Unions, deepfakes and the gaming boom/bust.

What’s the value of a union?

This is a pertinent question for both game devs and actors right now.

In case you didn’t know, the gaming industry is seeing an unprecedented number of redundancies which seem in part down to corporate greed and the need to please shareholders. Despite many game companies explicitly standing against union membership, it’s certainly triggered debate about their value when so many are losing their jobs indiscriminately.

For actors, SAG AFTRA in the US has already taken significant action by ending the actors strike last year and then making a landmark agreement with AI voice studio Replica. UK acting union Equity also announced this week that they are looking to challenge the monopoly actor’s directory Spotlight has. Currently, ‘being on Spotlight’ is essential to be considered for almost all screen and theatre work, which Equity have now described as a ‘Tax on Hope’.

Will this action lead to profound change? Who can say.

But life as a freelance creative leaves you ripe for exploitation. So any tool that can channel collective power is worth considering in my opinion.

Voice Acting tip of the week:

Be clear in who is taking the lead.

During a recording session, there is often a voice director of some kind who is responsible for the actual running of procedure.

But when actors are dealing with clients directly, that hierarchy isn’t so clearly established, which can lead to time being wasted.

When I am recording live with someone less experienced, I always take the initiative by giving them options on how a session could be run.

For example: we could read through the full copy a few times before feedback, OR we could go paragraph by paragraph.

I could record and send the entire session OR just send through the preferred takes.

There’s no right or wrong choice with any of the above. It’s just making clear what those variables are and what each approach offers. from the start.

Behind The Scenes project of the week:

How does an actor tap into emotions?

Well - there’s no one method that every actor uses for every project.

In fact, I’ll often adapt my approach depending on the script, the nature of the recording session and how I’m feeling on a given day.

But the one thing most actors need to properly CONNECT with material, is a degree of freedom. That doesn’t necessary mean taking lots of time over it. Just being permitted the space to do what THEY need to do.

Below is a quick insight into my own approach channeling emotions quickly…

Top talent of the week:

Maeve Diamond is an accent and dialect coach who I have had the pleasure of working with on various projects over the last five years. Whether you’re an actor looking for help with a specific project, want to build your skillset long term or you’re not an actor at all but want to work on your public speaking and confidence, I’d strongly recommend her. Check out her website here.

Media Recommendations:

Every week, I share three podcasts, articles or interviews that I’d strongly recommend. This week…

1. Deep Fakes vs Swifties

   The fans of Taylor Swift have been instrumental in getting deepfake content involving their idol being removed through mass reporting. Meanwhile, the estate of Geroge Carlin have begun legal proceedings against another creator for using an AI version of the comedian’s voice without consent or compensation.

2. Content Creators losing their voice?

   Twitich streamer Cohh Carnage recently highlighted another potential use case for AI voices - saving his own. Cohh takes it upon himself to read aloud any unvoiced NPC lines in the games he plays. For the sake of his own content, he’s now actively exploring AI tech that could voice other people’s content for his.

3. The Tremendous Yet Troubled State of Gaming

   Understanding the many factors at play while the game industry seems to be simultaneously hugely successful and haemorrhaging jobs is no easy task. For those with time for a long read, Matthew Ball has put together an indepth overview of the state of the industry.

Favourite Writing of the week:

I’m currently working on an audiobook whose main character is from Yorkshire. So I’ve been taking every opportunity to work on my Northern accent as a result…

@chrisnaturallyrp

Big Bucket Wull - ‘Last Winter’ - A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin #bigbucketwull #hugowull #asoiaf #asoiaftok #asoiaftiktok #hous... See more

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Thanks again for reading, and until next week Honey and I wish you a wonderful week!