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It's been reported that SAG-AFTRA members recently voted in favor of a strike. The union has been in negotiations with a number of video game companies including EA, Activision and Insomniac. In what ways will the strike affect (both positive and negative effects) these companies and their associated studios?
If it's anything like [the last strike] in 2016, it will likely follow the same procedure. If the union chooses to strike, any games that started development before a certain cutoff date would continue unaffected. Any games that start development after that cutoff date will be struck until an agreement is reached.
To my recollection, only about 40% of video game voice acting is done by union workers anyway. Indie studios and smaller publishers don't really have the money to pay union scale and often save money by using their developers or friends/family as actors. Hades, for example, had a large number of non-union voice actors. This is mostly setting up an agreement for large AAA games. Union actors will also sometimes do non-union work under an alias (like Cam Clarke being credited as "James Flinders" in Metal Gear Solid) to dodge the union rules, and that would likely continue.
Generally speaking, the amount of negotiating power the actors have with game publishers is significantly lower than when negotiating with the MPAA. Voice acting does matter and can elevate certain kinds of games (mostly narrative- or character-driven games like Baldur's Gate 3 or Mortal Kombat 1), but it certainly isn't universal - people don't play Minecraft, Counter-Strike, or Pokemon for the vocal performances. I wish the union luck in their negotiations and I hope that everybody reaches a mutually beneficial agreement. My main sympathies remain with the non-union voice actors out there who get the squeeze - joining the union is quite expensive and difficult, and the union obviously prioritizes union work over non-union members.
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Leon, you're an expensive bitch but hell yes. Go get it!!
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a.wong (9.26am, Today): technically it's not signing a contract "in blood," you're just signing it WHILE bleeding
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Really wish professional YouTubers caption their views more often. I understand captioning is very expensive, but at this point you really should be asking your sponsors to foot the bill for accessibility.
And it's not unprecedent. TV used to be like that. Bumpers like this will forever be etched into my memories:
youtube
Video description:
Old late '90s, early 2000s YTV bumper. A monster or alien-like being is sitting by a TV. Text on screen is narrated by an announcer: "Closed captioning brought to you by …" The alien thumps the top of the TV, causing the signal to change to a Coca Cola logo. Narrator continues "Cola Cola." Zooms into the logo.
If every YouTube video is gong to be sponsored, might as well put accessibility on the negotiation table before signing the contract.
#closed captioning brought to you by#youtube sponsors#closed captioning#subtitling for deaf and hard of hearing#cc#SDH#enshittification#accessibility#web accessibility#video accessibility#closed captioning brought to you in part by#contract bargaining#contract negotiations#sponsored videos#Youtube#No More CRAPtions
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The Pointlessness of the SAG Strike 2023
In recent weeks, the entertainment industry has been rocked by news of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike in 2023. While the actors involved in the strike have their reasons and concerns, it's essential to critically examine whether this strike is truly necessary or if it might be, in fact, quite pointless.
Economic Impact: One of the most immediate consequences of the SAG strike is the significant economic impact it has on the industry. Thousands of jobs, from actors to crew members, are being affected. Production companies are losing millions of dollars every day the strike continues. Given the economic hardships that many people have faced in recent times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, one must question the wisdom of causing further financial strain on the industry and its workers.
Demands and Priorities: The demands put forth by the striking actors are not unreasonable. However, one could argue that these demands might not be the top priority in a world grappling with more pressing issues. With global crises like climate change, social justice, and healthcare disparities, is a higher salary for already well-paid actors truly the most critical concern? Many people struggle to make ends meet, and it's hard to sympathize fully with actors making exorbitant salaries, especially when so many others are struggling.
Timing: The timing of the SAG strike is questionable, at best. It's happening in an era when the industry is still recovering from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people in the entertainment business are just getting back on their feet after months of uncertainty and unemployment. Striking now seems insensitive to the plight of others in the industry.
Alternative Solutions: Are strikes the only way to resolve disputes and negotiate better terms? In an industry that thrives on creativity and innovation, one would hope for more imaginative and collaborative solutions. Negotiation and dialogue could lead to more mutually beneficial outcomes without causing widespread disruption and financial loss.
Public Perception: Lastly, it's worth considering the public perception of the strike. In an age where people are increasingly disillusioned with celebrities and their lavish lifestyles, a strike like this may only further alienate the audience. The entertainment industry depends on the support and admiration of the public, and a strike that seems self-serving could harm its reputation.
In conclusion, while the actors participating in the SAG strike 2023 may have legitimate concerns, it's crucial to weigh the impact of their actions on the broader industry and society as a whole. In a world facing numerous pressing issues, this strike may indeed appear pointless to many, given its economic consequences and the perceived priorities of those involved. Perhaps there are more constructive ways to address the concerns of actors and create a fairer and more equitable entertainment industry.
#SAG Strike#Entertainment Industry#Actor's Demands#Economic Impact#COVID-19 Pandemic#Social Justice#Healthcare Disparities#Industry Recovery#Negotiation#Creative Solutions#Public Perception#Celebrity Lifestyle#Labor Disputes#Media Attention#Film and Television#Union Protests#Hollywood#Contract Negotiations#Workers' Rights#Economic Consequences#today on tumblr#deep thoughts
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August 7, 1922 Home, Sweet Home by Harry J. Tuthill: "Celebrating for Something Worth While"
[ID: George Bungle gets home and hangs his hat on the wall. In the other room, Jo poses fashionably. /end] George: What did Old Egg, the landlord, say when you told him I wouldn't sign the new lease until I understood it? Jo: He said he'd wait ONE month. No more.
[ID: George holds a long contract in his hands and looks up, exasperated. /end] George: I showed it to Homer Tarpoon today. His uncle is a big lawyer. Homer didn't have his glasses with him, but he explained parts of it, anyhow. He said a tenant has got the same rights under this lease as a guy that likes pie has got in Russia. Jo: Well, there's a lot of good things in it, too.
[ID: Jo tries to explain things as George waves her off at the other end of the room. /end] Jo: And believe me, I'm not the only one in the neighborhood who's glad this new lease prohibits tenants from SINGING, that's fine. George: Phooie! That's the nuttiest part of it.
George: What has a poor goof that signs one of these '22 model leases GOT TO SING ABOUT? [ID: George holds the contract up with disdain while Jo glares at with thoughtful anger. /end]
#newspaper comics#vintage#history#1922#home sweet home#the bungle family#transcript available#1920s#fuck landlords#tw: landlords#contract negotiations#tenant rights
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Score One For We The People!
Far too often the people who work to make, sell and distribute a product or service are not the ones who are enjoying the profits of their labours – the corporate CEOs are using the product of the workers’ blood, sweat and tears to enhance their own profits, to buy yachts, mansions, vacation homes, and private airplanes. This week may have given us a glimmer of hope that workers do have some…
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#contract negotiations#Labour unions#Robert Reich#Secretary of Labour#trickle down fallacy#United Parcel Service (UPS)#wealth inequity#worker safety
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#contract management system#contractmanagementsoftware#contract management#contract management software#clm#cms#Contract negotiations
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Stop! Don’t Sign That Release Unless it Says This 1 Thing!
In this webinar, learn in detail about what type of waiver and release forms are used in the state of Florida, one key element to look out for in your release forms, and some important information about conditional releases.
#release of lien#construction contractors#lien waiver#change orders#lien on property florida#lien release form#contract negotiations#lien release letter#florida lien form#contractors notice services#contractor lien waiver
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AP News: NYC nurses give 10-day strike notice as talks continue
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ANIMATION FANS, WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
Yesterday, the day before Lightbox Expo, over 800 TAG members marched to Netflix’ headquarters & delivered a petition demanding the AMPTP keep animation jobs union, agree to AI protections, & more. SHOW THE AMPTP YOU STAND WITH ANIMATION!!
Sign your name next to the people that make the shows you love: animationguild.org/tagpetition
WE REALLY REALLY REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT!! Over the years, I have been asked by numerous fans how they can help us keep the animation industry from collapsing. Taking this action now will directly help our fight! I’m on The Animation Guild’s negotiations committee this year. I have been in the conference call with the AMPTP.
They do not see us as human.
They want us to lose our jobs, our homes, and our entire livelihoods.
They want to REPLACE ALL OF US and give YOU AI-generated slop, because they do not fucking care about this industry.
PLEASE HELP!!
#stand with animation#no contract no cartoons#TAG#the animation guild#animation#animation fans#HELP#union#union update#negotiations update#union stuff#petition
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Sterek Rival Lawyers AU
It's A (Court) Date
Imagine, high-class, Ivy League, hot-shot, attorney Derek comes back from New York to the family firm to take over as partners with his sister after his parents decide to step down. He may not be on the level of his mother yet, but he's cut his teeth against Wall Street wolves and ruthless white-collar sharks. Derek's more than proved himself, so he just can't fathom these small criminal court cases his family is making him take "before he's truly ready" to be a part of the family business.
Enter in his first case. Right out the gate, the state assigned defense is, not only late to court, but also arrives in a flurry of limbs and papers, tripping all over himself, and profusely apologizing to the room as a whole. "Sorry! Sorry! Car trouble!"
The guy is out of breath, tie crooked and hair a mess. It makes Derek wrinkle his nose at the unprofessionalism and the blatant disrespect to everyone's valuable time.
The presiding judge, the Honorable Ms. Lydia Martin, only sighs a heavy sigh, as if this sight is nothing new, and says "Mr. Stilinski, I suggest you don't let it happen again."
Derek is honestly getting annoyed by how easy this is going to be. He could've been doing literally anything else right about now rather than being here going against a common rent-a-lawyer with some Podunk community-college degree. The opening statement for the defense is laughably inept. Full of nervous stuttering, backtracking, running tangents, and babbling. He's still apologizing, trying to assure the jury that he's just having an off-day today.
It's embarrassing to watch.
Nonetheless, Derek goes through the motions, practiced and poised. Examines all the evidence, presenting times and dates, prior arrest records, the works.
During this time, Mr. Stilinski is frantically (and VERY LOUDLY) flitting through a cartoonishly large stack of papers and whispering to his client. Derek has to fight to grit his teeth through his presentation.
Finally, it's time for Mr. Stilinski to cross-examine Derek's client and, unbeknownst to him, the beginning of Derek's long, long spiral of madness for the rest of his career.
"Judge Martin, I would like to move to have this case thrown out."
"Oh?" asks Judge Martin. For some reason, there's an amused smirk, almost fond, tugging at her lips "On what grounds?"
A giddy, almost manic, grin takes over the defense attorney's face just then. "On the grounds that the prosecution's client is full of bullshit."
The judge rolls her eyes and an exasperated "Stiles," slips from her lips, seemingly against her will. (Derek's not really surprised by the familiarity between the two of them. With how often state-assigned lawyers are called to the courtroom on small cases, it wouldn't be too big of a leap to suggest they might be chummy.)
"Respectfully, of course." Mr. Stilinski--er Stiles?--winks back at her.
"Objection. Your honor, this is ridiculous."
"Overruled. Make your point, Stilinski."
"Mr. Davis says he saw my client at 12:30 P.M., on August 4th, attempting to take his back-right hubcap outside his apartment. Mr. Davis' apartment complex at that time, on that particular day, would have cast a huge shadow over the back lot as evidenced by the gaudy sundial-art-installation outside the courthouse. Meanwhile, my client's picture, when taken in for questioning, has a sunburn on the entire right side of his face. This would corroborate Mr. Lyle's story of walking home alone, down the upper, unshaded side of Elmore Street, during one of the hottest days of the year, for an hour straight. Also, the fact that Mr. Davis has no realistic idea how long it would actually take a person to steal a hubcap should be evidence enough."
"Uh-huh. And this wouldn't happen to be something you've ever had any expertise in, would it, counsel?"
"I plead the 5th."
And just like that, Derek's case is thrown out so quick, he's still reeling about it all the way home.
For the next two years, this becomes Derek's life. This man, this Stiles Stilinski, keeps showing up like a whirlwind and absolutely puts him in his paces.
Stiles, as he insists Derek call him, is a powerhouse. Relentless and unstoppable. That mouth can filibuster for literal hours (which, for those unfamiliar, is when someone legally cannot be forced to give up their time on the floor as long as they can keep talking), that brain quick as a whip, with a hunger for research, a mastery of the English language svelte enough to trip up even the most well-rehearsed lie, and an attention to detail like nothing Derek has ever witnessed before. It's like he knows every law inside and out. Lives it. Breathes it. It's like he had been raised on the law his whole life. Not only that, it's like Stiles enjoys it. Every case is a new game to get excited about.
All of it makes Derek's blood boil.
However, it's not always about losing to Stiles all the time, because, honestly, that might be less humiliating.
In truth, when faced against Stiles, Derek's bound to win about 60% of the time. Out of that 60%, only 5% of those wins actually feel earned. As for the other 55%?
He knows Stiles is letting him win.
Derek can't prove it, but he knows the asshole is holding back on purpose nearly half the time. Knowing that Stiles could have beaten him if he wanted to, but didn't, is somehow more frustrating than just losing.
He hates Stiles.
He hates that the guy is so chipper and playful all the damn time. He hates that Stiles could probably work at any firm he wanted, could make enough money to get a decent car that doesn't shit out all the time, could buy a proper-fitting suit, but instead CHOOSES to stay here "watching out for the little guy", as he so put it.
He hates that facing Stiles in court is the most challenged, the most motivated he's ever felt in his entire life. He hates that Stiles brings out in him the spark of passion and drive Derek had long thought had died. He hates that Stiles always tries to banter with him during recess or whenever they have to exchange evidence.
He hates finding out that Stiles only loses cases on purpose when his endless amounts of research points to the defendant actually being guilty of horrendous crimes, because Stiles is a good fucking person.
He hates Stiles' constant teasing and he hates that Stiles is somehow able to bring Derek down to his childish level to tease back. He hates how much he looks forward to court-dates with Stiles now. He hates being invited out by Stiles over and over to grab a bite together after a long day, as if Stiles hasn't been wiping the floor with him on this case for the last month. He hates it even more that he always accepts and that now they have their own designated booth at the diner across the street. Derek's so unbelievably frustrated, it makes him want to bite Stiles at the neck just to hear that smartass mouth squeal.
"Hey, I ever tell you I was thinking of quitting before you arrived?" Stiles asks one night as they're walking to their cars.
Derek's head immediately snaps to him at that. "What?"
Stiles smiles distantly at the thought. "Oh, yeah. Things had started feeling like being trapped in a cubicle, y'know? There wasn't any challenge in it anymore."
"What made you stay?"
"Well...you did. You were the first, serious competition I'd faced in a while. It wasn't a matter of winning just to win, anymore. Going against you always reminded me of the reason why it was important for me to win. It gave me stakes, because now there was an actual chance I could lose and an innocent person could go to jail. You, I don't know, kinda reignited my passion for fighting the good fight, I guess."
Derek can feel his heart thumping hard in his chest. He wants to say 'You did the same for me!' He wants to tell Stiles that he didn't think his life could ever be this fun or happy or messy or chaotic or exhilarating or challenging or fulfilling before coming to Beacon Hills.
But just as Derek goes to open his mouth to sing Stiles' praises, he instead finds himself roughly shoving him up against the Camaro and biting hungrily at that mouth and tongue that's been the bane of his existence. There's a surprised little squeak that Derek quickly swallows up, but it isn't long before they're both tearing at each others' clothes and fucking each other dirty in the backseat of Derek's car.
What's crazy is, after they get together, nothing in their careers really changes. The only difference is now they get to fuck each others' brains out after an intense battle in court (and the sound Stiles makes when Derek bites him is exactly what he always imagined it would sound like). They still face against each other on opposite sides in court. They still give it everything they got, no conceding even if they are dating now. Not to mention, Derek wouldn't dream of tempting Stiles over to his firm. Not when he knows Stiles is at his best staying where he's at.
The day Derek's family finally decides it's time for him to take over the firm with Laura is the best day of his and Stiles' lives.
Not only does Derek tell them he's declining, he hires Stiles as his attorney to negotiate terms against his entire family of well-seasoned lawyers.
The entire month-long negotiation results in Derek, not saying a single word, but absolutely beaming as he watches his boyfriend run circles around his mother, his father, his uncle, and both of his sisters on contracts. It's so unbelievably hot, they're banging on whatever flat surface they can get their hands on every time they leave the boardroom. There's even one very memorable blowjob in the empty hall outside the boardroom when Stiles somehow manages to get Peter to agree to a (most likely illegal) clause dictating the firm will pay Stiles a finder's fee for any pro-bono case Stiles takes on outside of Beacon Hills that strikes his fancy.
And, no one says it, but they all know Derek definitely, 100%, dragged his own firm through this negotiation just to show off how incredible Stiles is to his family and preen about it.
--
Fast-forward, Derek is going to be in the audience for the first time for one of Stiles' cases.
While waiting in the hall, Derek sees a familiar face from his New York days. The prosecution has hired the eighth best lawyer money can get, Jackson Whittemore. He's sporting a Rolex, sunglasses indoors, and the face of someone who thinks he's above literally every other person in town.
Well, at least until he sees Derek.
For some reason, Jackson seems to think Derek is all the way out in the middle of nowhere to 'watch a master at work' (which...well...is technically true...).
As Derek goes to sit in the audience, Jackson tells him in passing, "This'll be over so fast, probably won't even get a chance to learn the other guy's name."
Derek chuckles and says back, "Ooh, buddy, you have no idea."
Before Jackson can think more on that, a whirlwind of limbs and papers suddenly hurls through the doors.
Derek sits back, gets comfy, and waits eagerly for the show to begin.
My first moodboard. Hope you enjoy. AU based on a discussion with @casually-eat-my-soul (I suggest checking out their version). This was kind of like a divergence from that (the brain juices just started flowing).
#sterek#lawyer au#negotiating terms as a form of foreplay#Derek might have a competency kink#Stiles' contract states the firm will pay his salary without influencing his decisions as a shadow employee and his clients pay nothing#He's also allowed to travel anywhere he wants for a case on company dime#Unbeknownst to Derek most of the Hales had at one point in time all faced off against Stiles in court before#The only reason Derek was called back from New York in the first place was because they consider a 'Stiles Case' a rite of passage#“Getting Stiles'd” is something all Hales must go through to be humbled#The Hales call Stiles The Reaper in private behind closed doors#No one thought Derek would end up marrying the Boogeyman the insatiable nightmare creature that haunts the Hale name#And now they have to live with this court goblin as their new inlaw#For those who don't know pleading the 5th is enacting your right to not reveal information that could get you in trouble with the law#meaning Stiles has definitely stolen a hubcap off a car before which may or may not have been a police cruiser#Also pro-bono means a lawyer choosing to represent a client free of charge as a form of charity#They absolutely fucked nasty after Derek got to witness Stiles smear Jackson's smug career across the pavement#teen wolf#derek hale#stiles stilinski#tyler hoechlin#dylan o'brien#mieczysław stiles stilinski#minific
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A Nesi male showing off his brightly dyed cloak and hood to a partnered pair of prospective suitors (a hen and a faeder, these are not constructed as wholly separate genders by the Nesi), in hopes that he will be chosen to sire and raise their offspring.
Ornamentation that so thoroughly conceals a cock’s breeding plumage is relatively rare among qilik peoples. The exception here is due to the extreme significance of trade and mercantilism in this culture, resulting in a heavy prioritization of the quality of the costuming over the quality of one's own plumage. Colorful, high quality decoration emphasizes that a suitor comes from a wealthy family with secure trade connections, an ideal situation for one’s offspring to be raised in.
There is no permanent association between parents, rather the goal of this union is to best provide for the resulting offspring and to receive a hefty child price from the male suitor’s family (children of all sexes remain with the father’s family, and are effectively ‘bought’ by them.) The mother's family benefits from the money and goods received in this exchange, the father's family benefits from having additional children who will eventually provide labor and care for other family members.
This particular individual is of upper-middle class means, an especially rich mercantile family can afford more ornately woven robes with a greater variety of colors. The parts of the body deemed most attractive (the tail fan, the brow plumes, the seasonally bluish legs) are the only parts exposed. There is some intra-cultural division over whether even these parts should be exposed, as it is sometimes seen as a desperate or wanton diversion from a suitor being unable to afford more extravagant costuming.
Hens, faeder, and cocks all wear minimal clothing in day-to-day circumstances, with the exception of headdress (as seen here with the couple)
Nesi are a relatively genetically isolated population in spite of their significant trade relations, maintained partially by cultural resistance to reproduction with foreigners who do not share these customs. The population is distinguished by many individuals having naturally whitish and brown-gray feathering that acquires bright reddish pigmentation from a diet heavy in crustaceans.
#blightseed#qilik#nesi#TWO blightseed posts#The process is more complex than 'your clothes look good lets fuck' there's a negotiation period with the father family where#the child price is ironed out and a contract is made
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#skz#stray kids#NO LAST STEP OUT INDEED#hope they got to negotiate some good perks in their new contracts..!
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September 30th 2024 best hockey tweet(s) of the day
#hockey twitter#nhl#nhl hockey#hockey#nhl bruins#boston bruins#bruins#jeremy swayman#swayman#contract negotiations from hell#joonas korpisalo#what chaos
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