http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrimactors

Update Note:

The original thread from yesterday is http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1293574-the-skyrim-actors-guild/, although I ask that new replies go to this thread in the interest of consolidation and avoiding forum-flooding. Feel free to cross-quote to this thread. The purpose of creating a new thread is to start fresh due to new developments and greater focus. As this initiative matures, the need for new threads will diminish with time. Thread 1 Summary: Career-development and academic benefits of voice acting, allowance of revoicing as determined by the community, private versus public modder-voicer arrangements (all for-pay work must be negotiated privately).

Multi-Thread Note: ONE thread was posted for this initiative yesterday, and that is the one linked above. The second, later thread with a similar title is in no way related to this initiative (yet).

Purpose and Need

The Elder Scrolls modding community is steeped in establishment and tradition, and this has produced over the years both a warm, familiar atmosphere and in some cases discouragement to participation. At the top of this forum, we see a "V". Let's consider the implications that this has created.

• Skyrim's projected revenue is around $450 million, with the potential to grow with a broad, well-functioning modding community. More revenue means a greater chance of seeing VI.
  
• Skyrim has triggered the spontaneous creation of very populous external communities not yet recognized or embraced by the traditional forums and organizations
  
• Skyrim has become a cultural phenomenon already inspiring unprecedented derivative creative works completely independent of the classical community
  
• Skyrim holds the record for concurrent Steam activity, thus distinguishing itself as the most successful release ever through the service

What we have is a much larger player base than ever before, with a much broader scope of potential. This has some impact on the modding community. The Elder Scrolls is no longer a small town that requires only a general store, nor a small city that has a few specialty shops. It is now a major, bustling metropolis with all the diversity and activity that comes with that scope. Interest in modding is discussed and organizations formed around the world and across the Internet every day, independently of the established community. There is everything to gain by welcoming such endeavors into the community and beginning new initiatives.

Purpose: To accommodate a much larger community, to involve as many eager players in modding as possible, and to reach new heights of achievement as a community while contributing to the maturation, development, and expansion of video game voicing as a profession.

Mission Statement

To allow all fans of Skyrim to get their voice in the game by building and promoting an open, inclusive, general-purpose voicing community that welcomes all with open arms, from the small-part minor role voice contributor to the more serious voice actor; to promote community cohesiveness and recognition of the unique characteristics of established organizations; to facilitate easier voicing of mods for the creators of all types of mods with dialogue; to facilitate and encourage the discovery of new talent; to provide a broad-scope platform for participation in voice roles to assist in the building of resumes and production of academic projects; to encourage a new era of open, inclusive, friendly cooperation between all organizations and community members of all varieties, new or long-standing.

Ambiguity of Purpose / Established Organizations

It is the goal of the Skyrim Actors' Guild to cooperate with and involve established initiatives and organizations from its start, wherever friendly collaboration is allowed. It is not the aim of this initiative to divide the community, nor to "take over" any purpose any existing organization has established. Diversity is in the interest of the community, but distinguishment in purpose is called for as well. Skyrim Actors' Guild is an all-inclusive, general-purpose networking platform for modders and voice acting talent. We embrace all those excited to contribute, from the moderately interested to those aspiring to develop a professional level of skill and notoriety. However, where this initiative is extremely broad in its scope, we hope to involve more narrowly-focused communities to assist Skyrim fans and modders in taking their involvement to the next level.

Such organizations might include those with a strong focus on professional conduct and production, language-specific voicing, or content-specific organizations such as a dremora voicing group or a comedy group. For these reasons, it is emphasized that wherever existing organizations exist we may mutually benefit by working together. Any previous reactions from existing initiatives or projects are at this moment forgotten, and the slate wiped clean. Skyrim Actors' Guild invites all with open arms. Rather than skeptically evaluate risk assessment, may we focus instead on collaborating for a bigger, better modding community than ever before!

A Baby Idea

This initiative is in its infancy. As a result, there are things still being fleshed out and there is an opportunity for all to get in on the action early, ahead of the Creation Kit's release. Distinguished established entities have been approached and offered positions of leadership in this initiative, and a prototype submission calling for lines from native Northern European citizens is up to help in establishing the sound of an authentic accent and to prototype the request\audition format. Programmers and veteran modders have expressed a desire to contribute privately and publicly, and interested Skyrim fans have already begun submitting clips ranging from http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrim/comments/mrp8l/hear_your_voice_in_skyrim/c33dn19 to http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrim/comments/mrp8l/hear_your_voice_in_skyrim/c33c8ww (lesser language warning -- none of George Carlin's "Big Seven"), to a rather impressing http://www.reddit.com/r/SkyrimActors/comments/mryff/maiq_impression/

The URL is at the top, but here are the relevant links:

http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrim/comments/mrp8l/hear_your_voice_in_skyrim/

http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrimactors