SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games for its use of A.I. for Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite
SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games for its use of A.I. for Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite
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I thought James Earl Jones had already agreed to the use of AI for this purpose long before he died.
They have a company called Llama Productions? That is wild.
I can see their issue. And if I were the people that signed off on allowing it, I would be none too pleased with the way people have been getting him to say awful things.
Should be the shortest lawsuit ever. “Disney, did you say Epic could do this? Yes? Case dismissed.”
JEJ sold his voice to Lucasfilm specifically for AI generation.
AI Darth Vader in Fortnite is almost certainly a test for Disney to continue pushing for its use and they picked the perfect “scapegoat” to test the waters with.
Is EPIC of this other company on a contract with SAG? Or is SAG seeing $$$ and trying to insert themselves into something they have no claim to?
I’ll be a case or if they don’t do anything, it sets a precedent
Yeah this is complete BS. Not only did James give his permission for stuff like this, but the function in game (talking to him in real time, 24/7) is impossible for a voice actor to do.
This is clearly just SAG being mad that they aren’t profiting off it.
I can’t wait for all the comments defending the beginning of the destruction of what is effectively a big part of the industry they claim to love.
Stupid. Are they aware the dialog itself is ai generated on the fly and can’t be performed by an actor lol
Someone already pointed this out here but to TLDR: James Earl Jones gave his voice rights to Disney so that it can be used (with also the ok with his family members as well), thus the Earl Jones estate and Disney get a cut of the revenue from Epic Games.
What SAG-AFTRA is doing here (and for the longest time now)is basically being a whiny bitch and complaining that **they can’t get their fair share**, which to be fair, I can theoretically say that Earl Jones Family/Disney cut off this union organization from ever tampering with his voice. Call me crazy but SAG-AFTRA are just being sourpusses rn LOL
Oh boy more SAG BS. I wish they’d go away already, they are genuinely scum. They care more about a monopoly than their VAs.
The SAG geatapo upset they don’t control 100% of all industries yet again.
“Unfair labor practices” … for not using the labor of a dead man …?
Disney did the same for the obi Wan show. Wonder why this is a problem now
ok but, didnt sag screw over voice actors last year about siding with ai about something?
why are they suddenly upset, this is what they seemingly wanted.
After SAG’s behavior with Genshin Impact, I’m very skeptical of their motives
SAG has no leg to stand on for this. They’re simply mad they don’t get a cut of anything.
As I had to tell people most of the entire first day Vader was available,
James Earl Jones properly agreed and signed off to Disney for them to use his voice after he’s passed with AI to help keep Vader alive. Absolutely everyone can agree that it wouldn’t be the same having someone else voice him and clearly even JEJ and his family did too (they also gave permission)
This is the one situation where the use of AI voice should be used and everything about it is fine.
I know this is Reddit, and they never like anything, but has anyone tried talking to Vader in Fortnite? I was genuinely blown away with how effective the AI is at communicating. Granted, I was basically RPing, so most of my comments were Star Wars related, but it was super cool.
I’m mainly an RPG guy, so I really wanna see this technology applied to a story heavy, classic BioWare-style RPG.
If they’re citing the Vader voice specifically they’re going to lose.
JEJ authorized Disneys use of the voice in all future projects and games.
and I thought they stopped appearing in r/gachagaming.
their reputation is weirdly bad because of their non-existent protest, except they order their members to bully possible membership quitters and recruit non-members like it’s some MLM.
there’s more can of worms to open but yeah…
But how is this taking work from other VA’s for Vader? If they weren’t using the AI voice of James Earl Jones, then the thing just wouldn’t exist, meaning they would end up with exactly the same amount of work as before… or am I reading this wrong?
VA mafia at it again
SAG-AFTRA involved? I’m on the other parties side then, I’m not anti union, but I am anti SAG.
Uhhh so how exactly they plan on winning this one? If JEJ retired by the time he sold his voice, he wasnt a member of the union at this point and even if he WAS union at best can kick him out. SAG doesnt own shit. I dont see a single court not just throwing case out literally one page in.
In the realm of video games, SAG-AFTRA really sucks up to now. Bullying non-member foreign VAs; bullying foreign companies that already have AI protections pretending it is about AI not money; making unreasonable demands and so on.
After the whole genshin drama, I’m convinced this organisation is just PETA for voice actors
From a legal standpoint, the thing that matters is whether SAG and Epic Games have an agreement that would prevent the use of A.I. voicework in this context. Permission from JEJ wouldn’t bypass an agreement between SAG and Epic that would forbid the use of A.I voicework. All that means is that JEJ’s estate/family won’t be taking legal action for it.
It is common for unions to bargain for agreements that amount to “you won’t go around us to third parties to get around union terms.” If the company tries to do that, they can get a grievance filed/sued for it.
I don’t know the specific merits of this case, if there was a pre-existing agreement between SAG and Epic that prevented the use of A.I. voicework. But if there is, SAG has a case against Epic, regardless of what permissions JEJ/his estate gave.
James Earl Jones signed over the rights to replicate his voice with AI in 2022 to Lucas Films before he passed. As long as Epic has the licensing from Disney what can they do? Joining a union does not give them possession of your work