iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by DuskTVQ

Jett Barker @jettbarker.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

VERY FUN NEWS! ✨ SAG-AFTRA's Game Jam Waiver is now publicly available!! There's no way I can fit absolutely everything I want to say about it in 300 characters—both about how to use the waiver/why it's so neat + how absurdly grateful I am to the folks who helped make it a thing—but it's SO cool.

Wall of text reading "What's the Game Jam Waiver?" Followed by "It's really cool!! The game jam waiver is a bespoke "child" of the TBA geared toward the development of games created in a pro bono game jam space (i.e. the game is created within the parameters of a game jam, the final product's not monetized, the dev makes no money, the cast makes no money)." It then explains the mechanics of inputting game data into the jam waiver portal (currently not public/in final QA) and getting approval. The TL;DR on the right reads "TL;DR: Is it being made for a jam? Is no one making any money? If yes to both: congrats!! You can use the waiver." At the bottom of the TL;DR is "If ever you want to monetize the game, it would need to transition from the game jam waiver to the full Tiered Budget Agreement."

SAG-AFTRA’s Game Jam Waiver is Now Available!!
6 months of wrangling bureaucracy later…

If you are a game director, team lead, or authorized representative who has spoken with your team/game director/etc. about using SAG-AFTRA's game jam waiver and would like to formally apply to it (which allows for the hiring of both nonunion and union talent onto your project, makes any voice acting for your game compliant with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, and means your cast can promo even mid-strike once the game's out), the form is NOW AVAILABLE! https://www.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=4968bfd6-aee4-40e9-a15c-91aaf16293bb&env=na1&acct=1a51019c-9a2d-4e97-b327-9df3349eaa2a&v=2

Please note that certain fields on this form are formatted for US-specific addresses; if you are filling out the paperwork for yourself/someone you're authorized to help and you live outside of the United States, fill in the fields to the best of your ability and then write "N/A" in non-applicable fields. When filling out this form as a producer, please include your given name and surname (not a username; non-legal given names are OK). This form's data is not public-facing, but the union does need it for their records.

In terms of "What do I need to do after I submit this?"
Send out a copy of the Game Jam Acknowledgment Form to all performers in your cast (names included can be professional names/doesn't need to be folks' legal - please no usernames)
As a warning: DocuSign's method of downloading gives you the option to download all the docs as a combined PDF or separately. You will want to download them separately, or else the whole of the Tiered Budget Agreement (all 80 pages!) will be included as well.
You do not need to fill out the Final Cast List document; it has been included in the form purely for your reference and records.
File away the copy of the waiver returned to you with SAG-AFTRA staff signoff once you/your contact-person receives it
Have fun making games!

9406230