Update Patch | August 2024 — Start Menu

With the recent call from the SAG-AFTRA Voice Actor StrikeUK trade union Equity has been in the news for its own issues that need to be addressed.

While Equity has provided support to SAG-AFTRA, does not organize its own dispute because it has no collective agreement with UK game retailers. In the meantime, the union has published a new set of guidelines for the industry, as well as new recommended minimum rates for artists. These guidelines are not necessarily legally binding, but have been published by the union.

First, the new rates apply to AAA games, defined as “games typically created and published by medium or large publishers.” recommended rate card suggests a minimum of £300 per hour for voiceover sessions, with slightly more depending on whether a headcam is used, whether the game is a sequel and whether the game uses the actor’s likeness. The chart also suggests £650 per day for a motion capture session, with £850 per day for a full performance capture. According to Equity, these are “reflective of current global negotiated rates for voice work”. These are of course recommended minimums and can be negotiated between artist and studio.

This is part of Equity’s new Best practice document aimed at providing fair and good practices for companies. The practice appears to address a number of issues, including requiring studios to provide “a full synopsis and outline of the story” and allowing performers to “request a closed set” to address a pervasive culture of actors being surprised with explicit and intimate material just before filming, as detailed in a report from the BBC.

The document also includes guidance regarding the use of generative AI, recommending that studios “confirm with the performer that the data recorded during the designated performance sessions will only be used for the stated project and will not be reused in future titles.” If a studio wishes to retain the performance data for potential reuse in a library, Equity recommends that “a purchase/integration fee must be paid.”