video game voice actor strike...
polycounter lvl 20
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050525/ap_on_bi_ge/video_games_labor
I didn't really hear anything about this from the people that attended E3 and thought it was a fairly decent discussion piece, if nothing else.
I didn't really hear anything about this from the people that attended E3 and thought it was a fairly decent discussion piece, if nothing else.
Replies
Blah, what do I know. I'm just a hobbyist.
LOL WHAT A BUNCH OF RETARDS!
Considering the average quality of voice acting in games I'm surprised they get any money at all.
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You get what you pay for.
I think voice acting and soundFX in general is kind of lacking in a lot of games. There are excerptions like Vietcong, but in general it seems like that is one of the areas where 'corners are cut'.
And good sound/music/voice acting is for most singleplayer games about as important as graphics and gameplay.
Some of the worst voice acting I've experienced came from FarCry. And of course, HL2's Alyx deserves a Grammy. For a few hours of talking, I think they're paid enough.
Producers have countered with an offer of a 34.8 percent wage hike over three years, bringing the one-hour rate for union actors to $375 from $278.
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If I got paid $278 for an hours worth of work you'd definitely see me doing the best I can do.
Also is it voice-overs or voice overs?
I say these people are greedy and stupid, I don't think anyone cares about their strike, they'll just get someone else to do the job.
(I have experience, even... sorta. I just did a radio commercial for a local apartment building. Sure, it will only run on an AM station during soccer games, but it's something.)
Before taxes even.
At least that is how I imagine it
That having been said, I think it would be better to have game voice overs done by non-union talent, local to the game studio. Most cities have a wealth of talented actors and radio people who could do a great job, earn good money and not hold the game industry hostage.
I agree that sound design & V.O. in games is frequently lacking. I don't really think that this is due to low budgets, but more to inadequate planning & care.
Scott
Why in gods name do you need to pay Cameron Diaz $10mil for 10 hours of VO work for Shrek? Jesus fuck its just plain retarded. I'd rather get a decent VO actress or some no-name talent to do the work for 1/1000th of what it would cost to cast some big name actor.
Anyway, I do agree, most VO is pretty crappy as it is. They need less money and more training.
Good for them! Even though I personally dont agree with some of their demands, at least they are out there. Instead of us whining about how much they get paid as it is, why dont we do the same thing?
Or at least, thats what I've heard, read & experienced first hand from union workers.
Or at least, thats what I've heard, read & experienced first hand.
Dear Ms. Cone,
I recently saw an article describing the video game actors strike that your members are involved with. As a professional video game artist, I find this totally ridiculous. The fact that your members are demanding residuals for several days or weeks worth of work is an insult to every game artist, programmer, level designer, and every other game production professional.
The truth is that we game production professionals may work for years on a game, not just a few days as actors tend to, yet residuals and royalties are extremely uncommon for any of us to receive. The hourly rate that an actor gets for their short-term commitment to the project is exponentially more than what even a well paid programmer receives. I understand that this is contract work, and that actors should be compensated monetarily, since they cannot rely on job stability and benefits as normal employees receive.
Although I personally appreciate good in-game acting, in the overall scope of the project, the actors play a minor role. Games are not movies or television. What makes a game sell well, is fun gameplay (design and programming), creative and/or convincing graphics (art), and a good story (writing/design/acting). Of these aspects, only gameplay is absolutely necessary.
To illustrate this concept, consider non-computer games like chess. It is fun due to the creative gameplay that the player is allowed. There is nothing else fancy about it, and many video games are very similar. Many do not really have much of a story, but rather, have a set of rules that guide the way a player may entertain themselves. This may be a digital version of chess, or another type of game such as a shooter, where you are given a gun, and told to shoot the bad guys.
In many of these types of games, there are voice commands and that have been acted out by someone. It may be as simple as a yell of, Look out! Grenade! They are simple, short, recorded clips that are prompted by a players actions. Yes, technically this may be acting, but it really doesnt take more than a few seconds to record such exclamations. Whether they are shouted by union actors or not is of no real significance. In either case, they are such a minor portion of the game that they are nearly irrelevant. They take 3 seconds of work to record. And yet, an actor who does this simple piece is to receive residual payments for as long as the game sells, whereas the creative and technical people who actually made the game, and poured years of work into it receive no type of residual or royalty compensation?
Ridiculous.
No doubt some of your members will say that we game artist, programmers, and designers should also get residuals. Some of us do. But this is not a standard business practice in the game industry. Many of us are just regular employees who are making a product, just as do people in other industries. We understand this fact, are happy with our positions, and know that we are vital to keeping this industry going. If all of us were to demand residuals, there would be plenty of people willing to fill our shoes. Whether it is kids coming out of college, or an overseas contractor, there are lots of people who would love to have our jobs.
I just find it preposterous that out of the hundreds of people that it can take to make a game, the actors, who make the smallest contributions both time-wise and creatively should be the only ones to reap the residual benefits.
Sincerely,
Ryan Greene
Many of us are just regular employees who are making a product, just as do people in other industries. We understand this fact, are happy with our positions, and know that we are vital to keeping this industry going. If all of us were to demand residuals, there would be plenty of people willing to fill our shoes.
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Ryno, well written. But are you saying they should be the same way also? (IE)"We like what we have, and don't think its fair that others ask for more."
Ultimate form of marxism?
dude seriously I can pay for 2 months of rent with what they make in an HOUR, what the fuck is the problem?
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to be fair, I wonder how often these voice over folks get work? I mean, if they were constantly working, sure they make shitloads. But what if that one payment actually did have to pay 2 months of rent?
Not to be a smart ass, but all of these people are important in getting the game sold. If they all got a cut, could you imagine how much more expensive games would have to be?
I think it is egotistical for anyone involved to think that only THEY are the reason for a game's success. It takes a big team.
This is true in any industry that makes products. Yet why should entertainment people have rights to royalties/residuals for what they produce, while the guy working in the automobile manufacturing plant won't? They're both making stuff, right?
Of course royalties are great, if your company has planned for that type of compensation. But I don't think that studios should have a gun stuck to their head, forcing them to adopt this practice. I can guarantee you that this is a big headache for a smaller studio to deal with, and if they were forced to pay royalties for everything, a lot of wonderful games simply would not be made.
Sure, if you invent something incredibly unique, maybe some form of royalties are in order. Take the case of Stan Lee, who got screwed for years, even though he made Marvel Comics what it is. But the truth is that your run of the mill voice actor, coder, or game artist is just a small cog in a bigger machine, and they are not nearly as influencial to the scope of the project as Stan Lee was to comics. That they ALL deserve residuals is just ludicrous.
dude seriously I can pay for 2 months of rent with what they make in an HOUR
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They don't work 40 hrs a week. Not even close. And that hourly pay is gross, that means:
-no benifits
-still have to pay taxes on that
The avg voice actor for games doesn't even get 1 gig a week from what I know of it.
-R
-R
Or perhaps make sure you screen for voice talent during other job interviews as well so it won't sound bad if you let your coders voice the two cutscenes your game has...
It would be unfair if the voicer actors made more money than other developers but I think it is allready unfair how developers get treated
theres a lot that goes into voice acting, and the production side. the company I used to work for provided voice acting in multiple languages, http://www.babelmedia.com/localisation.php?page=audio
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050609/tc_nm/media_videogames_strike_dc
(didn't see any reason to start a new thread...)
·An immediate 25 percent increase in minimum wages from $556 to $695 for a four-hour session for up to three voices with increases in subsequent years, bringing the daily rate up to $759.
·Double time pay after six hours (previously ten hours) for three-voice performers.
·A 7.5 percent increase in contributions to the unions benefits plans, bringing the rate up to 14.3 percent.
·15-25 percent gains in rates for remote delivery and integration.
·Payment to actors for reuse of performances in promotional films longer than 12 minutes.
·A specified rest period for each hour spent recording.
·Payment window shortened from 30 to 12 business days.
·Pre-work notification to actors performing in stressful sessions.