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SAG-AFTRA union members are striking against all video game companies signed to the Interactive Media Agreement, as of Friday, July 26, 2024.

This strike does not include non-union performers (voiceover and motion capture) or video game companies not signed to the Agreement.

The video game companies (including divisions of Activision, Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Co.) and the performers’ union have not reached a deal after more than a year and a half of negotiations.

The major sticking point seems to be over artificial intelligence (AI) protections for voice-actor and motion-capture union performers.

The union says the video game companies refuse to agree to contract language that protects all union performers covered by a new contract, regarding the use of AI.

The studios’ definition of which union performers constitute a “performer” (and thus are entitled to protection) in the new agreement would then be at the heart of the conflict.

I’m a non-union voice actor who doesn’t do too many video games.

So why do I think this is strike important to me and many others?

Simple, really.

1.   At this moment, artificial intelligence (AI) can allow almost anyone to credibly re-create and manipulate almost every video file and sound file in any matter they choose (for good or evil), without any kind dependable controls or barriers of distribution (copyright lawyers cannot keep up, the AI horse has long escaped the barn).

2.   This very unpleasant and dangerous truth impacts every single individual on the planet, from a new born baby to a world leader. This means you too, whether or not you are a performer.

For the moment, let’s set aside that harsh reality for all of us and focus on the strike.

3.   From a media production standpoint (TV shows, radio shows, streaming programs, video games, podcasts, etc), unprotected performers will be at a severe disadvantage in their careers (on-going payment, residuals, future work)  if current or future companies can take past paid work and manipulate it via AI into NEW projects without compensating the performers. Not only CAN it happen in the future, it HAS happened already in the past and currently. That AI abuse is what SAG-AFTRA is fighting against, on behalf of its members, with this strike.

4.   A successful outcome for SAG-AFTRA performers within a new video game agreement would hopefully provide a pro-performer template for future union agreements and even non-union agreements.

Like in most companies, salaries are often the biggest expense item for media employers – most media companies would have no compunction about cutting expenses (i.e. performers) to increase profit while garnering the same beloved audience products that AI can manufacture (and in many cases, create anew) for them, based on work recently or long-ago performed.

I see AI as extremely dangerous for the media industry and our society as a whole.  It is not the panacea that people would like it to be — or that AI companies would like you to believe it is (ChatGPT and it’s ilk are not your friends).

People lulled into a faster, cheaper, lazier culture will too soon come to realize that the next job, that is no longer needed as a result of unregulated, uncontrolled AI, will be theirs.

Please at least pay attention to how this all plays out.

 

Tags: AI, artificial intellgence, commentary, unions by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Depending on your position the answer is:

It passed.

OR

IT PASSED!!!!!

I am not in the union. I understand the prospective value of being in it but in the past I didn’t see the value for my business for a variety of reasons. The union isn’t bad generally, it’s just not for me presently.

Going forward, I’m very much of the wait and see opinion. There will be so much elbowing for a place at the new combined table (egos, anyone?) while trying to herd the operational cats that a union manages (health care comes to mind) that it’s going to be a bumpy union ride for a while.

I’m hopeful for the union members because this really seems to be the union’s final shot at legitimacy and effectiveness.

The union is necessary in practice and principle. Good luck to all.

Tags: unions by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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The headline screams: “American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild Reach Agreement on Merger Package for Recommendations to SAG and AFTRA National Board of Directors”.

Tip of the hat to Mercedes Rose for the heads up on Facebook.

Read all about it…this merger WOULD impact professional voice over talent in either union or a VO considering joining the new union.

In years past, these two professionally aligned unions couldn’t really get out of each others way in contractual disputes with studios and production companies and finally each other. People have realized for years that there is no need for TWO unions doing basically the same thing. Finally in the most recent elections, those supporting a merger were elected and now it seems, if the plan is ratified by the memberships, it will happen.

Will anybody outside of New York and Los Angeles care?

I’m not asking that in a snide way, I mean it as a real question: Has the non-union train left the station, not only for the people who join the performing unions but for people who hire the talent?

While talent outside of NY and LA question the value of agents to bring them substantial new work, those same people will debate the value proposition of what a union can really offer in calculable ROI for dues memberships. The performing world operates differently than it used to operate.

If this merger goes through (and I would be surprised if it didn’t) the resultant organization will have a LOT of work to do, I think, to encourage non-members to see significant value in becoming a member. It can be done…but that’s going to be a tall wall to climb.

What do you think will happen following a proposed merger?

Tags: broadcasting, commentary, unions, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Others will say this better and most are more qualified to comment but here are my thoughts anyway.

1. The Internet – Quality non-union performers are out there and production companies see that more and more and more. Non union performers charge less. People want to pay less. See where this is going?

2. Geography – The strangle-hold production unions seemingly have on cities like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago may give unions a false sense of security. One could also argue that even in supposedly less expensive production cities like Toronto and Vancouver unions have some hold. With technology cheaper and more prevalent, who needs to work in those cities to produce quality work? Nobody.

3. The Economy– You really think TV and Radio union shops are going to be able to negotiate anything of real value in the near future beyond “you’ll still have a job”? Ad revenues are in the toilet and there is no money for people…hence all the lay-offs. Not good all the way around.

4. Public and long term in-fighting – The Screen Actors Guild has become an embarrassment to watch with it members finally firing their chief negotiator. Today according to the New York Times public and bitter squabble will continue in court. Mind you, this is all about in-fighting- control of the union stuff with no resolution to the contract issues. How much credibility the union has lost in the minds of producers is probably incalculable.

UNIONS HAVE A PURPOSE
Unions have a place in this world IF they operate respectfully and within sound business reason (enjoy trying to drill down THAT definition).

Without a union-base in place as a foundation for setting wages, the inequity of wages that is currently in place among non-union performers (especially in the voice over world) will literally explode and the shrapnel will be lower wages for performers. It would be like the 1920’s for performers all over again.

Unions were established to provide healthy, safe and equitable working conditions for workers who were grossly abused by their employers. The bosses got irresponsible and the unions stemmed that awful tide.

In the performance unions, one of the things that unions established was minimum pay scale upon which fees and residuals should and would be paid. A minimum market value for work performed. This is a very good thing and has always benefitted performers including non-union performers who usually base their rates in part on union scale.

DOOMED TO REPEAT HISTORY?
The unions, however, seemed to fall prey to bad habits of the nasty employers who caused the unions’ formation in the first place. The union leaders kept requiring more and more financially from its dues-paying membership while offering less value to them.

Combine this with the increasing numbers of union members who are electing to become fi-core members as well as the three points I made above and you should see a real problem brewing for unions.

TROUBLE FOR NON-UNION PERFORMERS AS WELL
All this trouble for the unions, by the way, does not mean good news for non-union performers (of which I am currently one). A strong, equitable and respected union ultimately benefits ALL performers including the non-union performers.

The unions today are as unwieldy as the corporations they try to tame so I really don’t know how a lot of this can be fixed. I might suggest reviewing why SAG has a national board of 71 people just as a starting point.

But step 1 has to be that SAG fixes its internal problems immediately and privately. Continued high profile and public in-fighting will lead to its demise and will leave a gapping hole (opportunity) to undermine the performance union system.

Tags: commentary, unions by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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