 million unique subscribers to online-only games, with a cap at 8 million units/ subscribers. That shakes out, potentially, to FOUR bonus payments for the most successful games: 2 million, 4 million, 6 million and 8 million copies.
Research done by the union shows that units that move around the 2 million mark is about the point where video game projects almost 100% contain union performers and turn a profit; A large reason they list 2 million as the starting asking figure.
The additional proposed demands include stunt pay “for vocally stressful recording sessions”, the presence of a stunt coordinator on set, and more transparency on game projects.
Video game producers have made a few proposals of their own including the right to fine performers a total of $2,500 if a performer is late to a session of is not “attentive to the services for which [they] have been engaged”. The definition if being “attentive” is not specifically explained and the union has stated their demands “may not even be legally enforceable”.
Negotiations between video game performers and video game producers occurred in February and June of this year with no agreements being met between both sides. The Interactive Media Agreement was initially put in effect in the 1990’s and performers are looking to bring it up to date with modern day standards. The latest agreement expired in December 2014.
The union has been voting on a strike since September 16 and will end on October 5. If 75% of voting members approve the strike then actors will be unable to work on games out of respect as the union re-negotiates with its employers.
So far many prominent voice actors have shown their support for the cause on Twitter with the hashtags #PerformanceMatters and #iAmOnBoard2015, most notably Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect, Metal Gear Solid, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) and Ali Hillis (Final Fantasy XIII, Mass Effect) among others.
Source: SAG-AFTRA