SAG-AFTRA voice acting strike to come to and end

The SAG-AFTRA voice actors strike, which started back in October last year, is poised to come to an end following a deal being accepted by both parties.

Starting on October 21st, 2016, members of the Screen Actors Guild launched a strike against 11 video game companies including EA, Activision, WB Games and Disney Character Voices, with the aim of forcing the games industry to treat voice actors as they would be treated in the film and television industries.

The agreement will see a new bonus structure that gives additional payment to performers after a game has been released, with $75 paid for the first voice session and $2,100 after ten voice sessions.

"This is an important advance in this critical industry space," said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris We secured a number of gains including for the first time, a secondary payment structure which was one of the members’ key concerns. The courage of our members and their fortitude these many months has been admirable and I salute them. We are always stronger together."

“The new transparency provisions will enhance the bargaining power of our members’ representatives by requiring the companies to disclose the code name of project, its genre, whether the game is based on previously published intellectual property and whether the performer is reprising a prior role," said SAG-AFTRA chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez. "Members are also protected by the disclosure of whether they will be required to use unusual terminology, profanity or racial slurs, whether there will be content of a sexual or violent nature and whether stunts will be required.”

Some notable names involved in the strike included Uncharted and Destiny voice actor Nolan North.