August 4, 2022, Toronto — In June of 2021, 260 ACTRA members responded to a survey regarding vocal health and acting in video games.
The survey is the first quantified survey regarding vocal health in the industry. The key findings are that voice work in video games can be taxing on performers’ voices and potentially impact their vocal health.
The results of the survey showed the following:
74.32% of the actors polled said that very often or almost always their sessions included loud/projected, aggressive, or vocally extreme work. 38.13% would very often or almost always experience vocal fatigue or stress during the voiceover session. 19.14% reported very often or almost always finding it hard to recover to their normal vocal quality after a videogame voice-over session. 42.74% said that it took 2 or more days for their vocal quality to return to “normal” after a vocally extreme voice-over session. 27.68% have thought about turning down a session for fear of the impact it would have on their voice, or the work it would cause them to lose.
The results of the survey reveal that care of the actor’s voice and vocal health is a concern for ACTRA members. The health and safety of ACTRA’s members and performers is a high priority.
ACTRA Toronto will convene a working group to determine how this new information should inform next steps to protect its members and improve the quality of voice over and video game work in Canada.
About ACTRA Toronto:
ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing over 15,000 of Canada’s 28,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. An advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.
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Media contact: Karl Pruner: (416) 928-2278,kpruner@actratoronto.com
Webpage: Vocal Stress in Videogame Voiceover Survey
Document: Vocal Stress in Video Games Survey Report (PDF)
Illustration: Vocal Stress in Video Games Survey Key Findings Graphic (PDF)