Comments on: Are Video Game Actors Undercompensated? http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/ PS3 News and Views Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:12:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: tBuggR http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150453 Fri, 23 May 2008 19:21:28 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150453 If you read the full article, his complaints are with the Union. The Screen Actors Guild specifically determines the rates for compensation and when SAG is involved you either agree or you don't. He was smart to agree, just wishes the inequities in pay were levelled. While Rockstar did pay him more than the baseline, it was still less than many other forms of very similar entertainment. Radio rates, for example, are about 1.5 to 2x more than Internet and gaming rates - even though more people are likely to hear you on such a successful videogame franchise as Grand Theft Auto. If you read the full article, his complaints are with the Union. The Screen Actors Guild specifically determines the rates for compensation and when SAG is involved you either agree or you don’t. He was smart to agree, just wishes the inequities in pay were levelled. While Rockstar did pay him more than the baseline, it was still less than many other forms of very similar entertainment. Radio rates, for example, are about 1.5 to 2x more than Internet and gaming rates - even though more people are likely to hear you on such a successful videogame franchise as Grand Theft Auto.

]]> by: Segitz http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150187 Wed, 21 May 2008 23:41:36 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150187 I agree Henning... Unions in Germany ARE a plague... a REAL plague! Being a student nowadays, I can say that (i.e. I don't have any business at all with unions, but I have friends, you know^^), but still, I heard enough... Thing is, I don't know, if 100k USD is much money or not (63000 Euros is quite some money, even for 1.25 years... including health insurance and the like), but since GTA4 is a MULTI million dollar selling game, a 50k Salary per year (which is what a usual engineer gets per year in his first year) is quite low for a high "knowledgable" role like voice AND mocap... Problem is most likely, that games STILL aren't consired "adult entertainment" like movies are and thus are payed lower, no matter the expectations of the game (we ALL knew GTA4 will sell shitsloads of units). Compare it to a movie like "The Incredibles" or "The Simpsons" (well, Simpsons IS bigger), the voices do get MUCH more money than he did, although the end product (the movie or the game) did gather the same amount of profit in the end. ... Thx if you read this 'til the end... I am quite drunk :P I agree Henning…

Unions in Germany ARE a plague… a REAL plague!

Being a student nowadays, I can say that (i.e. I don’t have any business at all with unions, but I have friends, you know^^), but still, I heard enough…

Thing is, I don’t know, if 100k USD is much money or not (63000 Euros is quite some money, even for 1.25 years… including health insurance and the like), but since GTA4 is a MULTI million dollar selling game, a 50k Salary per year (which is what a usual engineer gets per year in his first year) is quite low for a high “knowledgable” role like voice AND mocap…

Problem is most likely, that games STILL aren’t consired “adult entertainment” like movies are and thus are payed lower, no matter the expectations of the game (we ALL knew GTA4 will sell shitsloads of units).

Compare it to a movie like “The Incredibles” or “The Simpsons” (well, Simpsons IS bigger), the voices do get MUCH more money than he did, although the end product (the movie or the game) did gather the same amount of profit in the end.

…

Thx if you read this ’til the end… I am quite drunk :P

]]> by: Paranoimia http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150181 Wed, 21 May 2008 22:44:01 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150181 I hate unions, but I do feel for the guy. I mean, some voice acting lately (most notably Uncharted) has been truly awesome - better than many TV shows, in fact, despite having 'less' to work with. I hate unions, but I do feel for the guy. I mean, some voice acting lately (most notably Uncharted) has been truly awesome - better than many TV shows, in fact, despite having ‘less’ to work with.

]]> by: Darrin http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150175 Wed, 21 May 2008 21:50:23 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150175 :) I think almost everyone thinks unions are a bad idea. That concept has fallen out of fashion decades ago. However, I'm extremely sympathetic with industry laborers like myself. Trigga is right: the voice actor is wrong on this, but everyone needs to complain a little now and then. It's not like he took it too far. I complain about my job. And I really enjoyed his voice acting in the game. :) I think almost everyone thinks unions are a bad idea. That concept has fallen out of fashion decades ago. However, I’m extremely sympathetic with industry laborers like myself.

Trigga is right: the voice actor is wrong on this, but everyone needs to complain a little now and then. It’s not like he took it too far. I complain about my job. And I really enjoyed his voice acting in the game.

]]> by: Henning http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150167 Wed, 21 May 2008 20:27:22 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150167 I can't believe you uttered the word "union" on my website. Blech. I hate unions. A friend of mine is an honest electrical worker who's self-employed and therefore not part of a union. This causes him all sorts of trouble with unions not wanting him onsite etc. It's a free world. He should be able to bid on contracts and do work just as well and easily as non-unionized workers. My uncle's shop unionized, and it basically put him out of business. Unions = Yuck I can’t believe you uttered the word “union” on my website. Blech. I hate unions.

A friend of mine is an honest electrical worker who’s self-employed and therefore not part of a union. This causes him all sorts of trouble with unions not wanting him onsite etc. It’s a free world. He should be able to bid on contracts and do work just as well and easily as non-unionized workers.

My uncle’s shop unionized, and it basically put him out of business.

Unions = Yuck

]]> by: Trigga_Tybalt http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150155 Wed, 21 May 2008 18:41:26 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150155 i think kotaku raised a good point in that everyone from graphic designers to animators will want to get in on the royalties act. voice acting is not the hardest work ever and 100,000 for a short amount of work (time wise) is pretty awesome. and i'm sure he can find plenty of other jobs. don't blame him for having a moan though... i think kotaku raised a good point in that everyone from graphic designers to animators will want to get in on the royalties act.

voice acting is not the hardest work ever and 100,000 for a short amount of work (time wise) is pretty awesome. and i’m sure he can find plenty of other jobs. don’t blame him for having a moan though…

]]> by: Mike http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150152 Wed, 21 May 2008 17:58:50 +0000 http://www.ps3blog.net/2008/05/21/are-video-game-actors-undercompensated/#comment-150152 The game already cost $100 million to make. If they start spending even more money on this stuff they'll go the Nintendo route and have all voice bubbles like we're still in the early 1990's of the game prices will go up more and lose sales as a result. Enough already. The game already cost $100 million to make. If they start spending even more money on this stuff they’ll go the Nintendo route and have all voice bubbles like we’re still in the early 1990’s of the game prices will go up more and lose sales as a result. Enough already.

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