Posted in: Games, Indie Games, Video Games | Tagged: SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA Expands Tiered-Budget Agreement For Indie Game Devs

SAG-AFTRA rolls out new fourth tier on Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement for independent video game developers.

Published Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:41:08 -0500

by Gavin Sheehan

Comments

Article Summary

SAG-AFTRA introduces a fourth tier for indie game projects with $15M-$30M budgets.
New tier expands access to union talent for more video game developers.
Agreement includes A.I. protections and required performer consent for digital replicas.
All tiers feature customized rates and provisions for secondary payments.

SAG-AFTRA announced they have expanded a new tiered-budget agreement for members when it comes to working with independent video game developers. The actor's union confirmed that they will roll out a new fourth tier of its new video game contract, which you can read in full online, as an expansion of the one they unveiled back in February. This new tie will allow independent video game developers and projects with smaller budgets to access union talent only on a smaller scale range. This was designed for projects ranging from $250k to $15m. We have more info from today's statement below.

davd zaslav — Image: Los Angeles, California – September 24, 2023: SAG-AFTRA Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists located at 5757 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles (Shutterstock.com/Walter Cicchetti)

SAG-AFTRA Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement

The agreement was initially unveiled with three tiers in February, allowing independent video game developers and projects with smaller budgets to access union talent for projects in the $250,000 to $15 million range. The new tier provides coverage for projects in the $15 million to $30 million budget range. The agreement further demonstrates SAG-AFTRA's goal of expanding coverage for video games while incorporating many of the sought-after provisions essential for the safety and sustainability of performers' careers and includes robust A.I. protections that cover voice and movement performance for all four tiers.

Now offers customized session rates for four production budget tiers:
- $250,000 to $1 million.
- $1 million to $5 million.
- $5 million to $15 million.
- $15 million to $30 million.
Simplifies and streamlines the base language of the full Interactive Media Agreement.
Captures project success with secondary payments, which can be prepaid at a reduced rate.
Requires informed consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas of a performer.

SAG-AFTRA Membership Ratifies New 3-Year Deal — Los Angeles, California – February 10, 2021: The SAG-AFTRA Plaza on Wilshire Boulevard (Shutterstock.com/Noah Sauve)

"With this expanded scope of the Tiered-Budget Agreement, even more projects will benefit from the skills and experience of union performers, and performers will have more opportunities to work with the benefits and protections of a union contract, including important A.I. guardrails," said SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Chair Sarah Elmaleh. "As a union, we are committed to creating contracts and waivers that foster actor-developer collaboration across every budget and scope. Thousands of video games are released every year and each one deserves to benefit from union talent."

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, "All levels of the tiered-budget agreement include crucial A.I. provisions and other protections our members need. It is critical that protections apply to ALL of our members who perform in video games, including movement performers. It's also worth noting that in the event of a strike of the Interactive Media Agreement, members would be able to continue working on video games being produced under a tiered-budget agreement."

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!