So this topic has inspired me to look into the net worth of various VA's and the numbers I'm finding are interesting.
Steve Blum - the single most prolific VA in the world - for instance, is worth $4.8 million. Troy Baker is worth $6 mil, and Tara Strong is worth $10.
So what this says to me is that Steve needs to get a new agent.
Well both salaries were given as per episode and the episode's in both anime and Simpsons example are 30 minutes long. So I'd say that hours put into acting would somewhat similar although of course it depends per episode how many lines they got, but overall similar hours I'd think.
Yeah the Simpsons cast gets a ridiculous amount of money for the work they do but I think it is a combination of how popular the show is and how iconic these actors have become to their roles which makes them very hard to replace which gives them the leverage to be able to demand as much as they do.
No, I'm serious.
Mark Meer did more voices than just the male Commander Shepard in the MET he did a lot, if not all of the voices of the vorcha. The vorcha are an entire race not a single character and he did at least 90% of them and those roles were by his own admission hard on his throat. You do a high-pitch voice and then add a performance on top of it and then be asked to do it for 2-4 hours and record multiple lines (sometimes with only the difference being a pronoun) and then have to another studio and do the same thing for another company and then tell me that $200 is worth it.
**** yeah I would do that for $200 an hour, there are a lot worse jobs out there that pay a lot less money than $200 per hour, speaking into a microphone for 2-4 hours by comparison is a walk in the park.
Those salaries are for the stars, though. Those aren't the people the union protects.I guess it's bit of celebrity money or sth, actors also get ridiculous amount of money compared to people who are editing, screenwriting and so on. And if I remember right there was news couple years ago that Simpsons almost stopped cause voice actors were asking ridiculous amounts of money for their voice acting.
Yes checked it, they get like 300 000$ dollars for episode and got earlier more and show was almost cancelled, because of that cause company didn't want to pay 400 000$ for episode anymore. I mean that's ridiculous amount of money and not really normal salary of person, that's celebrity salary. And if gaming voice actors are demanding same no wonder that gaming companies are feeling the pressure.
Possibly shouting into a microphone.**** yeah I would do that for $200 an hour, there are a lot worse jobs out there that pay a lot less money than $200 per hour, speaking into a microphone for 2-4 hours by comparison is a walk in the park.
**** yeah I would do that for $200 an hour, there are a lot worse jobs out there that pay a lot less money than $200 per hour, speaking into a microphone for 2-4 hours by comparison is a walk in the park.
Okay then, I challenge you to record yourself speaking into a microphone for 4 hours with only brief pauses between statements. Make sure the last hour is all shouting. Then come back and tell us how easy voice recording is. Then listen to the beginning and end of the recording and tell us honestly that it hasn't affected your voice.
**** yeah I would do that for $200 an hour, there are a lot worse jobs out there that pay a lot less money than $200 per hour, speaking into a microphone for 2-4 hours by comparison is a walk in the park.
How many hours will you be able to work in a month? 10?
VA is not a full-time job.
Yeah the Simpsons cast gets a ridiculous amount of money for the work they do but I think it is a combination of how popular the show is and how iconic these actors have become to their roles which makes them very hard to replace which gives them the leverage to be able to demand as much as they do.
Those salaries are for the stars, though. Those aren't the people the union protects.
The union establishes a minimum wage and working conditions for its members. Individuals can negotiate something better, but the union establishes a floor.
This is perhaps easiest to see in American sports. The MLBPA negotiates on behalf of the players to establish a minimum salary and basic rules about conduct and schedule and whatnot. But individual players can negotiate better salaries or other benefits if they have leverage.
But the MLBPA also shows us how the initial negotiating position isn't always real. Traditionally, the MLBPA opens each bargaining session with the demand that the season be shortened by 8 games. They never get it, but it's a bargaining position rather than an actual objective.
Labour negotiations are typically quite adversarial.
Yep I guess it's the star power here which makes the difference. I do wonder how reqular voice actors are still paid in US/Canada compared to seiyuu's. Though I also must admit that I was unable to find information of salaries of seiyuu's I consider having star power and being famous, the article I earlier found just mentioned that some veterans (14 years in the business or so) get only 300 euros for episode ^^
I wonder what the union then wants salary-wise for their voice actors, are they really demanding something unreasonable or not.
In any event, if the terms have really gone untouched since the mid 90s, then it's past time they're renegotiated; the Industry is a completely different beast then it was back then and VA's play a much larger role today than they did then.
Possibly shouting into a microphone.
You try shouting for two hours. With subtily different emotion each time.
Okay then, I challenge you to record yourself speaking into a microphone for 4 hours with only brief pauses between statements. Make sure the last hour is all shouting. Then come back and tell us how easy voice recording is. Then listen to the beginning and end of the recording and tell us honestly that it hasn't affected your voice.
Oh honey you do realize there are jobs that require you to do far more physically exhausting tasks for far longer don't you? Besides I believe the voice actors get a break every 2 hours plus regular coffee breaks (according to Will Weaton), they aren't shouting continuously for 4 hours.
Okay then, I challenge you to record yourself speaking into a microphone for 4 hours with only brief pauses between statements. Make sure the last hour is all shouting. Then come back and tell us how easy voice recording is. Then listen to the beginning and end of the recording and tell us honestly that it hasn't affected your voice.
Also, ensure your performance is something that other people would enjoy listening to and enthralling.
Pretty much anybody can pick up a shovel and dig a hole. Not everyone can deliver a script with nuance and style, and make people fall in love with a digital character in a made up video game. We may spit at he amount that "talent" gets paid but like it or not, these guys directly impact a game consumers experience in a way that individual game coders do not. When your services are in demand you can charge more for providing them. Thats simple market forces.
And when does the lip syncing or cinematography happen?
Those need to come after the voices are recorded.
Not necessarily. They can do lip syncing and cinematography with temp dialogue recorded by devs and adjust it later when they have the final dialogue nailed down.
Oh honey you do realize there are jobs that require you to do far more physically exhausting tasks for far longer don't you? Besides I believe the voice actors get a break every 2 hours plus regular coffee breaks (according to Will Weaton), they aren't shouting continuously for 4 hours.
End of the day there's always someone who has it worse. That doesn't mean you can't try to better your own lot and conditions.
So this topic has inspired me to look into the net worth of various VA's and the numbers I'm finding are interesting.
Steve Blum - the single most prolific VA in the world - for instance, is worth $4.8 million. Troy Baker is worth $6 mil, and Tara Strong is worth $10.
So what this says to me is that Steve needs to get a new agent.
What did Mark Meer make? Or Grey Delise?
You named a big 3 there of course for their net worth, I am curious what other people would be, lesser known or more niche voice actors.
What did Mark Meer make? Or Grey Delise?
You named a big 3 there of course for their net worth, I am curious what other people would be, lesser known or more niche voice actors.
Wasn't able to find Meer's net worth. Delise is estimated at $5 mil.
Wil Wheaton, btw, has a net worth of "only" $500k.
Oh honey you do realize there are jobs that require you to do far more physically exhausting tasks for far longer don't you? Besides I believe the voice actors get a break every 2 hours plus regular coffee breaks (according to Will Weaton), they aren't shouting continuously for 4 hours.
The thing is that voice can't hold on that certain amount of time and it's bad to overwork your voice, you will just lose it. I doubt voice can be trained similarly as durable as body can. So I think it's pretty reasonable to want shorter sessions.
Exhausting, sure.Oh honey you do realize there are jobs that require you to do far more physically exhausting tasks for far longer don't you?
I get a lot of the complaints the actors have, I go to a 3 hour hockey game and my voice is gone for two days. Limiting the stressful sessions just makes sense. (and by stressful I mean screaming, yelling, and other taxing noises) I'm not sure what the pay is but even at $200/h if you're only working for 2 days that's only $1600 and if you don't get any other jobs that month that might not see you through. It's not the the big names that these things need to be put in place for but the smaller actors who don't have the same ability to negotiate with the studios.
As for the game devs I totally agree that they deserve more attention as well, but whatever gains the actors make are not a detriment to them. The problem is there is no union to look out for devs like there is for the actors and largely they suffer for it. The same issue is happening in animation and VFX studios where artists are underpaid but also risk their jobs if they attempt to unionize. The developers shouldn't be an argument to put down what the actors are trying to achieve, there should be a movement for them as well to elevate the kind of treatment they see in the production of a game.
Most of which likely arose from Star Trek residuals.Wasn't able to find Meer's net worth. Delise is estimated at $5 mil.
Wil Wheaton, btw, has a net worth of "only" $500k.
End of the day there's always someone who has it worse. That doesn't mean you can't try to better your own lot and conditions.
I get that and I get that these guys are looking out for their own interests, but i have no idea why I or any of you should feel sympathy for these guys and campaign on their behalf? At the end of the day these guys are already doing pretty well for themselves so it is very hard to take pity on them when they demand far larger bonuses and pay checks than the artists, programmers and writers despite doing far less work.
While a good voice actor can make a character come alive I generally don't play video games for the voice acting and I am sure there are plenty of lesser known voice actors who are capable of doing just as good a performance for a lot less.
If you know their names, they're not the people the union needs to protect.What did Mark Meer make? Or Grey Delise?
You named a big 3 there of course for their net worth, I am curious what other people would be, lesser known or more niche voice actors.
I'm not sure what the pay is but even at $200/h if you're only working for 2 days that's only $1600 and if you don't get any other jobs that month that might not see you through.
If that is the case then it should really be on them to find a supplementary source of income. Just because somebody does not work as many hours does not entitle them to more money per hour.
**** yeah I would do that for $200 an hour, there are a lot worse jobs out there that pay a lot less money than $200 per hour, speaking into a microphone for 2-4 hours by comparison is a walk in the park.
But you probably can't that is where acting talent comes in. Hell plumbers make $80 an hour! I'll do that! There is also the law of supply and demand $200 an hour is not at all out of line with what your average consultant of any type makes. Specialists that are brought in for short periods of time to provide an important service.
I get that and I get that these guys are looking out for their own interests, but i have no idea why I or any of you should feel sympathy for these guys and campaign on their behalf? At the end of the day these guys are already doing pretty well for themselves so it is very hard to take pity on them when they demand far larger bonuses and pay checks than the artists, programmers and writers despite doing far less work.
While a good voice actor can make a character come alive I generally don't play video games for the voice acting and I am sure there are plenty of lesser known voice actors who are capable of doing just as good a performance for a lot less.
You must be rather upset at the whole pay scale of almost every job situation in the world. Movies, music, large corporations, civil service. In almost all cases the people that do, 'the day to day work' get paid much much less than others.
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