Film buffs and serious fans (can we say that?) in recent months have had to deal with a topic that seemed very distant: the strikes. In fact, for weeks now American screenwriters and actors have folded their arms, stopping all activities, even the simplest ones such as promoting their upcoming projects on social media. And soon this story it could become even more important, because the strike risks extending to video games too. But let’s try to understand more.
What’s this video game strike thing? Will it really happen?
It is an initiative launched by the American actors union, the so-called SAG-AFTRA and for the moment it is not yet confirmed. In fact, at the beginning of the week the members of the organization received the proposal to extend the strike to the video game sector as well, inviting them to express their opinion on this possibility. Yes they will collect votes until September 25th and on that date it will be known whether to stop the work or not.
In reality, however, even if the yes vote wins, the strike would not be automatic for the video game sector. In fact, new negotiation sessions are planned with the companies at the end of September, to renew the contract, the so-called Interactive Media Agreement. The idea is to get the strike for the video game sector approved now, in order to be able to come to the table with greater force. As if to say: “If an agreement is not reached, we will stop working. Not maybe, not sooner or later, but definitely and immediately“.
It should be underlined how not all companies will be involved actually, but the list includes the largest ones, namely:
- Activision Productions Inc
- Blindlight LLC
- Disney Character Voices Inc.
- Electronic Arts Productions Inc.
- Epic Games Inc.
- Formosa Interactive LLC
- Insomniac Games Inc.
- Take 2 Productions Inc.
- VoiceWorks Productions Inc.
- WB Games Inc.
On the other hand, it’s easy to imagine what the largest companies are like those that most need the contribution of SAG-AFTRA members. Although this initiative, as we will see, does not only concern the big names you may be thinking of, it is easy to imagine an indie title that completely renounces dubbing or motion capture, compared to a triple A title. And if the video game strike really starts would have a significant impact.
But why do they want to strike?
The main reasons for this (let’s repeat, currently potential) strike of actors in the video game sector are similar to those for the audiovisual field. And that’s exactly why we chose to carry on the battles simultaneously. It’s about three themes which must be redefined in the new version of the aforementioned Interactive Media Agreement.
The first question concerns artificial intelligence. The current contract is very generic in this sense and opens up to various risks. Replicating the image or even more the voice of an actor or actress is now very simple and we want to prevent practices of this type from becoming common or at least accompanied by explicit consent and adequate compensation.
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Precisely this last point is at the center of the second question of debate, the most obvious: money. The union is calling for a increase in compensation for players in the sector, to cope with inflation. Just like for audiovisual, the request is an 11% increase for the first year, followed by two 4% increases in subsequent periods.
Finally, one asks greater definition of safety in the workplace, taking up the rules of film sets. The proposal is to introduce the possibility of pauseimpose the presence of a doctor during particularly dangerous shots and pay more attention to the limits of self-recorded auditions.
I mean there’s a strike in video games because they want even more money? Don’t have enough?
This is the first question that came up as soon as the actors folded their arms in cinema and TV series. The point is that, no matter how much they are on strike all SAG-AFTRA members (the union has shown itself to be decidedly united up to this point), the requests do not actually particularly involve the big names. The same increases mentioned above concern the minimum wagewhich high caliber actors do not perceive, negotiating for much higher sums.
Although in fact when we think of “actors in the world of video games” we think of Johnny Silverhand of Keanu Reeves or all’Antón Castillo di Giancarlo Esposito, the reality is that there is a whole world of performers who contribute to the development of titles and who ask for fairer conditions. They range from voice actors who provide the voices for all the characters, to motion capture performers, up to stuntmen for the most extreme scenes.
That’s why a possible strike in the video game sector could really paralyze everything. Although the contribution of actors does not have the same importance as it does in the audiovisual sector, it is fundamental in this field too. Try to imagine a Starfield without voice acting and without any character movement: it couldn’t exist. And given the determination shown so far by the SAG-AFTRA union, this initiative could really block the industry for months. As the cinephiles and serious enthusiasts mentioned above now know too well.
The hope is therefore that it will be possible reach an agreement in those famous negotiations between now and the end of September. Let’s cross the joypads.