how voice actors in video games get fucked

[Malcolm]

From here. I remember things like this whenever companies bitch about how much money they lose from piracy.

In an industry where annual sales have doubled over the past decade and blockbuster games are expected to bring in $1 billion each, the top video game voice actors are still paid by the hour for the time they spend in a recording studio, and that's it. No big bonuses. No percentages of sales. None of the "residual" payments that can make other acting gigs, even 30-second TV commercials, so lucrative over time.

Because the industry obviously isn't fucking other people out of their money.

[Leisher]

This is like saying the fluffer in a porno needs a bigger chunk of the check.

Ok, it's not that bad, and I do actually agree that they get fucked, unless they're already a big name.

I think a simple solution would be to create a standard agreement that makes their pay go up as the game is more successful with protections in place so the studio can't replace them for sequels, and thus, claim the original didn't make money (go look up what happened with Forrest Gump's writer).

So "Dude" gets hired to play Master Chief in some game called Halo and gets paid industry standard rates. Two outcomes:
1. Game fails miserably, and the guy has something on his resume.
2. Halo becomes Halo. Now his standard deal becomes percentage based. He is immediately given first right of refusal to portray the character again in a sequel, and his contract grows to reflect the fact that his voice is now tied to the success of the franchise.

I don't want another thread where we're breaking down tons of details, but I think this is a case where technology got ahead of the lawyers/agents. I think you'll see this issue get resolved sooner rather than later.

[GORDON]

Eh. To me this feels like another call for a union so that people don't have to deal with their own bad decision.

Developer: "Hey, we need somebody who can speak clearly to do about 3 hours of work, for $50 an hour. How bout you, you look eloquent."

Guy #1: "$50 an hour for voiceover work? No."

Guy #2: "Hey, I could use $150. Where's the mic?"

Guy 2 is willing to do the job at that rate. Where's the problem?

[Malcolm]

Because sometimes you get what you pay for or less. Anyone ever see Billy Dee in C&C3? Wow.



Edited By Malcolm on 1365025517

[GORDON]

I wonder how much Billy Dee would charge me to do my voice mail message.

[TheCatt]

I'm with Gordon. Free market, suck it.

[TPRJones]

Agreed, if the consumers aren't making a ruckus about voice acting in video games being an important factor, then the free market has spoken.

That may change over time as the industry matures. It may be big, but it's still very very young.