Yup. We're striking! What a time to be alive. And what a monumental strike this is. It is so no secret that the streaming theatrical contract we are currently fighting against is absolutely unfair. The working class actor who works on TV can no longer qualify for health insurance in some cases, can't afford their basic needs and have to balance many side jobs to make ends meet- all while the people at the top rake it in. Not to mention the subject of AI, which affects us all- even in the non entertainment industry. It's time to stand up and demand change.
Luckily, there are a few SAG/AFTRA contracts that are okay to work on. In layman's terms:
Commercial VO (as well as on camera) are OK to record as well as commercial auditions.
Interactive Media is also okay- so you can take video game jobs and audition for them.
All animation other than movies are also not struck!
Audiobooks are also okay to work on and audition for!
The Network Television Code is its OWN contract and remains unstruck.
It is also important to remember, if you are a non-union actor, and you cross the picket line accepting work under struck contracts, you will NOT be able to join the union later on.
A bit of reflection:
When COVID hit us, all of the above contracts were able to keep working while the rest of the entertainment industry halted. When that hit, everyone wanted to get in to voiceover. Then, slowly but surely- tv came back, theater came back- and voiceover switched over to it's new way of functioning. Now, everyone is back - ready to give voiceover a try again. A gentle reminder- the voiceover industry has turned on it's head since pre- covid days. It is not the same as it once was. You must be able to record from home, possess basic editing + recording knowledge, be able to self- direct, dissect a script and know the general rules of how the business is functioning right now and how to best showcase yourself within it.
We would love to help you. A great place to start is our online course which covers all the basics. We also coach one on one, so get in touch if you want to get started!