I don't see the "bad faith negotiation" here. In Taylor's scenario and using your math, Platinum wanted to hire her, so they made an offer that complied with Union standards.
Actors with Taylor's experience are not offered the minimum union fee for lead roles, and in this instance, one they've held for over a decade. Everything about that was done in bad faith.
Notoriously pro-union Hale would never be offered the minimum union fee for a lead role. Ever. The only time she would entertain an offer for the minimum at this point in her career would be for background roles. If an ADR director already has a good working relationship with her, why not see if she has four hours free on a random day? Otherwise, the minimum fee is typically reserved for new actors trying to build their resume.
Yes, I am asking for proof of her allegations, something I would also ask for if someone like Troy Baker had made a similar claim. This is a business negotiation, not a sexual assault claim. She could provide a copy of the offer contract likely in her possession.
Sheesh. Where to even begin? You demand proof from Taylor yet are "inclined to believe Kamiya on this one" when his response *checks notes* didn't provide any proof refuting Taylor's claims. You're not even attempting to be objective about this.
And this is, in fact,
not a business negotiation. It's a woman airing her grievances about an industry that attempts to takes advantage of people at every turn and a company she feels disrespected her, both in the hopes that it will help her colleagues get better working conditions.
This matter is something that Taylor should have kept behind closed doors. She has a union and probably an agent that handles situations like this on her behalf. Development costs are rising across the board, and everyone has less money than ever thanks to sky-rocketing inflation. She didn't help her career and she certainly didn't help her fellow voice actors by putting all this into the public eye in such an unprofessional and, frankly, petulant manner.
1. Why? That's how this and other industries got so bad in the first place. Corporations don't want this out in the public so they can continue low-balling talent.
2. That's not what a union does. Also, Taylor appealed directly to Kamiya, and she was given a final offer. Her agents weren't going to change that.
3. By the eye test, Taylor decided her voice acting career was over as soon as got her final offer for Bayonetta 3. If she can't even be properly compensated for a role she's held for over a decade, there's no point in dragging this out. And no, she absolutely
is helping her fellow actors by bringing this issue to light. Most won't speak out for fear of being blacklisted especially if voice acting is all they do. It's the same reason it often takes decades for certain people to be held accountable for malfeasance. Someone has to go scorched earth in order to
merely be heard, not even believed, but it's hard to be the one who does it. If Taylor isn't going to pursue voice acting anymore, she decided she might as well
try to be the agent for change.
Incidentally, I noticed you side-stepped her comments on Jennifer Hale, which also wouldn't win her any favors with her colleagues and prospective employers.
No, I simply disagreed with your assessment while understanding that it's possible to have different interpretations. If you truly believe in your bones that Taylor was being unprofessional, well, I'm not here to argue with you over it. I am, however, willing to give Taylor some leeway when talking about a situation she's obviously still emotionally raw about. My reading of Taylor's statement was how strongly she feels about her personal contributions to Bayonetta rather than aggression toward Hale who Taylor even wished well. Had she straight up said, "Yo, **** Jennifer Hale!" I'd sing a different tune.
Additionally, your assertion that Taylor's comments wouldn't win any favors with her colleagues doesn't track with the
responses from industry vets who have largely corroborated her statement that $4000 was a lowball offer and/or
shared similar stories about their own careers. Since you're all Proofy McEvidence over here, do
you want to back up
your claims?
Even though I feel bad for Taylor, I do have to wonder why she hasn't done any voice work in 8 years.
Taylor is primarily a stage actor. She was living in Los Angeles and likely received a casting call for someone who has or can do a British accent. In a gig industry, you often have to take the auditions that are available to you.
Not saying that's the case here, but people need to be careful about just taking one person at their word, since we don't know if Taylor is telling us the whole story. Especially when I see so many post on other sites and Twitter saying **** Nintendo for be so cheap, when in reality Hale is probably costing way more then Taylor would have. Someone with the resume of Hale certainly has an agent and that agent isn't agreeing to the union minimum when she can easily get larger roles that pay better.
That's fair. I am more than willing to hear different perspectives, and I reserve the right to adjust my thoughts as more information is presented. Currently, in my view, it's important to consider who has more to gain here: an actor making a claim that aligns with countless stories about gig work, or corporations that have and want to continue taking advantage of workers.
Everything I've read tends to implicate PlatinumGames more than Nintendo. However, it isn't as if Nintendo hasn't pulled similar **** in the past. Nintendo thoroughly screwed actor and radio host, John Hulaton (
short version from DYKG: 3:21 to 4:11). The full interview can be found
here (starts at 14:30).
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