Working in the Video Games Industry Survey

1. The Video Games Industry

The videogames industry has grown substanitally in recent years. It is now worth more worldwide than the film industry. For Equity members, this burgeoning field provides an array of opportunities in several different areas. Equity members work in a number of roles in this industry, including directing, voiceover, and motion capture. As videogames become more and more sophisticated, the use of actors to enhance the in-game experience continues to evolve and expand.

Equity has a long standing agreement with Electronic Arts Ltd dating back to 1995. The agreement provides for the minimum terms and conditions for the engagement of artists in videogames. Subsequently the agreement has formed the basis of promulgated terms and conditions which have been extensively used across the industry. We have also produced guidelines covering artists engaged in motion capture work.

The industry is moving and growing fast and now is the time to engage with Equity members working in this field in order to best represent their interests as we come to revise and update our agreements and guidelines.

Your views are essential if we are do this effectively. Please take a few moments to complete as much of this survey as you can. Your input is much appreciated.

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* 1. Have you worked in the video games industry in the past year?

Yes

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* 2. If you answered yes to Question 1, please give the title(s) of the game(s) you worked on

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* 3. In which of the following roles have you worked in the last year? (please select ALL that apply)

Actor

Walk-on/supporting artist

Presenter

Dancer

Singer

Stunt performer

Stunt co-ordinator

Voice over artist

Choreographer

Director

Designer

Other (please specify)

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* 4. In what capacity have you mainly been employed in the video games industry?

Voice over artist

Motion capture

Other (please specify)

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* 5. How many games have you worked on in total?

More than 5

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* 6. How much were you paid for your work on the last video game you worked on?

Up to £50

£50 - £100

£100 - £200

£200 - £300

£300 - £400

£400 - £500

£500+

Please also estimate the number of hours you worked on the project:

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* 7. What would you estimate to be the average payment you have received for your work on video games projects?

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* 8. Apart from the video games industry, which other areas of entertainment have you worked in during the past year?

Commercials

Corporate events/role play

Dance

Film

Music

Opera

Radio

Theatre

Theatre in education

Variety

Television

Other (please specify)

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* 9. What would you estimate your gross earnings were from ALL your work in the entertainment industry in the past year?

No income from entertainment industry

Less than £5,000

£5,000 - £11,999

£12,000 - £19,999

£20,000 - £29,999

£30,000 - £49,999

£50,000 - £74,999

£75,000 - £99,999

£100,000 or above

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* 10. Did you receive a contract for your last work assignment in the video games industry?

Yes

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* 11. If you answered yes to Question 10, did your contract have:

A Buy-Out clause

Clauses for ongoing payments (i.e. royalties)

Other (please specify)

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* 12. When you are paid for your work in the video games industry, what kind of contract do you think SHOULD be used?

A buy out contract

A contract that provides for ongoing payments

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* 13. If you answered 'ongoing payments' to question 12, what do you think is the best way to pay for additional uses?

Residual (fee based on original earnings to cover units sold)

Royalty (payment based on the sales price of a game)

A combination of methods depending on usage

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* 14. Do you think you should receive payment for the following additional uses of video games?

	Yes	No
When a game is made available on a number of platforms (e.g. Xbox, PS3)	When a game is made available on a number of platforms (e.g. Xbox, PS3) Yes	When a game is made available on a number of platforms (e.g. Xbox, PS3) No
When a game is made available for multi-console play	When a game is made available for multi-console play Yes	When a game is made available for multi-console play No
When a game is available to play as a MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online game)	When a game is available to play as a MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online game) Yes	When a game is available to play as a MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online game) No
When is game is made available for use on mobile devices	When is game is made available for use on mobile devices Yes	When is game is made available for use on mobile devices No
When a game is made available for download on the internet	When a game is made available for download on the internet Yes	When a game is made available for download on the internet No

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* 15. When you worked on your last video games project how would you rate each of the following issues relating to working arrangements?

	Very good	Good	Satisfactory	Below average	Poor	Not applicable
Credits	Credits Very good	Credits Good	Credits Satisfactory	Credits Below average	Credits Poor	Credits Not applicable
Health and safety	Health and safety Very good	Health and safety Good	Health and safety Satisfactory	Health and safety Below average	Health and safety Poor	Health and safety Not applicable
Late payment	Late payment Very good	Late payment Good	Late payment Satisfactory	Late payment Below average	Late payment Poor	Late payment Not applicable
Leave arrangements	Leave arrangements Very good	Leave arrangements Good	Leave arrangements Satisfactory	Leave arrangements Below average	Leave arrangements Poor	Leave arrangements Not applicable
Pensions	Pensions Very good	Pensions Good	Pensions Satisfactory	Pensions Below average	Pensions Poor	Pensions Not applicable
Script delivery	Script delivery Very good	Script delivery Good	Script delivery Satisfactory	Script delivery Below average	Script delivery Poor	Script delivery Not applicable
Rehearsal time	Rehearsal time Very good	Rehearsal time Good	Rehearsal time Satisfactory	Rehearsal time Below average	Rehearsal time Poor	Rehearsal time Not applicable
Second call payments	Second call payments Very good	Second call payments Good	Second call payments Satisfactory	Second call payments Below average	Second call payments Poor	Second call payments Not applicable
Travel and subsistence	Travel and subsistence Very good	Travel and subsistence Good	Travel and subsistence Satisfactory	Travel and subsistence Below average	Travel and subsistence Poor	Travel and subsistence Not applicable
Working hours	Working hours Very good	Working hours Good	Working hours Satisfactory	Working hours Below average	Working hours Poor	Working hours Not applicable

Please provide details of any workplace issues you have identified above

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* 16. Have you ever experienced your video games work being used without appropriate payments being made?

Yes

If yes, please give details

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* 17. Which of the following would you be prepared to do to ensure the best possible agreements for work in the video games industry are achieved in the future?

I would like to receive more information and news about Equity's work in the video games industry

I would be prepared to attend future Equity meetings

I would like to be a point of contact for Equity

Other (please specify)

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* 1. Have you worked in the video games industry in the past year?

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* 2. If you answered yes to Question 1, please give the title(s) of the game(s) you worked on

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* 3. In which of the following roles have you worked in the last year? (please select ALL that apply)

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* 4. In what capacity have you mainly been employed in the video games industry?

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* 5. How many games have you worked on in total?

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* 6. How much were you paid for your work on the last video game you worked on?

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* 7. What would you estimate to be the average payment you have received for your work on video games projects?

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* 8. Apart from the video games industry, which other areas of entertainment have you worked in during the past year?

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* 9. What would you estimate your gross earnings were from ALL your work in the entertainment industry in the past year?

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* 10. Did you receive a contract for your last work assignment in the video games industry?

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* 11. If you answered yes to Question 10, did your contract have:

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* 12. When you are paid for your work in the video games industry, what kind of contract do you think SHOULD be used?

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* 13. If you answered 'ongoing payments' to question 12, what do you think is the best way to pay for additional uses?

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* 14. Do you think you should receive payment for the following additional uses of video games?

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* 15. When you worked on your last video games project how would you rate each of the following issues relating to working arrangements?

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* 16. Have you ever experienced your video games work being used without appropriate payments being made?

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* 17. Which of the following would you be prepared to do to ensure the best possible agreements for work in the video games industry are achieved in the future?

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* 18. Are there any other issues regarding the video games industry that you think Equity should address?