VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #614 – Winds Up The Pitch…STRIKE!
Voice Coaches Radio, everything voiceover. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio. My name is Marissa and, uh, you know, I love Facebook memories, but I hate them at the same time. Uh, you know, I was realizing, like, I looked at something within the last couple of weeks and it was like the end of November.
And I don't know, Marissa, like back in. I don't know, eight years ago was all buttoned up, had Christmas gifts wrapped under the tree. And Marissa, in 2023, has a couple things. But that has not been on the to do list. Uh, because I have had way too many other things that I had to focus on. And I'm like, looking at the calendar now going, Cool.
10 days till Christmas. Uh, no, no, no stress. No pressure. Uh, no pressure at all. Just got, you know, a lot of things to check off this shopping list and not enough money to go around and definitely not enough place to keep all the gifts. So cool. Uh, but you know, here we are. So hopefully you're, uh, not in the same place and you've been smart about it.
And maybe you've been shopping since July and, uh, you don't have to worry about this like I do, but You know, I'm, I'm not going to wait until last minute. I promise. I am not that person. No gas station gifts. Not for me. Uh, not, not me, not now. Um, now, you know, over the summer, uh, things were starting to wrap up with the writer's strike and the actor's strike, right?
That was so, it went on for so, so long. Uh, and you know, they were really fighting for protection. Uh, they were fighting for royalties and wages that, that are deserved. And personally, like, it felt like, I mean, there were definitely. Aspects of this that were for people behind the scenes and, and those stage workers and whatnot and they, they deserve any kind of benefit they got from this a hundred thousand percent.
Um, but this is one of those times where I just was so happy and thankful to see that the talent in this industry was winning because in so many ways. It really doesn't. And, and, you know, I, I love what I do. I really do, and I, I mean, if you're doing it, you, you know, it's a blast, but I will tell you, just from like, you know, my side of things on the radio industry, I've seen it time and time again, and it's like the worst thing to see.
Another VP position that's been created and getting paid a ridiculous amount of money or it's a GM or it's an operations manager It's like a lot of different big titles and they're getting all the money and at the end of the day What do they do? They sign a piece of paper. They sell something but they wouldn't have anything to sell If it wasn't for the talent, the talent though is always the first thing to get cut, you know, and I've, I've been the talent that got cut.
I've been the budget cut and I love when they call it a budget cut because I'm like, cool, you're telling me that there isn't somebody. That that's sitting in some office in this building that they deserve that paycheck. They're getting because I'm pretty sure I'm the one that Made the ratings happen that are allowing for all the things that are moving now throughout this building But it gets so frustrating on on the back end witnessing it happen time and time again where The talent is just so unappreciated in so many ways.
Um, so it was so important and good to see that. They were standing up for, for that talent, um, you know, throughout that whole strike and, and now making some good things happen. Now, you're probably well aware, a lot of what they were fighting were the things that were happening with AI technology. And, and trying to protect not just the, the stuff that they had already done and accomplished, but also protect what is going to happen in the future and how it's handled.
Um, and, and how it can be handled. Uh, so they, they got. All the demands that they wanted, and that is fantastic. Now, what's happening still within the industry is a potential strike with the video game actors on the voiceover side. So, SAG AFTRA, they have voted to, as of right now, when I'm recording this episode, they've voted to authorize a strike if Labor talks And, um, this, this article is focused with Dallas voice actors, but, you know, in the big picture, obviously there's going to be more people involved, but they are said that AI and wage increases and then protection against vocal stress are really their top concerns.
You know, it's, it's overwork, underpay, um, and, and then obviously the concern of AI. And the, AI is a big concern all around, um, but you would hope that, you know, when they get it figured out with the actors in general, that it would just, you know, play across the entire field. And I guess that must not be the case.
So if we have to do this like section by section, let's Let's just strike. Let's just do it. But, um, the last time that voice actors went on strike, I, I believe I read it was like in 2016, and it lasted for almost an entire year. And they went on strike against 11 different video gaming companies that included Activision and Disney and that contract, um, resulted from the strike.
It was set to expire in 2020. That was extended because of the pandemic. So now, obviously, we've got this giant hurdle that they're going to be trying to fight because, especially since that, it's like you've got new technology that's coming to play. So, I mean, as of right now, you know, it's still in talks.
It's still potential, like, you know, things can get all smoothed out. And, um, you know, that, although the, the stuff can, can just happen, you know, organically, but I mean, if the labor talks fail, yeah, I mean, another strike is going to happen. And so who knows how long this one could actually end up being, but, you know, you look at it and it's like, well, why is this so important?
You know, who is it helping? I mean, It's important because it's not even just protecting the work that's been done or the work that is currently being done But it's protecting the future, you know I hear it all the time so many people come through our program to with voice coaches They want to do video games and you're not gonna start there You got to build up your skill and your talents for voice like voices in general like, you know character work and whatnot you know and excitability and just energy and whatever but Eventually, if you want to go that route, we got to make sure that it still exists, you know, so it's like we want to make sure that there's still plenty of work to go around, um, so really, I mean, that's the kind of stuff they're fighting for, um, you know, so more power to them, uh, you know, it can be scary to get there on the front lines.
And to be out of work for a while and, and, you know, stick to your guns. But if they have to do it, they're going to, and I guess time will tell. Um, so we'll keep you updated here on the pod and, um, you know, hopefully we'll know some more soon. But if you've got anything you want us to tackle, info at voicecoaches.
com. More new episodes coming at you starting next week, right here. And, uh, stay safe. Enjoy the holiday season.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
And I don't know, Marissa, like back in. I don't know, eight years ago was all buttoned up, had Christmas gifts wrapped under the tree. And Marissa, in 2023, has a couple things. But that has not been on the to do list. Uh, because I have had way too many other things that I had to focus on. And I'm like, looking at the calendar now going, Cool.
10 days till Christmas. Uh, no, no, no stress. No pressure. Uh, no pressure at all. Just got, you know, a lot of things to check off this shopping list and not enough money to go around and definitely not enough place to keep all the gifts. So cool. Uh, but you know, here we are. So hopefully you're, uh, not in the same place and you've been smart about it.
And maybe you've been shopping since July and, uh, you don't have to worry about this like I do, but You know, I'm, I'm not going to wait until last minute. I promise. I am not that person. No gas station gifts. Not for me. Uh, not, not me, not now. Um, now, you know, over the summer, uh, things were starting to wrap up with the writer's strike and the actor's strike, right?
That was so, it went on for so, so long. Uh, and you know, they were really fighting for protection. Uh, they were fighting for royalties and wages that, that are deserved. And personally, like, it felt like, I mean, there were definitely. Aspects of this that were for people behind the scenes and, and those stage workers and whatnot and they, they deserve any kind of benefit they got from this a hundred thousand percent.
Um, but this is one of those times where I just was so happy and thankful to see that the talent in this industry was winning because in so many ways. It really doesn't. And, and, you know, I, I love what I do. I really do, and I, I mean, if you're doing it, you, you know, it's a blast, but I will tell you, just from like, you know, my side of things on the radio industry, I've seen it time and time again, and it's like the worst thing to see.
Another VP position that's been created and getting paid a ridiculous amount of money or it's a GM or it's an operations manager It's like a lot of different big titles and they're getting all the money and at the end of the day What do they do? They sign a piece of paper. They sell something but they wouldn't have anything to sell If it wasn't for the talent, the talent though is always the first thing to get cut, you know, and I've, I've been the talent that got cut.
I've been the budget cut and I love when they call it a budget cut because I'm like, cool, you're telling me that there isn't somebody. That that's sitting in some office in this building that they deserve that paycheck. They're getting because I'm pretty sure I'm the one that Made the ratings happen that are allowing for all the things that are moving now throughout this building But it gets so frustrating on on the back end witnessing it happen time and time again where The talent is just so unappreciated in so many ways.
Um, so it was so important and good to see that. They were standing up for, for that talent, um, you know, throughout that whole strike and, and now making some good things happen. Now, you're probably well aware, a lot of what they were fighting were the things that were happening with AI technology. And, and trying to protect not just the, the stuff that they had already done and accomplished, but also protect what is going to happen in the future and how it's handled.
Um, and, and how it can be handled. Uh, so they, they got. All the demands that they wanted, and that is fantastic. Now, what's happening still within the industry is a potential strike with the video game actors on the voiceover side. So, SAG AFTRA, they have voted to, as of right now, when I'm recording this episode, they've voted to authorize a strike if Labor talks And, um, this, this article is focused with Dallas voice actors, but, you know, in the big picture, obviously there's going to be more people involved, but they are said that AI and wage increases and then protection against vocal stress are really their top concerns.
You know, it's, it's overwork, underpay, um, and, and then obviously the concern of AI. And the, AI is a big concern all around, um, but you would hope that, you know, when they get it figured out with the actors in general, that it would just, you know, play across the entire field. And I guess that must not be the case.
So if we have to do this like section by section, let's Let's just strike. Let's just do it. But, um, the last time that voice actors went on strike, I, I believe I read it was like in 2016, and it lasted for almost an entire year. And they went on strike against 11 different video gaming companies that included Activision and Disney and that contract, um, resulted from the strike.
It was set to expire in 2020. That was extended because of the pandemic. So now, obviously, we've got this giant hurdle that they're going to be trying to fight because, especially since that, it's like you've got new technology that's coming to play. So, I mean, as of right now, you know, it's still in talks.
It's still potential, like, you know, things can get all smoothed out. And, um, you know, that, although the, the stuff can, can just happen, you know, organically, but I mean, if the labor talks fail, yeah, I mean, another strike is going to happen. And so who knows how long this one could actually end up being, but, you know, you look at it and it's like, well, why is this so important?
You know, who is it helping? I mean, It's important because it's not even just protecting the work that's been done or the work that is currently being done But it's protecting the future, you know I hear it all the time so many people come through our program to with voice coaches They want to do video games and you're not gonna start there You got to build up your skill and your talents for voice like voices in general like, you know character work and whatnot you know and excitability and just energy and whatever but Eventually, if you want to go that route, we got to make sure that it still exists, you know, so it's like we want to make sure that there's still plenty of work to go around, um, so really, I mean, that's the kind of stuff they're fighting for, um, you know, so more power to them, uh, you know, it can be scary to get there on the front lines.
And to be out of work for a while and, and, you know, stick to your guns. But if they have to do it, they're going to, and I guess time will tell. Um, so we'll keep you updated here on the pod and, um, you know, hopefully we'll know some more soon. But if you've got anything you want us to tackle, info at voicecoaches.
com. More new episodes coming at you starting next week, right here. And, uh, stay safe. Enjoy the holiday season.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa has been exploring what’s happening for Video Game voice actors and a potential strike coming up. The writers and actors went and buttoned their strike up earlier this year, but it seems as if every facet of the industry is fighting for something right now…
