>>29056971Comparing it to 'real actors' is weird, especially since SAG has a whole host of rules which apply whether you're in a production at the moment or not, and actually do have a direct impact on livelihood. For one, the rule that new members have to change their stage name if one already exists that looks or sounds the same. If Emma Stone, for example, decided to start putting her real name on films instead of her stage name, she would quickly find herself expelled from the guild and drastically impact her hiring prospects on union productions.
Why does this rule exist? It's because an actor's name is their brand. Having multiple actors with the same name dilutes the brand. And that brand is not only useful to the actors themselves, but also to companies hiring them. Yes, it does hurt immersion - can you remember the character name of the Rock in say, Jumanji? Yet the benefit - of being able to sell a shitty movie based on star power - outweighs the cost.
But in vtubing it's the other way around. The characters are vastly stronger brands than the real person. So the same principle is followed. Prohibit the thing that dilutes it - your identity as a nobody. Of course, right now there's no controlling body aside from that of public opinion. You're free to shoot yourself in the foot.
A vtuber's real name, unlike an actor's, is not a valuable publicity asset. You don't change vtuber personas every three months. The bulk of your success is pretty much tied to only one role and everyone knows it. And this applies for single-role actors too. Pee-wee Herman is a household name; Paul Reubens is not.
Though it would be funny to see 'real actor' rules applied to vtubing. There would be some shit going down, like someone who gets expelled from the 'vtubing guild' and goes indie only to not get a single collab from just about anyone, even their former 'closest friends', because that would be breaking union regulations.
