What is the difference between a Union and a Non Union actor?
Introduction.
Should you hire union or non union? Will you be banished to that cold, dark and scary place reserved just for producers that don’t hire SAG talent? Or will your series or game suffer a lack of quality if you opt for non union?
We get asked about this all the time and in many cases producers don’t really know the difference between hiring a union talent vs a non union talent. But they should!
In this article we will be looking at why so many producers are hiring union talent, specifically in the US and what the benefits are to doing this. We’ll also look at the other side and discuss the benefits of going non union.
In our option, both options are valid and it should always come down to what is the best fit for your project.
What is a Union Actor?
A union actor is a member of their country's affiliated acting union. For voice talent, it would be SAG AFTRA in the US, ACTRA in Canada and Equity in the UK.
Actor’s unions will market their members as more qualified, experienced and professional than non union talent and therefore a better option for your production. A union actor is also someone who is expected to turn down non union roles / projects therefore reducing the talent pool available to non union producers.
A union actor is someone who will have a very set payment structure with specific rules on how much they are compensated for a single session, overtime and additional work requests (such as extra voices / character performed in a session).
A union actor is someone who will be entitled to pension and health payments from the producer / production (roughly an additional 16.5% - 19%).
A union actor is someone who will be entitled to residual payments for the lifetime of a project (everytime a show is broadcast the union actor gets paid something). Or, in the world of games they will be entitled to an ‘Additional Compensation Payment’ based on the number of sessions performed or the sales performance of the actual game.
Finally, a union actor is someone who will require you, the producer, to put in a little bit of extra work in the pre production stage. You will be required to register your project with the union (this can take several weeks), you’ll need to provide budget information, scripts, shooting locations etc.
What is a Non Union Actor?
A non union actor is someone who is either not a member of the traditional actor’s unions or someone who perhaps has a union card but is also willing to take non union gigs at the same time (perhaps under a stage name etc).
A non union actor can be vastly experienced and very good at what they do. However, they can also be a complete novice with no real acting experience. So the non union talent pool varies greatly in quality.
Non union actors do not have as many set rules on payment structures, working hours or performance requests. However, this can make it a little trickier to budget and schedule as each actor/agent may have their own demands regarding fees, buyouts and minimum booking times.
You do not need to pay a non union actor any pension & health contributions.
Non union actors do not receive any residuals or royalties.
Non union actors are not held to any specific standards from an organised industry body (such as SAG AFTRA).
How to Calculate the Cost Difference.
So we’ve discussed what the difference is between union and non union actors. And I think we can all agree that what it ultimately boils down to is cost vs quality. Hiring union talent is going to hit you harder in the budget department but will open up more options for you to hire really good actors. Hiring non union talent will be more cost effective but you will likely have a smaller pool of really good, experienced actors to pick from.
So, let’s look at the cost difference between the two options…
Recording with Non Union Talent:
Let’s start with the easier option. Non union talent costs will vary slightly. Some talent will have agents, some do not have agents. Some will have a minimum booking of 2 hours, some will not. You get the point! Let’s say you are recording the following project:
Video Game
11,000 lines of dialogue
10 main actors
Ok, so let’s assume we’ll need about 110 hours of recording for this project (roughly 100 lines per hour). Each non union actor will likely cost $300+10% agent’s fee ($330 per hour).
$330 x 110 hours = $36,300 (this is your talent budget). Unless you have finished scripts and can work out exactly how much time each actor will be required for, we recommend adding 10% on to this budget to cover the fact that many non union actors will require a 2 hour minimum booking.
But wait, there’s more! What about usage fees I hear you ask. Well, again because it’s non union it’s a bit of a grey area. Often, for a video game, the usage is included in the hourly fee. On the other hand, to access the best non union talent it’s always a good idea to offer some kind of additional usage fee. We usually recommend $1,000 - $1,500 per project, per main actor. Totally your call!
Recording with Union Talent:
Ok, here we go. You might want to grab a coffee for this. For a video game, union talents have a few different options. 1 hour sessions, 4 hour sessions, 6 hour sessions. Low budget agreement, standard interactive media agreement. If they are required to record something vocally stressful, then they can only record a 2 hour session… but it will be paid at the same rate as a 4 hour session. You will also need to know exactly how many lines of dialogue each character has so that you can accurately work out how many sessions each actor will need to work.
Fortunately for you, we have put together a handy… erm, handbook, that gives you all the details you need to work out a voice production budget when working with union actors in the US. You can download it here: The Ultimate Guide to Voice Acting Rates - Video Games 2022.
Closing.
Hopefully this helps clear up the confusion between working with union vs non union actors. In the end, one option isn’t better than the other and it simply comes down to your budget, scale of the project and expectations. Will you need a celebrity voice or a legendary video game talent like Troy Baker? If yes, you’ll need to go union. If you are working on a smaller, indie game then it’s likely that you’ll be better off working with non union peeps! You might also find our article; What Are SAG Residuals and How Do They Work useful.
Once again, feel free to grab a copy of our ebooks on voice acting rates:
The Ultimate Guide to Voice Acting Rates: Video Games 2022
The Ultimate Guide to Voice Acting Rates: Animation 2022
You can also reach out to us at any time to discuss your own project requirements. Our team are experts in voice casting & voice production! You know where to find us… it’s via the ‘contact’ page, just to be clear.