SAG-AFTRA Launches Pre-Funding Pitch Agreement
The new Interactive Media Agreement lets developers hire union actors for pitch material before their games are funded.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Unions
SAG-AFTRA has launched the Pre-Funding Pitch Interactive Media Agreement, which covers early material used to win over publishers and investors. The agreement applies to union actors performing in pitch material ranging from an internal teaser trailer to a playable vertical slice.
Why it matters
The agreement addresses the earliest stage of game development, when a studio has an idea and a prototype but no funding. Union actors brought in from the start may be more likely to stay on the project, while tight budgets could otherwise lead studios to cast non-union performers for pitches.
The agreement is defined by material type rather than budget, covering pitch work from a teaser trailer to a playable vertical slice, and it excludes games funded through crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter. SAG-AFTRA has not published rates or full terms, leaving the agreement's cost structure unclear.
The players
SAG-AFTRA
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is a U.S. labor union representing actors, broadcasters, and other media performers.
Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an American actor best known for The Lord of the Rings films and now serves as president of SAG-AFTRA.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is SAG-AFTRA's national executive director and chief negotiator, leading the union's contract talks with studios and publishers.
The details
Developers can bring union talent in to perform in pitch material that shows backers what the finished game could look like. SAG-AFTRA already offers a tiered-budget agreement for independent games, and the new pitch agreement extends union coverage to the earliest stage of development.
Timeline
July 2024: Video game performers went on strike over generative AI protections.
Summer 2025: The video game performers' strike ended.
2025: The union raised concerns over Fortnite's AI-voiced Darth Vader.
November 6, 2026: SAG-AFTRA launched the Pre-Funding Pitch agreement.
Political Context
The agreement follows the video game performers' strike that began in July 2024 over generative AI protections and lasted into summer 2025. It extends the union's bargaining reach into pre-funding development, a stage that previously sat outside its collective agreements.
Studios that want union performers in early pitch demos now have a defined agreement to use, which could change who voices a game before it is funded. Developers should check whether their project's funding path, such as crowdfunding, falls outside the agreement's coverage.
The takeaway
Developers planning pitch material may find union talent available earlier than before, though the lack of published rates means they should confirm terms directly with SAG-AFTRA before budgeting.
Further reading
For more on how performers' contracts are negotiated, see the Unions section.
