SAG-AFTRA has announced the "Pre-Financing Proposal Interactive Media Agreement," allowing game developers to hire union actors before formally pitching their projects to publishers. Actors can provide voice acting or motion capture performances for financing materials such as internal trailers and vertical slice gameplay demos.
SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin stated that this agreement can help development teams improve the quality of their early-stage demos, making it easier to attract attention and funding. Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland noted that simplifying the hiring process for union actors could give developers an additional advantage in a competitive financing environment.
The agreement also includes clear restrictions and cannot be used for crowdfunded games. Projects relying on platforms like Kickstarter to attract public funding with prominent actor lineups are not eligible for this arrangement.
Amid the current difficulties in securing funding for game development, SAG-AFTRA hopes that more polished performances will help unannounced projects attract potential investors and encourage development teams to engage union talent from the early stages. The organization has long represented game performers in the United States and previously organized industry strikes over issues such as protections against generative AI.