Voice actors target 10 massive game companies in voice actor strike

Video games have become so narrative driven over the last couple generation that voice actors are more important and vital to games than ever before. There are voice actors that are major names in the gaming industry similar to a regular movie star. People like Nolan North, Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, and others are vital to the industry. They are what makes or breaks a character for the most part. Sure, writing has a big part of that as well, but would The Last of Us be as good without absolutely stellar performances from Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson? Would that opening sequence have been nearly as impactful without Troy Baker? Would a character like Trevor Phillips in Grand Theft Auto V be nearly as good without Steven Ogg's wild personality? Most of those answers are probably a no.

Voice actors are threatening to go on strike due to lack of proper compensation for their work as well as just health and safety requirements that aren't being met. Some people just also want transparency with their projects. Some games don't give out scripts or even the name of the project to prevent leaks and such but then an actor may walk into a session and it'll turn out that their character is a full blown racist that shouts the N word dozens of times and they feel uncomfortable saying those things. The actors aren't holding these things against every company, but the companies they're holding accountable are some massive names.

Union Heads will be meeting with companies to negotiate contracts "rooted in industry standards and best practices," and that, "unless you hear differently from us, effective Oct. 21 at 12:01 a.m., you should be prepared to strike the following video game employers with regard to all games that went into production after Feb. 17, 2015:

Activision Publishing, Inc.​​
Blindlight, LLC
Corps of Discovery Films
Disney Character Voices, Inc.
Electronic Arts Productions, Inc.​
Formosa Interactive, LLC
​Insomniac Games, Inc. ​
Interactive Associates, Inc.
Take 2Interactive Software​ ​
VoiceWorks Productions, Inc.​
​WB Games, Inc."

A user on Reddit also gave some more detail on the situation talking about their push to get treated better.

"Very very very much FOR the strike. We needed a 75% vote to approve. We got almost 97%. These producers' demands are, quite frankly, fucking nuts. They want to be able to fine actors for checking their cell phones in a session, or for being distracted. They want to fine agents $150,000 and strip them of their union franchise if they pass on auditions (i.e., you and Kevin Spacey don't want to audition for a game…bam. $150,000 fine, union franchise gone).

We're looking for reasonable safety precautions regarding vocal stress (limiting stressful sessions to 2 hrs. instead of 4hrs.) and having a stunt coordinator on set for mocap. These producers don't even feel mocap should be included under a video game contract.

We're also asking for contingent pay. Basically, you get your session fee. If the game sells over 2 million units, you get another session fee. And another at 4 million, CAPPING at 8 million units. This would, in no way, damage independent game companies, as it only provides a "residual" when a game is successful.

Lastly, we're asking for transparency. We don't want members to show up at a session, not having seen a script, or even knowing what the game is, and realize they have to scream racial slurs or do awful things, or just anything they feel uncomfortable doing. We need to know upfront what we're getting into.

We are currently working the same contract that was negotiated in the mid- 1990s! I think it's fair to say that the industry has changed a bit since that time. And we need a contract that protects us in this new landscape."

We will keep you updated as the story develops.

[GamesRadar]