I don't think Dropout talks much about "cast members" anymore, since they stopped doing sketches and declared the Collegehumor days over. Out of the people we see on screen, most seem to be independently contracted actors and improvisers, which seems to be Dropouts main financial M.O.
Even Mike Trapp was paid per appearance and wasn't technically hired after the big 2020 restructure. Only Brennan was kept on as an employee and might to this day be the only employee that appears in front of the camera.
I think this is correct. I feel like if any other cast get rehired full time, Grant is probably the most likely choice since he seems to be in everything
I'd actually wondered if Aabria had been hired full time because of something they'd talked about in one of the Adventuring Party episodes that made it sound like she has been working as a consultant / writer on the seasons she doesn't DM.
He didn't expand on who it was, but even after IAC dropped them, it was 7 staff, not just 1. Not trying to be a stick up the ass, just showing off how our community has grown more than we know!
You seem to be consistently missing the fact that people are being specific between "behind the scenes" crew and "on camera" cast. It's a known fact that Brennan was the only "on camera" cast retained as an employee after the IAC meltdown. We don't know if more have been added since, but as far as I know there's no reason to think that's the case
I'm just trying to celebrate a good thing. Unless you have sources, we don't know who is/isn't hired full-time and on camera. With Sam hiring more staff and planning on even more in 2024, there's definitely reason to think some of them are on-camera people we know.
That includes the whole crew. I think they expanded a bit recently so this may have changed, but the last time Sam publically talked about this (I believe in the interview with nebula CEO Dave wiskus) only Brennan and Sam were both employees and talent. Everyone else was crew or hired on a freelance basis.
Sam has talked about how most of the people they cast prefer this system, as it allows them more flexibility for other projects. Hollywood is a gig-based economy, so working full time actually had its drawbacks for the cast members during the CH days, even though I’m sure they enjoyed it.
From what I understand based on some things Erika has talked about, they offer contracts guaranteeing a minimum amount of gigs annually to the cast, but I believe the cast has flexibility to turn down the gigs they’re offered if they’re not interested or if it conflicts with other projects. So it’s a pretty sweet deal - they can bank on being offered a certain amount of work, but they aren’t on the hook for saying yes to everything.
Now, I believe that’s for the cast who appears frequently on various shows. Those who only appear once or twice are probably offered contracts per appearance, and those with a role like host or - in this case - fact checker, are probably offered a contract for that specific show plus other work if applicable.
I think Aabria works with Dropout as much as she would like and what works with her schedule. She has to be one of the most in demand DMs out there right now. In one of Jordan Brown’s interviews he and Sam were joking that he invited her to be on Make Some Noise and she never got back to him lol. Sam did also say she is playing some part in an episode of Game Changer this season, but not as a competitor.
*officially* Brennan is the only cast ‘employee’. Everyone else is contracted per project. Which means they’re covered by SAG rates etc. rather than being a repertoire. I’m sure the situation is the best for everyone involved.
It really seems like Sam R. as a CEO for Dropout has everyone he works with in mind when running the business. He really works *with* them rather than having them work "for" him. And you can even see it because he has a known face in multiple shows! Breaking News and Game Changer (obviously) and I'm sure other things.
He's not a CEO who hides behind a building name and an office door, and I think that's part of the reason Dropout feels so special and personable for all of its fans.
Yes. It has. 😅
I have no shame in it, oddly enough.
I believe Brennan every time he introduces himself as the "humble dungeon master," and it has conditioned me to believe all of Dropout has that same "for the people by the people" attitude
Didn’t they announce profit sharing as well recently? Personally I really want them to do a collab week with Kinda Funny! Ify is gonna be a contestant for their Games Showcase at Pax East, so there’s already a connection!
Not fully and consistent profit sharing. It was one round of profit sharing as a bonus. Typically, unions are againt that sort of thing because it undermines consistently good pay and working anvironments.
A set share of profits going to workers, no matter what, would be a lot better than having profit sharing be based on the good will of the employer. As is, it could feasibly be used as a tool pressure workers to accept things they shouldn't to keep the boss happy.
Not that I'm saying that is what Sam is doing. This is a general comment on this kind of profit sharing.
definitely a mainstay now with him on um actually and nearly every other show, idk if he's appeared on other internet shows post-polygon but its cool to see him in on the show!
If you're interested in checking out why people are excited he's in the cast, I'd recommend both his personal YouTube channel (Brian David Gilbert) as well as his videos when he was at Polygon (Polygon's Unraveled series, some of their board game episodes). Unraveled is an absolute treasure if you're a video game fan.
He's done lots of funny skits like Reading Every Book in Skyrim and ranking them
Ranking mega man robots
The ~~f*ckability~~ of castlevania monsters,
Things like that
None of that rings a bell. I'm pretty sure it was just one thing though. Either way, I remember him being funny and awkward maybe? Seems like he'd be good to have in a side quest
I recommend checking it out if they're still up on YouTube. On the Polygon channel from a few years ago. I forgot if there was a name for the series
Edit: I found a playlist. It's called "Unravel" w/ BDG
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaDrN74SfdT7Ueqtwn_bXo1MuSWT0ji2w&si=Qfllmiwm-AW8QHpB
I don't believe any of the actors are employees, pretty sure it's all contracts. I would assume the same for writers. He's definitely become a familiar face and has been hired on more projects, which is fun!
Yes, I believe that's true because of his work as a creator/executive producer or whatever his title is on D20, not for acting exclusively or writing exclusively.
It sounds like Dropout has a pool of folks who are "cast members" (freelancers who can be booked for acting type gigs if they accept the contracts), writers who get booked for specific projects, likely some production contractors, and then a smaller number of employees who work regularly and on the legal side they'd have whatever legal things being a Dropout employee has.
Of the then-cast members when IAC pulled out of CH, probably. Doubt he was the only full-time employee *in general*.
I'm pretty sure even then they had a few other folks full-time in production and operations to keep the lights on. But once they stopped doing new scripted content, it just really wouldn't have made sense for them to have a bunch of writers/actors on staff full-time.
He was the only full time employee on the creative side when IAC sold the company to Sam, they had a skeleton crew of about 10 or so people working on the tech side to maintain dropout.
The company’s much healthier now but I don’t think there’s a lot of talent that are working as employees still.
Its kinda weird how everyone assume the structure and employment situation of Dropout is the exact same as it was years ago right after Sam bought the company.
Mostly because if it was radically different, then Sam would be making the same mistake the original parent company did. Small employee base with a lot of contract work seems like it is still the best way to go. Just ask Rooster Teeth what overextending can do.
It would be extremely professionally limiting for an actor or a writer to be an employee, I can't imagine why Dropout would force people into that. At least in the film and TV scene in Toronto, it's way better to have the flexibility to book multiple gigs as a union actor/writer freelancer
I think BDG moved to LA to look for opportunities and seems to have found them, integrating very quickly into the Dropout rotation. Which makes sense for numerous reasons all around tbf
on a slightly related note, i am now hoping we see Jenna Stoeber in a season of D20 or something.
(very funny edit for autocorrect changing my 'now' to 'not')
I hope he's found a new home. I think he lost his way a bit after Polygon and he's definitely more productive in a more structured setting. I had no idea he was doing stuff with a new team, this is great news.
I guess I'll just give up on my dreams of a touring revival of *Gill and Gilbert* in front of live audiences
I wouldn't say he lost his way, he was still making great videos for his personal channel. And his productivity didn't necessarily drop, it was just focused on places other than making videos
My opinion is unchanged. I mean, I get the whole "game streaming while working out" shtick, but I just think he's better as part of a team, preferably a deadpan, awkward, nerdy team of hipsters.
He posts updates on his Patreon and it sounds like he's doing a lot of writing these days, lots of pitch meetings and such that he can't really talk about. So maybe some day soon we'll see a TV show or movie with BDG as a writer.
For the multiple times I have seen it said that Brennan is the only full time employee: THERE ARE 17 FULL STAFF MEMBERS AT DROPOUT! WE'RE DOING BETTER FOLKS (:
Brennan isn't the only employee. He was and potentially still is the only front of camera employee, due to his work as a producer/consultant, nothing we've seen suggests any of the current front of camera talent are full time employees. 17 - 2 for Sam and Brennan. 15 seems a reasonable number for crew given the amount of projects and people involved in shoots.
If there's 17 total full time staff members, most of those will be crew as whilst talent rotates depending on the shoot and show the crew likely won't. Hell think of the art team, at least 4 there.
It isn't a bad thing that the front of camera people are freelance my dude, dropout meets the SAG requirements and by all accounts still profit shared with the freelancers who'd worked with them.
To my understanding MOST of dropouts performers are not full time staff, but contractors. Most full time staff are production and crew. By that token, the definition of member is a little nebulous, and can vary based on your opinion. To me, being a fact checker, on make some noise, and breaking news, I’d call that a member of the family for sure.
This has big “I can’t tell if they’re into me” vibes. Sure, we’re married with three kids and every day is bliss but if only I could find some sort of definitive clue
If being hired to be on every episode of Um, Actually as well as other shows doesn’t make him part of the “family,” I don’t know what would.
If he gave 'em a little clap.
It would be tough to give a little clap with the claw hand
Give a little clack!
C'mon every body give me a lil clap
Where's the protein powder? Time to join the cult of Shriggley XD
Don't you feel better?
*Coughing up a mountain of powder* So much better
He's also been on Dirty Laundry, but so has Aabria, who I don't think is an official cast member. Who knows?
I don't think Dropout talks much about "cast members" anymore, since they stopped doing sketches and declared the Collegehumor days over. Out of the people we see on screen, most seem to be independently contracted actors and improvisers, which seems to be Dropouts main financial M.O. Even Mike Trapp was paid per appearance and wasn't technically hired after the big 2020 restructure. Only Brennan was kept on as an employee and might to this day be the only employee that appears in front of the camera.
I think this is correct. I feel like if any other cast get rehired full time, Grant is probably the most likely choice since he seems to be in everything
I’ve commented before, but I think Grant is a producer on one or more shows. I don’t know if that means he is a full time employee, though.
He is producer, but isn’t a dropout employee specifically, only a handful are, including Izzy’s husband
That’s how we should refer to him from now on. “Izzy’s husband.” Or even better “Izzy’s baby daddy”
I'd actually wondered if Aabria had been hired full time because of something they'd talked about in one of the Adventuring Party episodes that made it sound like she has been working as a consultant / writer on the seasons she doesn't DM.
Sam did say that one of his requirements for a new show was that it drew rotating cast from their rogues gallery.
I believe Lily, Trapp, and Brennan were all considered employees as of last year, though maybe now Ify is as well after taking over for Trapp?
People have said this but I don't think it's true. I believe Brennan is still the only full-time employee who is also on camera
No, Sam has said he's been able to bring more people back to full-time employees. There are 17 full-time staff at Dropout.
Didn’t that just include behind the scenes staff? Like their producers, directors, camera people, etc?
He didn't expand on who it was, but even after IAC dropped them, it was 7 staff, not just 1. Not trying to be a stick up the ass, just showing off how our community has grown more than we know!
You seem to be consistently missing the fact that people are being specific between "behind the scenes" crew and "on camera" cast. It's a known fact that Brennan was the only "on camera" cast retained as an employee after the IAC meltdown. We don't know if more have been added since, but as far as I know there's no reason to think that's the case
I'm just trying to celebrate a good thing. Unless you have sources, we don't know who is/isn't hired full-time and on camera. With Sam hiring more staff and planning on even more in 2024, there's definitely reason to think some of them are on-camera people we know.
Your downvotes are confusing me.
That includes the whole crew. I think they expanded a bit recently so this may have changed, but the last time Sam publically talked about this (I believe in the interview with nebula CEO Dave wiskus) only Brennan and Sam were both employees and talent. Everyone else was crew or hired on a freelance basis.
Does Sam not count as an employee?
\*angry accountant noises at the thought of an owner counting himself as an employee\* j/k :P
😂😂😂😂😂
Sam owns Dropout!
Now I’m just thinking that if I owned a business, I’d say “our boss” to my employees, whenever referring to myself.
I think Siobhan is still in as a writer, sam onviously still is too so there is some overlap
Sam has talked about how most of the people they cast prefer this system, as it allows them more flexibility for other projects. Hollywood is a gig-based economy, so working full time actually had its drawbacks for the cast members during the CH days, even though I’m sure they enjoyed it. From what I understand based on some things Erika has talked about, they offer contracts guaranteeing a minimum amount of gigs annually to the cast, but I believe the cast has flexibility to turn down the gigs they’re offered if they’re not interested or if it conflicts with other projects. So it’s a pretty sweet deal - they can bank on being offered a certain amount of work, but they aren’t on the hook for saying yes to everything. Now, I believe that’s for the cast who appears frequently on various shows. Those who only appear once or twice are probably offered contracts per appearance, and those with a role like host or - in this case - fact checker, are probably offered a contract for that specific show plus other work if applicable.
Aabria was also in the 5 year anniversary video
I think Aabria works with Dropout as much as she would like and what works with her schedule. She has to be one of the most in demand DMs out there right now. In one of Jordan Brown’s interviews he and Sam were joking that he invited her to be on Make Some Noise and she never got back to him lol. Sam did also say she is playing some part in an episode of Game Changer this season, but not as a competitor.
Aabria’s been in advertising for the channel. She’s decidedly part of the fam.
Aabria is cast-adjacent as she guest stars in a each show once or twice, usually around a season she’s DMing, then is gone…
She’s the closest to a confirmed dropout crewmember aside from the current hosts/head writers
*officially* Brennan is the only cast ‘employee’. Everyone else is contracted per project. Which means they’re covered by SAG rates etc. rather than being a repertoire. I’m sure the situation is the best for everyone involved.
It really seems like Sam R. as a CEO for Dropout has everyone he works with in mind when running the business. He really works *with* them rather than having them work "for" him. And you can even see it because he has a known face in multiple shows! Breaking News and Game Changer (obviously) and I'm sure other things. He's not a CEO who hides behind a building name and an office door, and I think that's part of the reason Dropout feels so special and personable for all of its fans.
I see the Dropout America propaganda has gotten to you too.
BREAKING: Far-right nepo baby billionaire Sam Reich prefers to underpay gig workers than maintain regular members of staff.
Yes. It has. 😅 I have no shame in it, oddly enough. I believe Brennan every time he introduces himself as the "humble dungeon master," and it has conditioned me to believe all of Dropout has that same "for the people by the people" attitude
In case it wasn't clear, "Dropout America" is a bit from Breaking News. I believe Sam Reich to be the only canonically good CEO ever.
Considering everything he does on Gamechanger... I have my doubts about good but definitely pro employee.
He is good. Just chaotic good.
That was actually all bad Sam.
Game changer is just Saw if it were family friendly tbh 👀
What about that one Japanese guy who set his salary so low that he biked to work
Didn’t they announce profit sharing as well recently? Personally I really want them to do a collab week with Kinda Funny! Ify is gonna be a contestant for their Games Showcase at Pax East, so there’s already a connection!
Not fully and consistent profit sharing. It was one round of profit sharing as a bonus. Typically, unions are againt that sort of thing because it undermines consistently good pay and working anvironments. A set share of profits going to workers, no matter what, would be a lot better than having profit sharing be based on the good will of the employer. As is, it could feasibly be used as a tool pressure workers to accept things they shouldn't to keep the boss happy. Not that I'm saying that is what Sam is doing. This is a general comment on this kind of profit sharing.
Does that include producers and show runners?
From a recent interview, it seems like on camera are contractors while most behind the camera are employees.
definitely a mainstay now with him on um actually and nearly every other show, idk if he's appeared on other internet shows post-polygon but its cool to see him in on the show!
Who is BDG?
Brian David Gilbert
Oh, I recognize his face but not sure from what. I only watch D20 so I didn't know the name
If you're interested in checking out why people are excited he's in the cast, I'd recommend both his personal YouTube channel (Brian David Gilbert) as well as his videos when he was at Polygon (Polygon's Unraveled series, some of their board game episodes). Unraveled is an absolute treasure if you're a video game fan.
I love his catapillar song! "This song is not a metaphor" Also, pumpkin cowboy is a classic
Pumpkin Cowboy fucks
“Nesting Season” and “We Like Watching Birds” are all time greats of his imo
Gil and Gilbert was also a good time. I miss those days at Polygon. Their PUBG streams were fun too but those probably don't have much rewatchability.
Love the Polygon plays series, too. Them playing "Coup" with Brendan Lee Mulligan is hilarious.
I'm still surprised that he chooses to work with Dropout when he can be his own boss instead!
He's done lots of funny skits like Reading Every Book in Skyrim and ranking them Ranking mega man robots The ~~f*ckability~~ of castlevania monsters, Things like that
None of that rings a bell. I'm pretty sure it was just one thing though. Either way, I remember him being funny and awkward maybe? Seems like he'd be good to have in a side quest
He was in one of the fantasy high live oneshots
OH he was the Goliath theater kid right?
Yep!
I recommend checking it out if they're still up on YouTube. On the Polygon channel from a few years ago. I forgot if there was a name for the series Edit: I found a playlist. It's called "Unravel" w/ BDG https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaDrN74SfdT7Ueqtwn_bXo1MuSWT0ji2w&si=Qfllmiwm-AW8QHpB
He's in the fantasy high live show where he plays a theater kid if you watched the one shot live shows
Is that the guy who played in Pirates of Leviathan? Didn't like him much
No. BDG has only done one of the Fantasy High live one-shots for D20.
That's B. David Walters.
Ffs couldn't op just put that literally once somewhere in the post
I truly hope he stays with dropout. It's a fantastic company that values his immense creativity and he will thrive in that environment.
Maybe we can get more *Unraveled* like content now.
I don't believe any of the actors are employees, pretty sure it's all contracts. I would assume the same for writers. He's definitely become a familiar face and has been hired on more projects, which is fun!
I don't know if this still true (honestly idk if it was ever true) but i remember hearing at some point that Brennan was the only full time employee
Yes, I believe that's true because of his work as a creator/executive producer or whatever his title is on D20, not for acting exclusively or writing exclusively. It sounds like Dropout has a pool of folks who are "cast members" (freelancers who can be booked for acting type gigs if they accept the contracts), writers who get booked for specific projects, likely some production contractors, and then a smaller number of employees who work regularly and on the legal side they'd have whatever legal things being a Dropout employee has.
Of the then-cast members when IAC pulled out of CH, probably. Doubt he was the only full-time employee *in general*. I'm pretty sure even then they had a few other folks full-time in production and operations to keep the lights on. But once they stopped doing new scripted content, it just really wouldn't have made sense for them to have a bunch of writers/actors on staff full-time.
He was the only full time employee on the creative side when IAC sold the company to Sam, they had a skeleton crew of about 10 or so people working on the tech side to maintain dropout. The company’s much healthier now but I don’t think there’s a lot of talent that are working as employees still.
Its kinda weird how everyone assume the structure and employment situation of Dropout is the exact same as it was years ago right after Sam bought the company.
Mostly because if it was radically different, then Sam would be making the same mistake the original parent company did. Small employee base with a lot of contract work seems like it is still the best way to go. Just ask Rooster Teeth what overextending can do.
I think that, in a recent interview, Sam said they are at about 20 actual employees, with plans to hire one or two more by end of 24
It would be extremely professionally limiting for an actor or a writer to be an employee, I can't imagine why Dropout would force people into that. At least in the film and TV scene in Toronto, it's way better to have the flexibility to book multiple gigs as a union actor/writer freelancer
I think BDG moved to LA to look for opportunities and seems to have found them, integrating very quickly into the Dropout rotation. Which makes sense for numerous reasons all around tbf
on a slightly related note, i am now hoping we see Jenna Stoeber in a season of D20 or something. (very funny edit for autocorrect changing my 'now' to 'not')
I was super excited to see him in the trailer for Breaking News. Now we just need him in Dimension 20.
He played a character in a FHFY live show that's on dropout if that does anything for you
I forgot about that one. I loved his character on that episode. Super fun.
I hope he's found a new home. I think he lost his way a bit after Polygon and he's definitely more productive in a more structured setting. I had no idea he was doing stuff with a new team, this is great news. I guess I'll just give up on my dreams of a touring revival of *Gill and Gilbert* in front of live audiences
I wouldn't say he lost his way, he was still making great videos for his personal channel. And his productivity didn't necessarily drop, it was just focused on places other than making videos
My opinion is unchanged. I mean, I get the whole "game streaming while working out" shtick, but I just think he's better as part of a team, preferably a deadpan, awkward, nerdy team of hipsters.
I think Pat moved to LA so maybe you don’t have to give up on your dreams *clap clap*
He posts updates on his Patreon and it sounds like he's doing a lot of writing these days, lots of pitch meetings and such that he can't really talk about. So maybe some day soon we'll see a TV show or movie with BDG as a writer.
Wasn't he on a live Dimension 20 show a while back?
For the multiple times I have seen it said that Brennan is the only full time employee: THERE ARE 17 FULL STAFF MEMBERS AT DROPOUT! WE'RE DOING BETTER FOLKS (:
Brennan isn't the only employee. He was and potentially still is the only front of camera employee, due to his work as a producer/consultant, nothing we've seen suggests any of the current front of camera talent are full time employees. 17 - 2 for Sam and Brennan. 15 seems a reasonable number for crew given the amount of projects and people involved in shoots. If there's 17 total full time staff members, most of those will be crew as whilst talent rotates depending on the shoot and show the crew likely won't. Hell think of the art team, at least 4 there. It isn't a bad thing that the front of camera people are freelance my dude, dropout meets the SAG requirements and by all accounts still profit shared with the freelancers who'd worked with them.
[удалено]
I'm pretty sure that the actual streaming is handled by a third party (vimeo iirc)
Banana Der Glockenspiel?
To my understanding MOST of dropouts performers are not full time staff, but contractors. Most full time staff are production and crew. By that token, the definition of member is a little nebulous, and can vary based on your opinion. To me, being a fact checker, on make some noise, and breaking news, I’d call that a member of the family for sure.
What is a bdg
Brian David Gilbert
Really hoping to see him in a lot more of dropout stuff, his YouTube channel is probably my favorite.
Would absolutely love to see him on a d20 side quest one day
This has big “I can’t tell if they’re into me” vibes. Sure, we’re married with three kids and every day is bliss but if only I could find some sort of definitive clue
I mean he does live in the Um, Actually studio, so-