Video game voice actors are now on strike

[Surfie]

But it is sitting down and talking into a mic.

<Yoda voice> So certain are you?

I wouldn't be so sure. I've seen several voice actors doing their gig (one of my clients is an Actors Management studio - so I see all sorts of weird things), and I gotta say - the majority do NOT sit while they are doing their bit.

They will sit in between takes/tests, sometimes they will sit if that is how they happen to do it, but the majority that I have seen, are actually quite animated while they are doing their thing.

Hand gestures, standing, jumping, running on the spot.... all sorts of things go on in those tiny little spaces. I was actually really surprised when I first saw it.

Now I do have ONE caveat to all this, the company I have seen hire out for cartoons, movies, that sort of thing. NOT video games. I don't think that it would be any different, to be honest - but I just don't know.

 

[McDaddio]

If they are only average actors then yes there are millions of people around the world who could do what they do.

There are fewer people around the world who can do what I do for a living than there are people earning a living as actors.

Do I deserve a big pay rise because my employer makes millions out of the things I make, no I don't.

Do I know what my employer does with what I make or where it goes, no I don't and I could not care less as long as I do a good job to the best of my ability and get paid for it.

Completely wrong. I don't know what you do, but whatever it is, it is not the same thing or the same industry. Acting/voice acting is very unique in this respect, and profit participation is not even questioned for film/TV roles, not to mention behind the scenes, writers, producers, directors etc. This is about fairness, nothing more. As an example, off the top of my head I will use GTA V as an example and Steven Ogg, who voices Trevor. An amazing performance, one that has undoubtedly attributed to the success of that game. You cannot of course quantify that with any accuracy, but his contribution to the financial success of the game is unequivocal, and he should therefore be rewarded for that. You may argue or think otherwise, but the fact is that anyone else at Rockstar who has contributed something as unique as him are on profit participation (I know this, a friend of mine works for a publisher). So how is it fair that the actors are cut out from this process?

There is no argument here. The situation needs to be fixed and contracts need to be renegotiated. You can of course argue all day long about WHY this has happened, Unions et al., or what the end result will be, but that DOES NOT mean voice actors are even remotely in the wrong for exercising their right to strike!

And to the person who says "welcome to the business world. Sorry things aren't butterflies and cotton candy"... come on, don't be so short sighted. Clearly with voice acting things have simply not caught up with acting in general. As mentioned, profit participation is (rightly) not even questioned for actors in film/TV so give ONE REASON why it should be any different in computer games? This is about fairness across the spectrum of the industry, nothing more.

 

[AlienALX]

But it is sitting down and talking into a mic.

I never said it was easy but it's a job that would be far more comfortable than the majority of jobs the vast majority of the human race does.

Over the years I have been alive I have experienced both. When I turned 18 I laboured with my brother for a few months. It was hard work, but the hod carriers and plasterers got it the worst. Plasterers have to retire early because their knees literally give out.

However, I've also done crappy desk jobs too. I would rather carry hods whilst plastering and having a broom rammed up my jacksie sweeping the floor than go back to selling over the phone. It literally made me ill.

As for voice acting? haha, I wouldn't stand a chance. I'd either forget my lines or I would chuck in the odd F bomb and C bomb.

If they're being treated badly (which would not surprise me, sod working for EA or any one like that !) then they should strike IMO.

 

[Kaapstad]

Completely wrong. I don't know what you do, but whatever it is, it is not the same thing or the same industry. Acting/voice acting is very unique in this respect, and profit participation is not even questioned for film/TV roles, not to mention behind the scenes, writers, producers, directors etc. This is about fairness, nothing more. As an example, off the top of my head I will use GTA V as an example and Steven Ogg, who voices Trevor. An amazing performance, one that has undoubtedly attributed to the success of that game. You cannot of course quantify that with any accuracy, but his contribution to the financial success of the game is unequivocal, and he should therefore be rewarded for that. You may argue or think otherwise, but the fact is that anyone else at Rockstar who has contributed something as unique as him are on profit participation (I know this, a friend of mine works for a publisher). So how is it fair that the actors are cut out from this process?

There is no argument here. The situation needs to be fixed and contracts need to be renegotiated. You can of course argue all day long about WHY this has happened, Unions et al., or what the end result will be, but that DOES NOT mean voice actors are even remotely in the wrong for exercising their right to strike!

And to the person who says "welcome to the business world. Sorry things aren't butterflies and cotton candy"... come on, don't be so short sighted. Clearly with voice acting things have simply not caught up with acting in general. As mentioned, profit participation is (rightly) not even questioned for actors in film/TV so give ONE REASON why it should be any different in computer games? This is about fairness across the spectrum of the industry, nothing more.

I think a farmer or miner would laugh you out of town.

What about the people in Asia who make the Apple iPhone (which most of your actor friends probably use) they are so unhappy they are queuing up to end it all by jumping off of high places at work. I believe their employers have installed nets to prevent this.

Or even my own parents, my mother worked on a farm doing heavy physical work for a lot of her adult life and it has caused her a great deal of pain and disability in retirement. Or my father who worked as a bait digger all his life, this is a very dirty wet back breaking job.

 

[steverebo]

Im gonna throw my two cents in hear, Im a police officer I will happily say my job is a lot harder than any voice actor who sits or stands and talks into a mic (thats what it is there is no other way to decribe it) and right now in the UK we are treated like crap due to the austerity with pay cuts extra hours ect ect

You dont see me striking or any of my collegues. Feel lucky you actually have a job in this current economic climate!!

The way I see it if your not happy in your job find another dont throw your toys out of your pram like a baby and strike is pathetic. If I was EA i would just sack you and find someone else to do the job and im sure there are plenty of people

 

[NeverBackDown]

And to the person who says "welcome to the business world. Sorry things aren't butterflies and cotton candy"... come on, don't be so short sighted. Clearly with voice acting things have simply not caught up with acting in general. As mentioned, profit participation is (rightly) not even questioned for actors in film/TV so give ONE REASON why it should be any different in computer games? This is about fairness across the spectrum of the industry, nothing more.

Yes that was me. You can call me short sided, doesn't change the fact my point is true. Life isn't fair. Idk why you are reasoning it should be for those people. Not how it works and never will be. This is how the world run's. No one here is not upset that those people are suffering. We are just stating truth and what is happening(well most I'd say). Life isn't fair. I've said that. You seem to think it should be. Sucks. It's not. Idk how else to put it. What you are trying to do is argue what American Liberals try to argue(not literally but with that all fairness stuff). It doesn't work. So again, I'd rethink yourself. Just going to set yourself up for disappointment.

Now the union's here are trying, good. I'll give em that, however they aren't strong enough to enforce much. So all these companies have to do is hire someone else. You could argue they won't be great actors, you could argue that they will hire actors from another company as a temporary employment. Really either way, they have options. The union does not

 

[AlienALX]

Im gonna throw my two cents in hear, Im a police officer I will happily say my job is a lot harder than any voice actor who sits or stands and talks into a mic (thats what it is there is no other way to decribe it) and right now in the UK we are treated like crap due to the austerity with pay cuts extra hours ect ect

You dont see me striking or any of my collegues. Feel lucky you actually have a job in this current economic climate!!

The way I see it if your not happy in your job find another dont throw your toys out of your pram like a baby and strike is pathetic. If I was EA i would just sack you and find someone else to do the job and im sure there are plenty of people

That's just the typical "Well I work harder than thou, my dad is harder than your dad" thing you would expect from a human, though. We all think we've got it hard because we're all an ungrateful bunch of waynes. That's just how it is.

However, until you've walked a mile in another man's shoes comes to mind here. How do you know how easy/hard their job is? what hours they do? the deadlines they are under etc?

Like I said I used to sit down with a headset on selling all sorts of crap over the phone. It was the worst job I've ever done in my entire life. I had no respite, it was all automated. The phone would ring and a computer would answer it whether I was ready or in the mood or not. And the stress? see my analogy above.

Trust me, just sitting down talking all day is a lot harder than it sounds. I've never had throat problems before but I tell you my throat was always jeffed after I came home.

 

[steverebo]

To be honest ive done a bit of everythibg before I settled on my chosen career and Ive done call centre work and agree its bloody awfull, I was also a postie and ive done some labouring and I can confidently say I would rather sit/stand and talk into a mic all day long than any of my previous or current proffession. Also the advantage of voiceover work us you dont need to learn the lines they are printed infront of you

 

[McDaddio]

People comparing this situation to manual labour jobs and workers making the iPhone... hilarious. A job which ANYONE can do is not applicable in this scenario, but even if it were it's not even a relevant argument! This is about parity and fairness across the acting industry, bringing everything into the modern era. "Life isn't fair" while true, is such a cop out and you're not even engaging with the specifics here, come on. What they are asking for is entirely reasonable and simply in line with their colleagues and even THEMSELVES! Voice actors don't just do voice acting... but they go and do a TV or film role and it's an entirely different contract and set of rules. But hey "life isn't fair" so just get on with it eh? Don't be so absurd. If that's your attitude, then short of encountering a criminal or life threatening situation, don't try to seek recourse or change?? What a great way to live.

Keep in mind this isn't just about money! As the article states, they often don't even know what the work they are doing is for, which is nuts. Contracts are stuck in a time period that is just not relevant anymore, it needs to change.

 

[NeverBackDown]

People comparing this situation to manual labour jobs and workers making the iPhone... hilarious. A job which ANYONE can do is not applicable in this scenario, but even if it were it's not even a relevant argument! This is about parity and fairness across the acting industry, bringing everything into the modern era. "Life isn't fair" while true, is such a cop out and you're not even engaging with the specifics here, come on. What they are asking for is entirely reasonable and simply in line with their colleagues and even THEMSELVES! Voice actors don't just do voice acting... but they go and do a TV or film role and it's an entirely different contract and set of rules. But hey "life isn't fair" so just get on with it eh? Don't be so absurd. If that's your attitude, then short of encountering a criminal or life threatening situation, don't try to seek recourse or change?? What a great way to live.

Keep in mind this isn't just about money! As the article states, they often don't even know what the work they are doing is for, which is nuts. Contracts are stuck in a time period that is just not relevant anymore, it needs to change.

At this point, this is just laughable. Maybe instead of trying to indirectly call us thick headed, you should be the one opening up your mind to others views and not shooting everything down as well as not creating "cop outs" for every reason stated against yours. Try that out first. Then come back with an open minded response. Otherwise you're getting know where. So again, don't be so passive aggressive, just have an open argument. Otherwise don't bother, it'll continue forever.

 

[jimma47]

I think it's good they have the right to take industrial action if that's what they feel is necessary to get their point across. Much better than living in a society where workers have zero rights or representation.

I've been in a couple of situations where it was considered and I opted not to take action. But that's the beauty of choice and freedom some of us are luckily enough to have, unlike some countries like China where working conditions are appalling.

I'm sure voice actors work hard to do what they do. Timing, tone, pitch, content. I'd suck at it but that's all I can say about the subject.

If they strike and get what they want - Good. IF they all get their contracts torn up and they're out of work - so be it. You could compare jobs from one industry to another and argue who has it worse and you'll always find someone better off and someone worse off. It doesn't mean either of those occupations are wrong or less worthy. Just my two cents.

 

[Kaapstad]

People comparing this situation to manual labour jobs and workers making the iPhone... hilarious. A job which ANYONE can do

How arrogant can you get, I would like to see you work in an Asian sweatshop or do backbreaking work on a farm all day.

You have no respect for anything but your narrow point of view.

 

[steverebo]

Voice acting is not what I would class as a difficult job or physically demanding.

Seriously how's the weather all the way up on that pedestal of superiority your sitting on?

 

[McDaddio]

At this point, this is just laughable. Maybe instead of trying to indirectly call us thick headed, you should be the one opening up your mind to others views and not shooting everything down as well as not creating "cop outs" for every reason stated against yours. Try that out first. Then come back with an open minded response. Otherwise you're getting know where. So again, don't be so passive aggressive, just have an open argument. Otherwise don't bother, it'll continue forever.

How arrogant can you get, I would like to see you work in an Asian sweatshop or do backbreaking work on a farm all day.

You have no respect for anything but your narrow point of view.

As I KEEP saying, this has NOTHING to do with other jobs or industries... please can you explain how this is relevant or helpful in actually resolving the specificity of this strike action? It isn't a reconcilable argument. You can't reasonably compare one job in a different industry with another and make sense of that. A policeman isn't going to get anywhere saying he wants a wage increase because Tom Cruise makes $30 million per movie!! That would be farcical. An "open argument" as you call it does not and cannot start bringing other industries into the fold, not if you want to actually get anywhere... that just makes this whole conversation null and void because yes, of course it isn't fair that the fireman who risks his life running into a burning building to save a child only makes a low 5 figure salary... that sucks, and so does slave labour in China, but it's NOT the point, they are totally disparate from one another and simply cannot be reconciled.

I am well aware of the unfairness as a whole that many people seem to be pointing out here, and I totally agree that millions of people deserve to be paid a better wage and others work their fingers to the bone and aren't adequately rewarded for it... but like it or not, that absolutely has nothing to do with this strike. You can shoot down virtually any issue by bringing such far reaching global issues in to something as specific as this... it completely kills all rational and reasonable argument. The "life isn't fair, look at those people suffering in 'x' situation" argument is a very powerful position (and valid), but it's lazy and a deliberate disengagement with the specificity of something, and gets you nowhere in actually resolving or discussing it. And unfortunately that's where we've ended up here.

 

[SparkleDJackson]

hey guys. you are defending yourselves against a guy that only registered so that he could white knight. just ignore him lol. if the last of us hadnt have used the great troy baker and used billy from the end of the street who is 2/3 of the way through a bottle of white lightning before lunchtime the v/a woulndt have been "as good" but the game would still be dope. good vas are only a piece of the puzzle. id rather have a game that worked great looked great and had a great plot than the delivery of lines. mass effect va work was a little janky at times and that game was the ish.

 

[McDaddio]

hey guys. you are defending yourselves against a guy that only registered so that he could white knight. just ignore him lol. if the last of us hadnt have used the great troy baker and used billy from the end of the street who is 2/3 of the way through a bottle of white lightning before lunchtime the v/a woulndt have been "as good" but the game would still be dope. good vas are only a piece of the puzzle. id rather have a game that worked great looked great and had a great plot than the delivery of lines. mass effect va work was a little janky at times and that game was the ish.

Sorry, didn't realise there was anything wrong with registering on a forum so that I could express a view that I feel strongly about. I'm quite happy to be ignored, although I would prefer if people actually focused on the specifics of the issue rather than talking around and above it, and taking pot shots at me for no good reason other than they feel empowered to take the moral high-ground... which while admirable really has nothing to do with the specific reasons for these actors going on strike.

What YOU want from a game and what you think about voice actors is fine, but really doesn't address the reasons for this strike action or why and how it is unfair within (and solely restricted to) the acting profession. However, it doesn't seem like many people actually want to talk about that.

 

[SparkleDJackson]

i do understand some of your points such as the transparency. yes it would be good to know if you have just signed up to voice a character in a game where things may be contrary to your personal and religious beliefs. that i 100% understand. but things like royalties if a game sells well. no way. unless you are doing stunts and mocap etc then basically you are reading for an audio book. it is voice work for goodness sake and unless you are really really flipping good and have an amazing voice then you are dispensable and if you kick up enough stink well then there is always someone else out there that will do the job for what you wouldnt. its a very vague article if there was information available to the public like rates of pay etc then it would be easier to make judgements. also if the va has a role that requires a lot of screaming to be recorded like in a game where there are hundreds of different ways to die in that case i think that should be compensated definitely but for the most part i think they should just be quiet.

 

[SPS]

I agree with McDaddio. I think you're all misinterpreting him here.
In my opinion, it is McDaddio who is seeing the wider picture, I don't think he is just defending voice actors for the sake of it, but the principal behind it. Other people here are dismissing a group of people's right to make their situation better simply because in your eyes it's not physically hard or a 'hard' job compared to others, and that is narrow-minded to me.

As a games programmer do you know how many people think I just sit down and play games all day? You can boil any job down to the basics and it will sound easy, all I do is sit down and type. But it's far from just that and people should respect that they don't know how every profession in the world works.

Not all jobs have great perks, no, but people have to work hard to get into those jobs that do.

 

[McDaddio]

i do understand some of your points such as the transparency. yes it would be good to know if you have just signed up to voice a character in a game where things may be contrary to your personal and religious beliefs. that i 100% understand. but things like royalties if a game sells well. no way. unless you are doing stunts and mocap etc then basically you are reading for an audio book. it is voice work for goodness sake and unless you are really really flipping good and have an amazing voice then you are dispensable and if you kick up enough stink well then there is always someone else out there that will do the job for what you wouldnt. its a very vague article if there was information available to the public like rates of pay etc then it would be easier to make judgements. also if the va has a role that requires a lot of screaming to be recorded like in a game where there are hundreds of different ways to die in that case i think that should be compensated definitely but for the most part i think they should just be quiet.

Going off topic here somewhat, but you are being tremendously disrespectful and dismissive of the acting profession by categorising what they do as 'reading for an audio book.' I don't know if you genuinely believe that, but if so then I suggest you attend a few acting classes, because you will soon realise there is FAR more to it than what you think. Like SPS says, you can boil any job down to the basics and mock it, but I'm sure it wouldn't go down very well if I went around saying that Lionel Messi just kicks a ball around therefore is dispensable because anyone can do it, or a skilled mechanic just swaps out a few spark plugs therefore is dispensable because anyone can do it, or a policeman just arrests people for doing bad things therefore is dispensable because anyone can do it... the list goes on.

The financial remuneration aspect is about nothing more than parity... actors in TV/film get it, producers get it, writers get it, directors get it... within the games industry developers get it. It's about FAIRNESS solely within the acting profession, absolutely nothing to do with whether you think they deserve it or not, and certainly not about what other professions get paid or are entitled to.

 

[SparkleDJackson]

well i did say basically. i did drama in school and was damn good at it. it was just a shame i was so grotesquely fat that i learned to hate myself that i stopped looking in the mirror and only went outside when it was time for the groceries to be bought or i was required at the family business(im not acting her by the way). i think in general that the majority of actor sportsmen are hella overpaid. kevin hart are you serious 87 mil a year. the dude is the same character in every movie and is only "funny becuase of his voice and his height". i dont think sportsmen at all deserve 200k+ a week. thats bonkers. i said that if a person is not willing to do the job as is they are dispensable. that is business dude/ette.

mrs doubtfire for example. when they are trying to find a nanny there is the lady that goes off on the list of things she doesnt do. did she get the job.

no. she didnt. mrs doubtfire did. because she would.


now i may have said something that offended you for that i do apologise. i am not a keyboard warrior but sometimes i type things that in my head sound a way that is different than it sounds in anothers. but to end if they want some change then they are going to have to recruit more than 25% (according to polygon so who knows how acc this is) of the va to the union