The British performing arts and entertainment union Equity has for the first time set recommended minimum fees for actors in video games.
The move is part of Equity's Game On campaign, which aims to “fight for better pay and working conditions for British performers in the video game industry”.
Recommended minimum rates, intended for artists working on AAA titles, include £300 per hour for voiceover work, £1,000 per day for ensemble recordings, and a maximum of two hours per session for “vocally demanding” voice work.
According to Equity, the release of the rates is intended to “address the problem of systematic low pay for performers in the video game industry in the UK, where salaries have stagnated and not kept pace with inflation.”
It also claims that pay for artists in the UK is “significantly lower than in the United States and Canada, even though Equity members are employed by the same global companies.”
The union claims that previous laws prevented Equity from publishing recommended minimum rates in the absence of a collective agreement.
“The strong will of union members to improve the current state of the games industry is palpable,” said Shannon Sailing, industry representative for audio and video games at Equity.
“An industry worth £7.82 billion that is receiving tax relief must recognise the value its workforce brings to the games industry. Our members will no longer sit back and accept low pay, unsafe working environments and poor working conditions.
“We encourage our members to recognise their value and demand change now to ensure the UK games industry continues to be recognised in the global games market.”
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Equity's rates come amid an ongoing strike by its U.S. sister union SAG-AFTRA, whose members have been on strike since July 26 after failing to negotiate acceptable protections related to the use of artificial intelligence.
“Many of the issues facing SAG-AFTRA members are also experienced by Equity group members, such as the threat of artificial intelligence,” Equity says.
“Unlike in the US, however, in the UK there is no collective agreement with video game companies to set union-agreed minimum wages and pay actors a fair wage.”