Nearly two-dozen studios have signed onto a pledge for policy changes that are intended to stop negative behaviors on production sets.
According to Disney+ news site, “What’s On Disney Plus,” The Walt Disney Company has entered into an agreement / commitment with other studios and a third party facilitator out of the United Kingdom called Equity. The agreement has the twenty-one studios coming to policy terms that are hoped to impact and prevent bullying, harassment and inappropriate behavior on production sets. Conversely, the concern should always be that such regulations could be used to create an atmosphere of fear surrounding potential false allegations. Should the studios be able to competently navigate such problems, and should this agreement truly reduce negative behaviors, it would be a significant improvement for everyone involved. Nobody wins when there are predators.
Here are the actions included within the agreement:
- Safe casting and audition spaces: professional recruitment standards to be adopted and auditions undertaken in appropriate workspaces.
- Policies: producers to have clear respect at work policies which include a process for making and addressing concerns and complaints of bullying and harassment.
- Accessible information: information shared with cast and crew about how concerns can be raised either if they are the victim of or see inappropriate behaviour (e.g. information on call sheets and displayed in communal areas, access to support and whistleblowing helplines, details of the safeguarding contact for each production).
- Anti-bullying and harassment training: to be completed by cast and crew before they start work.
- Safeguarding contact: a suitably trained, senior member of the production team who can be contacted and who can proactively make any necessary adjustments.
- Nudity and simulated sex acts: notification to be given in advance and in writing about the scope and extent of nudity and/or simulated sex requested, followed by discussion and agreement with the artist. For scenes of an intimate nature an intimacy co-ordinator to be engaged if acceptable to the actors involved.
The president of the Equity organization based in London had the following to say:
“On behalf of every performer who has experienced bullying and harassment during their on screen working lives, I welcome this commitment by industry representatives to create a safe working environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. But to establish an inclusive and respectful culture requires actions not just words, and I encourage all those working in this sector to recognize their individual responsibility to report inappropriate behavior and unite against any pressure to remain silent on these issues.”
— Lynda Rooke, Equity President
Warner Bros, Disney, BBC among organisations to sign Equity’s anti-bullying pledge – Screen International https://t.co/H8YYyipmOd
— ASMR Tarot (@asmrtarot) August 22, 2022
So here’s to all the studios pledging to help end negative behaviors. May they do so well, may they not allow such protocols to be weaponized by reverse wrong-doers, and may the pledge be more than simply a public statement. Let’s all do better. As we said earlier on Twitter: there is no policy which can substitute for hiring people with integrity and competency.
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