SAG-AFTRA – the union that represents 160,000 actors, voiceover artists, and other media professionals – has responded to the “video game employers’ April 30 offer “with a comprehensive AI proposal” detailing “in plain language what the proposed changes would mean for performers.”
In a lengthy response posted to its website, SAG-AFTRA raised several points of contention, including a revised approach to the secondary performance payment (SPP) and questioning the video game employers’ parameters of when it would be acceptable to seek a “vocal digital replica […] in lieu of performer.”
“Employers only wanted to give AI protections to NEW performances under the [Interactive Media Agreement]. That meant that anything and everything done previously, and all performances taken from outside the IMA, would be given NO protections,” the organization stated.
“They are now willing to cover any work done under the IMA, no matter when it was recorded, as a Digital Replica. Also, if you are employed under the IMA for a particular project, they cannot designate your replica as an [independently created digital replica] for that project.”
SAG-AFTRA also detailed that if it “accepted Employer language” about consent as detailed in the agreement, “performers will have to pay back money to avoid scabbing a strike as their digital replica, which would be $6k “per game or higher.”
It also took issue with a clause that SAG-AFTRA said means “Employers want to be able to use your Replica for pre-production in a franchise you’ve worked on without ever getting your permission, but are willing to pay you a minimum of scale.”
“We hold that they should always have to let you know and get your Consent,” the union said. “Some companies pay session by session for performers to record for pre-production, whereas many don’t pay for this work or don’t use performers at all. Paying a single session fee for all scratch use on a project is a middle ground.”
Visit the SAG-AFTRA website for full rundown of its counterproposals.
SAG-AFTRA voted to strike at the end of July after it failed to reach an agreement with the convenience bargaining group over rights and protection concerns raised by the industry’s exploration of AI technologies.
SAG-AFTRA issued an update about the strike in March, saying it remained “frustratingly far apart” from video game studios and publishers. It came after two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors claimed they had been replaced for participating in the SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Since then, the union has issued two new agreements to permit members to work with students and game jams.