After more than a year of negotiations, SAG-AFTRA video game performers are on strike
8 months ago

After more than a year of negotiations, SAG-AFTRA video game performers are on strike

NPR  

After more than a year of negotiations, SAG-AFTRA video game performers are on strike Union actors and performers in SAG-AFTRA declared a strike against video game firms over artificial intelligence. MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: As of midnight, union voiceover actors, stunt performers and those whose motions are captured digitally stopped working for the major video game companies. DEL BARCO: Norris says she fears that without those protections, video game companies could create digital replicas without her consent. A spokesperson for the video game companies said in a statement they're disappointed in the union's decision, and they remain prepared to resume negotiations, but actor Zeke Alton - who's also on the negotiating committee - says the companies' offer has many loopholes, and he says performers are the canary in the coalmine of the new technology.

Video Game Companies Union Norris Npr Video Game Performers Del Barco Barco Mandalit Del Barco Video Game Companies  performers  video  norris  union  npr  game  barco  strike  companies  negotiating  negotiations  sagaftra

History of this topic

Hollywood unions are facing an uphill battle against Trump, AI and the slowdown
4 months ago

Hollywood unions are facing an uphill battle against Trump, AI and the slowdown

LA Times  

More than a year after overlapping strikes by Hollywood writers and actors that rattled the entertainment industry, many technicians and craftspeople who operate outside of the spotlight are pressing their own demands for a better deal. “Clearly there’s going to be less protections for workers and less regulatory oversight for business practices going forward,” said David Smith, professor of economics …

SAG-AFTRA, video game companies resuming negotiations as actors’ strike continues
5 months, 2 weeks ago

SAG-AFTRA, video game companies resuming negotiations as actors’ strike continues

LA Times  

Striking video game actors walk the picket line in August outside the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank. Performers union SAG-AFTRA and the major gaming companies are returning to the bargaining table for the first time since video game actors went on strike in July. Roughly 2,600 performers doing voice-over and motion-capture work in the video game industry have been on …

Video game actors’ union calls for strike against ‘League of Legends’
6 months ago

Video game actors’ union calls for strike against ‘League of Legends’

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — “League of Legends” is caught in the middle of a dispute between Hollywood’s actors union and an audio company that provides voiceover services for the blockbuster online multiplayer game. The union said when Formosa learned it could not cancel the game, the company “secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for …

SAG-AFTRA calls strike against ‘League of Legends,’ the latest move in video game actors’ battle
6 months, 1 week ago

SAG-AFTRA calls strike against ‘League of Legends,’ the latest move in video game actors’ battle

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA has added “League of Legends” to its list of struck video games. SAG-AFTRA has added “League of Legends” to its list of struck video games in an effort to punish audio company Formosa Interactive for allegedly violating terms of the ongoing strike by video game actors. The union — which condemned Formosa’s alleged actions as “an appalling attempt to …

Video game performers reach agreement with 80 video games on AI terms
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Video game performers reach agreement with 80 video games on AI terms

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After striking for over a …

Video game actors’ strike: SAG-AFTRA says 80 games have agreed to its AI terms
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Video game actors’ strike: SAG-AFTRA says 80 games have agreed to its AI terms

LA Times  

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced Thursday that the makers of 80 video games have agreed to the union’s proposed AI terms as the video game performers’ strike rages on. “The sheer volume of companies that have signed SAG-AFTRA agreements demonstrates how reasonable those protections are,” Sarah Elmaleh, chair of SAG-AFTRA’s video game negotiating committee, …

Video game performers protest unregulated AI use at Warner Bros. Studios
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Video game performers protest unregulated AI use at Warner Bros. Studios

The Hindu  

More than 300 video game performers and Hollywood actors picketed in front of the Warner Bros. Studios building on Thursday to protest against what they call an unwillingness from top gaming companies to protect union voice actors and motion capture workers equally against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence. The unregulated use of AI, the union says, poses “an equal …

Video game performers are on strike — and it keeps coming back to AI : Consider This from NPR : NPR
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Video game performers are on strike — and it keeps coming back to AI : Consider This from NPR : NPR

NPR  

Video game performers are on strike — and AI is the sticking point Enlarge this image toggle caption James Mastromarino/Square Enix James Mastromarino/Square Enix If you're not entrenched in the world of video games, you might not realize how much real actors have to do with modern gaming. Cote says performers are seeking things like clearer safety and protection measures …

Video game performers protest unregulated AI use at Warner Bros. Studios
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Video game performers protest unregulated AI use at Warner Bros. Studios

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — More than 300 video game performers and Hollywood actors picketed in front of the Warner Bros. Studios building on Thursday to protest against what they call an unwillingness from top gaming companies to protect union voice actors and motion capture workers equally against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence. The unregulated use of AI, the union says, …

Video games: The SAG-AFTRA strike shows how A.I. is threatening the whole industry.
8 months ago

Video games: The SAG-AFTRA strike shows how A.I. is threatening the whole industry.

Slate  

Video game workers—whatever their job, employer, or status—have clearly had enough. They quickly earned recognition from parent company Microsoft, marking the first wall-to-wall effort to succeed at any of the Big Tech firm’s gaming studios. By Friday, gaming performers and voice actors represented by the Screen Actors Guild began a strike, affecting operations across 10 major gaming studios including Epic …

Video game actors are on strike. Here’s what that means
8 months ago

Video game actors are on strike. Here’s what that means

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, center, and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, left, the union’s national executive director and chief negotiator, picket outside Netflix in Los Angeles. Union leaders took the step after they could not reach an agreement on artificial intelligence terms while bargaining for a new contract with the top video game companies, including Activision, Electronic Arts, Insomniac and Blindlight. “We’re not …

SAG-AFTRA goes on strike against the video game industry
8 months ago

SAG-AFTRA goes on strike against the video game industry

The Hindu  

Hollywood's video game performers announced they would go on strike, throwing part of the entertainment industry into another work stoppage after talks for a new contract with major game studios broke down over artificial intelligence protections. Effective July 26 at 12:01 a.m. Today's vote to strike comes after more than a year and a half of negotiations without a deal.#VideoGameStrike#LevelUpTheContract#SagAftraStronghttps://t.co/8InNdB05k8 …

Video Game Performers Are Going on Strike Over AI
55 years, 2 months ago

Video Game Performers Are Going on Strike Over AI

Wired  

Actors in the video game industry are going on strike. On Thursday, the union representing voice and motion-capture performers announced they would be walking off the job after talks with major video game companies broke down over concerns regarding AI protections. “We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our …

Video game actors are now on strike. Here’s why
8 months ago

Video game actors are now on strike. Here’s why

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood’s video game performers went on strike Friday after negotiations with game industry giants that began more than a year and a half ago came to a halt over artificial intelligence protections. The union says the unregulated use of AI poses “an equal or even greater threat” to performers in the video game industry than it does …

Video game performers will go on strike over artificial intelligence concerns
8 months ago

Video game performers will go on strike over artificial intelligence concerns

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood’s video game performers announced they would go on strike Thursday, throwing part of the entertainment industry into another work stoppage after talks for a new contract with major game studios broke down over artificial intelligence protections. A spokesperson for the video game producers, Audrey Cooling, said the studios offered AI protections, but SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee said …

Video game performers call strike against gaming companies
8 months ago

Video game performers call strike against gaming companies

NPR  

Video game performers call strike against gaming companies toggle caption Mario Tama/Getty Images Actors and performers in the union SAG-AFTRA have declared a strike against video game companies. in video game development has become a central issue in negotiations: “We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. Sponsor Message SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan …

Video game actors are going on strike after contract talks fail over AI terms
8 months ago

Video game actors are going on strike after contract talks fail over AI terms

LA Times  

Video game performers are going on strike for the second time in a decade. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator of performers union SAG-AFTRA, called a strike Thursday on behalf of thousands of video game actors covered by the Interactive Media Agreement. The Interactive Media Agreement — a contract covering roughly 2,600 performers who do voice-over and motion-capture …

Video game performers move closer to strike as SAG-AFTRA negotiations stall over AI
8 months, 1 week ago

Video game performers move closer to strike as SAG-AFTRA negotiations stall over AI

LA Times  

Video game actors are inching closer to a walkout as performers union SAG-AFTRA and the top video game companies struggle to reach a deal on contract terms related to artificial intelligence. The contract expired in November 2022 and covers about 2,600 performers doing voice and motion-capture work in the video game industry. Time is running out for the companies to …

Hollywood’s video game actors want to avoid a strike. The sticking point in their talks? AI
9 months ago

Hollywood’s video game actors want to avoid a strike. The sticking point in their talks? AI

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — For more than a year and a half, leaders of Hollywood’s actors union have been negotiating with video game companies over a new contract that covers the performers who bring their titles to life. “The fundamental issue is, at this moment, an unwillingness by this bargaining group to provide an equal level of protection from the dangers …

Actors can start selling AI voice clones to game companies under this new deal
1 year, 2 months ago

Actors can start selling AI voice clones to game companies under this new deal

LA Times  

Recording new voice-overs without speaking a word: For a busy voice actor, it might sound like a dream — unless that actor is worried about artificial intelligence being used to devalue her work and make hiring her unnecessary. Touting an agreement with Replica Studios — a tech firm that says it is “building the world’s greatest library of AI-powered voice …

Performers criticise ‘complete disregard’ over AI complaints following Sag-Aftra deal
1 year, 3 months ago

Performers criticise ‘complete disregard’ over AI complaints following Sag-Aftra deal

The Independent  

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On Tuesday, Sag-Aftra, the US’s biggest union of actors and screen performers, announced its members …

SAG-AFTRA members easily ratify new contract after actors’ strike
1 year, 3 months ago

SAG-AFTRA members easily ratify new contract after actors’ strike

LA Times  

Members of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA rally outside of Disney Studios in Burbank. Hollywood Inc. SAG-AFTRA releases draft contract as members vote SAG-AFTRA has released the full draft agreement it reached with the major studios that ended the 118-day actors’ strike earlier this month. “With this vote, the industry and the jobs it supports will be able to return in …

SAG-AFTRA leaders defend AI protections: ‘We achieved the best possible deal’
1 year, 4 months ago

SAG-AFTRA leaders defend AI protections: ‘We achieved the best possible deal’

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA leaders are defending the artificial intelligence terms of their tentative deal with the major Hollywood studios in response to criticism from some members that the union did not secure enough protections for performers. And so that was the feeling of our negotiating committee who passed.” On Monday, the guild released an 18-page document summarizing the tentative deal, which states …

What’s in the SAG-AFTRA deal? Here’s what the union has to say, including about AI terms
1 year, 4 months ago

What’s in the SAG-AFTRA deal? Here’s what the union has to say, including about AI terms

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA has released a summary of its tentative agreement with the Hollywood studios. The employer also must get the performer’s permission to use the replica, “unless the photography or sound track remains substantially as scripted, performed and/or recorded.” The employer must pay the performer for the amount of days they would have been required to perform scenes featuring their digital …

The actors strike is over – tentative deal reached with Hollywood studios
1 year, 4 months ago

The actors strike is over – tentative deal reached with Hollywood studios

Salon  

SAG-AFTRA has officially reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with film and TV studios, thus ending the longest actors strike in Hollywood history. The agreement includes major pay increases — which are significantly higher than the increases received by the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America, Variety reported — along with first-ever protections …

SAG-AFTRA committee approves deal with studios to end historic strike
1 year, 4 months ago

SAG-AFTRA committee approves deal with studios to end historic strike

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee has approved a tentative deal with the major studios that would end a nearly four-month-long strike that has sidelined thousands of workers and hobbled much of Los Angeles’ signature entertainment industry. “We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers,” the guild’s television and theatrical negotiation committee said …

Actors react to SAG-AFTRA strike ending: ‘We worked hard ... didn’t cave ... got the deal we needed’
1 year, 4 months ago

Actors react to SAG-AFTRA strike ending: ‘We worked hard ... didn’t cave ... got the deal we needed’

LA Times  

As word of the tentative agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP began to spread, union members hit social media to acknowledge the likely end of the 118-day actors’ strike. #SAGAFTRA,” Felicia Day of “Supernatural” and “Mystery Science Theater 3000” fame wrote on X. English journeyman actor Dominic Burgess — who has appeared in the shows “Doctor Who” and “It’s Always …

SAG-AFTRA and major studios delay bargaining session to Thursday
1 year, 5 months ago

SAG-AFTRA and major studios delay bargaining session to Thursday

LA Times  

Performers union SAG-AFTRA and the alliance representing the major Hollywood studios will meet Thursday in hopes of ending the 104-day actors’ strike that has shuttered film and TV production and dealt a severe blow to the entertainment industry. Remember — don’t believe anything you read in the press unless it comes directly from us.” Earlier this month, negotiations between the …

Fran Drescher is SAG-AFTRA’s ‘Norma Rae.’ But the 100-day actors’ strike poses new challenges
1 year, 5 months ago

Fran Drescher is SAG-AFTRA’s ‘Norma Rae.’ But the 100-day actors’ strike poses new challenges

LA Times  

Last summer, Fran Drescher became one of America’s most formidable labor leaders. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and NBCUniversal Studio Group Chairman Donna Langley — to sp “I’m always saying to them, you could be the heroes in this,” Drescher said. Drescher countered that companies must recognize that Hollywood workers, including some actors, “cannot make a living …

SAG-AFTRA strike negotiations suspended as studios ‘offer less than before strike began’
1 year, 5 months ago

SAG-AFTRA strike negotiations suspended as studios ‘offer less than before strike began’

The Independent  

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On 2 October, for the first time since the strike began on 14 July, the …

SAG-AFTRA, major studios continue negotiations as strike nears three months
1 year, 5 months ago

SAG-AFTRA, major studios continue negotiations as strike nears three months

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA members take to the picket line outside Netflix in Los Angeles on July 14, 2023. Leaders of SAG-AFTRA and the major Hollywood studios are wrapping up their first week of negotiations since the 160,000-member performers union went on strike in mid-July, but the sides aren’t yet close to a deal, sources familiar with the talks said Friday. The sessions …

From Idris Elba to Jodie Comer: Why A-listers are no longer embarrassed to star in video games
1 year, 5 months ago

From Idris Elba to Jodie Comer: Why A-listers are no longer embarrassed to star in video games

The Independent  

Idris Elba has seen the future, and it’s full of pixels. Burt Reynolds was in sub-GTA gangster caper Saints Row, Phil Collins performed “In the Air Tonight” in GTA: Vice City Stories, Martin Sheen appeared in Mass Effect 2, Friends actor Matthew Perry graced Fallout: New Vegas, Frozen’s Kristen Bell was in Assassin’s Creed as mentor Lucy, Willem Dafoe appeared …

SAG-AFTRA and studios to meet for a second day in talks to resolve actors’ strike
1 year, 5 months ago

SAG-AFTRA and studios to meet for a second day in talks to resolve actors’ strike

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, white cap front, and the union’s national executive director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, left, greet picketers at Netflix in Los Angeles on July 14. But we’d rather be going back to work like everyone else.” In a joint statement Monday evening, SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which negotiates on behalf …

SAG-AFTRA and the studios to resume talks
1 year, 6 months ago

SAG-AFTRA and the studios to resume talks

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and others at a rally outside City Hall in New York on Aug 1. SAG-AFTRA, which represents 160,000 performers, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which bargains on behalf of the major entertainment companies, said in a joint statement that they will meet on Monday to discuss a new film and TV contract. …

Hollywood video game actors vote to strike if talks fail
1 year, 6 months ago

Hollywood video game actors vote to strike if talks fail

The Independent  

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “It’s time for the video game companies to stop playing games …

The Hollywood writers strike is over after guild leaders approve contract with studios
1 year, 6 months ago

The Hollywood writers strike is over after guild leaders approve contract with studios

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood’s writers strike was declared over after nearly five months Tuesday night when board members from their union approved a contract agreement with studios, bringing the industry at least partly back from a historic halt in production. After Tuesday’s board votes, the contracts were released for the first time to the writers, who had not yet been …

SAG-AFTRA members vote to authorize strike against video game companies
1 year, 6 months ago

SAG-AFTRA members vote to authorize strike against video game companies

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA members voted overwhelmingly in favor of giving their leaders authority to strike against video game companies if they can’t reach a deal over a new contract, the union announced Monday. “After five rounds of bargaining, it has become abundantly clear that the video game companies aren’t willing to meaningfully engage on the critical issues: compensation undercut by inflation, unregulated …

5 things to know about a potential strike against video game companies
1 year, 6 months ago

5 things to know about a potential strike against video game companies

LA Times  

Actor, comedian and video game voice actor Erik Passoja, who has had his likeness used in ways other than what he acted in, is concerned about AI. SAG-AFTRA’s last contract with the video game companies, negotiated in 2017, did not address key issues like AI — a key concern in the current dual Hollywood strikes, where film and TV actors …

SAG-AFTRA set for a second strike against video game companies
1 year, 6 months ago

SAG-AFTRA set for a second strike against video game companies

The Hindu  

SAG-AFTRA is set to seek authorisation for a second strike against big video game companies. Talks on new video game contract have reached a stalemate, said the union, adding that strike authorization vote is needed as leverage to win wage increases and protection from artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA is demanding a 11 per cent retroactive increase in rates for video game …

How the Hollywood strike is impacting the production of movies and TV series
1 year, 7 months ago

How the Hollywood strike is impacting the production of movies and TV series

The Hindu  

Published : Aug 19, 2023 16:23 IST - 6 MINS READ The strike by Hollywood actors and screenwriters may have halted production by the major studios, but filming of few projects is ongoing. But these exceptions come with conditions: any independent project wanting approval from SAG-AFTRA to continue production during the strike must commit to fulfilling the union’s terms. Effects …

SAG-AFTRA strikes: Every film and TV series that’s allowed to continue production under interim agreements
1 year, 7 months ago

SAG-AFTRA strikes: Every film and TV series that’s allowed to continue production under interim agreements

The Independent  

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Films 3-2 Pulldown, The, Charles Golding 47 Days, Reel Big Studios …

SAG-AFTRA moves to rein in controversial side deals with independent producers
1 year, 7 months ago

SAG-AFTRA moves to rein in controversial side deals with independent producers

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher faces a media scrum at her appearance at the Netflix picket line in Los Angeles in July. SAG-AFTRA is taking steps to restrict its approval of side agreements with independent producers after the union faced criticism that such deals undermine the efforts of Hollywood’s dual strikes. About 15% to 20% projects approved for interim agreements were …

Opinion: Actors are striking because we’ve long been in crisis. It’s not just streaming or AI
1 year, 8 months ago

Opinion: Actors are striking because we’ve long been in crisis. It’s not just streaming or AI

LA Times  

SAG-AFTRA members picket outside of Amazon Studios in Culver City on July 14, the first day of the union’s strike. As I searched for the irony in her face, all I could think of was how I’d spent my childhood on stages, lived in a crowded hostel to study Lee Strasberg’s “The Method” at 16 before finally moving to New …

What the actors’ strike means for Broadway shows
1 year, 8 months ago

What the actors’ strike means for Broadway shows

The Independent  

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The strike comes amid an ongoing Hollywood writers’ strike, with issues of pay, streaming residuals, …

Hollywood actors' digital doubles could live on 'for one day's pay,' unions fear
1 year, 8 months ago

Hollywood actors' digital doubles could live on 'for one day's pay,' unions fear

The Hindu  

Like a plot from the anthology television series "Black Mirror," the Screen Actors Guild says it is battling the studios for control over the digital replicas of performers that could be used "for the rest of eternity." The AMPTP, the group negotiating on behalf of Walt Disney, Netflix and other major studios and streaming services, said it had agreed to …

SAG-AFTRA strike: Actors' walkout, their demand and AI. Everything you need to know
1 year, 8 months ago

SAG-AFTRA strike: Actors' walkout, their demand and AI. Everything you need to know

India Today  

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike has shaken the entertainment industry. The SAG-AFTRA strikes a bargain at the gap of every three years with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers which includes studios and streaming services such as Disney, Warner Bros and Netflix. READ | Hollywood studios wants to use AI replicas of actors …

Hollywood faces historic shutdown as SAG-AFTRA strike talks fail
1 year, 8 months ago

Hollywood faces historic shutdown as SAG-AFTRA strike talks fail

Al Jazeera  

Actors likely to join writers on picket lines after talks with studios break down. Negotiators for Hollywood actors’ union have unanimously recommended a strike after labour talks with studios failed to yield an agreement, setting the stage for performers to join film and television writers on picket lines as early as Thursday. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of …

Hollywood actors to join screenwriters in strike over wages, AI
1 year, 8 months ago

Hollywood actors to join screenwriters in strike over wages, AI

Al Jazeera  

The strike is first joint action between actors and writers in 60 years, bringing major studio projects to a standstill. On Thursday, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the lead negotiator with the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union, said that the strike would begin at midnight following a breakdown in negotiations with the studios. Al Jazeera’s Rob Reynolds, reporting from Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, said …

Hollywood actors are now on strike too, joining writers on picket lines
1 year, 8 months ago

Hollywood actors are now on strike too, joining writers on picket lines

Salon  

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is on strike after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to produce a new labor contract. In a statement to NPR, SAG-AFTRA said streaming services have "eroded" the way actors get paid and accused studios of refusing to acknowledge "enormous shifts in the industry and …

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