VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[jsgilbert]

One of the big problems I've found getting clients to agree to a union contract, when I produce in particular, isn't often with regards to the overall session fees, health and welfare, etc., but has to do with the potential cost over time.

For example, a relatively very small number of video games are being produced under union contract, despite the fee structure not carrying residual fees. This is because of the potential additional fee requirements. For example, showing the project at E3 or to potential investors, clients,etc. means having to pay Category 1 and Category 2 fees on top. Putting the project online carries an additional fee. And even using sound bites from the game on a commercial could mean having to pay SAG national commercial rates to the actors in the game.

Additionally, as I have mentioned before, because I work a bit in automobile advertising, a tiny fraction of tier 2 and tier 3 car advertising is done under union contract; that is local dealer spots and associations, such as "Atlanta Honda Dealers Association".

I've also noticed an incredible trend among many large advertisers who had been producing under union contracts to (in the past 2 years) switch to producing non-union. In many cases, these companies are filled with AFL-CIO employees and I wonder what the union is doing.

And talk to agents these days and they will tell you that scale and half or higher is getting harder and harder for anyone but a fairly decent celeb to get. I just had two union projects re-negotiate on me from double scale and scale and a half to straight scale.

I'm not sure what the future will bring, but I found out that a nice union gig I did that was paying me around $7,000 per cycle is now being done by a non-union talent for around $300 flat.

And I will add by saying that my buddies who many have made $250,000+ yearly as union v.o. talent and now scrambling for work. A few in particular have mentioned their numbers dropping to 20 or even 10% of what they had made just a few years ago.

There is a tremendous amount a voice talent must consider regarding their personal path. I wouldn't want to dismay somebody from going the union route and my criticism of the unions is nothing more than a patriot who criticizes his country. But when it comes to voice over, there may be something rotten in the state of SAG/AFTRA.
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j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

[Scott Pollak]

[Bob Bergen]

JS brings up very valid observations. Blame can be pointed to a number of areas.
- a commercial strike that coincided with the launch of online non union vo casting sites; a casting process that is faster and simpler than hiring union talent
- 13 years of conditioning and creating a culture of both non union buyers and talent
- a union (formerly two unions) that were oblivious to any of this
- half the country consisting of right to work states
- the anonymity of vo, where we have a culture of union talent working off the card under assumed names in the privacy of their own home with a "what they don't know won't kill me" work ethic

There are many more. But all of this has resulted in at least 40% of what was union less than 15 years ago is now non union. Other results: agents cannot take on newer talent in the numbers they used to because it's getting harder and harder to keep their signed talent working. LA agents used to sign new non union actors. Not so much today. More actors who used to make mid six figures are now struggling to qualify for health benefits. More people than ever before are working in vo daily but fewer statistically are enjoying the kind of income and career a working vo actor enjoyed less than 15 years ago.

It's a blessing and a curse. I don't see things changing as the non union culture cannot relate to the union culture. And the union cannot relate to actors willing to work without benefits and protection. When the majority of vo was in the major markets, the union and the majority of working actors were on the same page. But the Internet handed vo to the entire country. As this happened the union was oblivious. This was a mistake. But, it is what it is.

I am in the minority. I am not willing to damage myself, my fellow actors, or the industry as a whole by working off the card or going fi core just to have the best of both worlds. Yet. I worked and sacrificed for too many years volunteering at the union(s) on behalf of my fellow actors. I lost a lot of work and made a handful of enemies. It was the right thing to do.

Now, I said "yet" because it's getting harder and harder to turn down a 6 figure non union offer for the sake of the union. Too many of my fellow vo actors don't seem to have a problem working off the card or go fi core. Yet they all benefit from the advances and protection I've worked so hard to get them. That sound you hear is me being slapped in the face. But I did say yet. I give this 5 more years. If after that I don't see a substantial shift, I'm going to reevaluate my position. At some point it's just stupid business to not take a high paying gig because a huge percentage of my fellow actors are perpetuating the non union trend. I'm fortunate that I got into this business when I did. And, much if what I do (animation) will always be primarily union due to celebrities.

If I do make this change in 5 or so years, this is a huge risk. And, going back to what I said earlier, there's no way to succeed without risk. I just hate the prospects of that risk being the better/smarter one.

[Bruce]

Thank you Bob for your thoughtful, well stated, and soul baring contributions to this issue.


B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[bobsouer]

Bob,

Like Bruce, I want to thank you for your candor and for your excellent observations. My transition to FiCore took place after the strike in 2000. The details are unimportant, but the actions of my union(s) during that strike took all the wind out of my sails for it/them.

When the merger went through last year, I decided to try to make things work going union only. As you've been able to see, at least for those of us living in "fly-over" territory, that's something of a pipe dream now.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[Bob Bergen]

[bobsouer]

Bob,

I would be willing to make a trip to LA on my own dime to take part in such a discussion if you are able to arrange such a thing and assuming I have a hole in my schedule big enough to fit the trip in.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[heyguido]

+1 to both Bobs. The business is changing.... And the union should, too.
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

[cyclometh]

I'm working hard to be able to join SAG-AFTRA. I'm eligible right now, and could have joined anytime after the first couple of months this year based on my audiobook work.

I REALLY want to be in the union for a bunch of reasons. Philosophically, I'm a union guy. But I also want to be able to access H&R benefits for my family, as other insurance options are a nightmare. To that end I've been seeking work covered under SAG-AFTRA agreements whenever possible.

However, I don't yet make enough in audiobooks alone to support myself. It's close, but not quite there yet. And that income's not always consistent. I supplement it with a lot of smaller gigs, and without that secondary income I wouldn't be able to make ends meet.

But the moment I join the union I'll have to tell my non-union customers (at least the non-audiobook ones) I can't work with them any longer; I see the odds that they'd agree to a SAG-AFTRA contract as practically nil. So all my non-audiobook clients go poof, and the income they give me goes with it. And I'm not willing to work off the card.

So, rock- meet hard place. I think the union has a lot of work to do, and I'd love to be part of that discussion.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

[Scott Pollak]

[Bruce]