Five people, three women and two men, are seated at a dias. All wear SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike T-shirts; the woman on the far left wears a bright red jacket and the woman beside her wears a ball cap. Behind them is a step-and-repeat backdrop with the L.A. Comic Con logo.

Video game performers talk about the nature of their work and the need for increased contractual protections.

I think it just really opens up the world of a game for fans to see what goes into making their favorite character. It’s not just, ‘X person is this character.’ There is much more about a character than just their voice; it’s the writing, the costuming and how they move.

Seth Allyn Austin

Video Game Performer

Since calling for a strike on July 25, SAG-AFTRA members working under the Interactive Media Agreement within the video game industry have brought greater attention to their cause. On Oct. 5 at Los Angeles Comic Con, striking video game performers spoke at the Behind the Mask: Movement Performers’ Role in the Video Game Strike panel.

SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Chair Sarah Elmaleh, committee member Andi Norris and video game performers Jasiri Booker and Seth Allyn Austin spoke with panel moderator Linsay Rousseau about the intricate process of bringing video game characters to life through movement performance, stunt work and voice acting. From the challenges of performance capture to the collaborative nature of their work, the panelists offer behind-the-scenes insights into this essential but often unheralded aspect of game development, and speak to the continued need for their work and livelihoods to be protected.

Episode introduction by SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

Visit the SAG-AFTRA podcast page to hear other podcast episodes. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or TuneIn to listen to your favorite episodes on the go.

The views expressed by the guests are their own and not that of SAG-AFTRA. Any mention of products or services does not imply SAG-AFTRA’s endorsement.

Photo: Panelists at the Los Angeles Comic Con panel, ‘Behind the Mask: Movement Performers’ Role in the Video Game Strike,’ on Oct. 5. From left, panel moderator and video game performer Linsay Rousseau and speakers, SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Chair Sarah Elmaleh, game performer Jasiri Booker, committee member Andi Norris and video game performer Seth Allyn Austin.

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