Concerns over artificial intelligence and its place in creative spaces is growing and has caused yet another halt in the entertainment industry.
After nearly two years of negotiations with major game companies, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio artists have begun to strike over a new interactive media agreement. In a statement from Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the main points that SAG-AFTRA are tackling are simple: "fair compensation and the right to informed consent for the A.I. use of their faces, voices and bodies."
Here is what you need to know, and how you can support SAG-AFTRA members during this strike:
Know what companies are struck.
Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.
This means any coverage about games coming out later this year is currently not allowed, including franchises like Dragon Age, Star Wars: Outlaws and more. Find a full list here.
San Diego Comic Con is not included in the strike.
With the convention happening as the strike began, and preexisting contracts continuing through the weekend, SAG-AFTRA has allowed coverage of panels, interviews and previously scheduled events to continue and are exempt from the strike. Members are also allowed to continue promoting struck games at the con, but must stop after the con ends.
You can still play, stream and talk about your favorite video games.
SAG-AFTRA has stated on their website that creators are encouraged to continue playing games and using our platforms to promote the strike, with tags #VideoGameStrike and #LevelUptheContract. Sharing what is happening is one of the best ways to support the performers in doing what they love, so that we can continue to do what we love! Podcasts can continue, but members of SAG-AFTRA may not promote any struck games.
SAG-AFTRA members are prohibited from a long list of activities, which means we are too.
Union members have a lengthy list of activities that they are prohibited from engaging in, as they would be considered to be crossing the picket line. Some of these activities include singing, dancing, ADR/looping, authorizing the use of your voice or likeness, promotion of/publicity services for a struck game in which they have been engaged as a SAG-AFTRA performer and more. See the full list here.
SAG-AFTRA can deny membership if you cross the picket line.
While many of us who write reviews or post podcasts are not a part of the union, it is important that we support our collaborators in not crossing the picket line. President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a joint statement "Performing covered work for struck games jeopardizes your future membership in the union." Support our friends, do not cross the line.
If you are unsure if a game you want to cover is struck, SAG-AFTRA has provided a status search, where you can look up the company or game to see if it is a part of the struck list. Find that link here.
As a reminder, there are some games that are under these companies that are not struck because they still are under the effects of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Share what is happening, support our video game performers by inviting them to your podcasts, shows or however you create to talk about the strike and HOLD THE LINE.
For more information about the strike, and answers to any questions you might have regarding your platform and how you can help, visit https://www.sagaftra.org/videogamestrike-faq
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