Video game actors are calling on movie studios to provide more support when asking actors to work on intimate and explicit scenes.
In a wide-ranging BBC News reportSeveral actors working in the video game industry have recalled feeling “shaken” and “disturbed” after being cast in scenes involving scenarios such as sexual assault and “full-on” sexual intercourse.
They said the industry has normalized a culture of secrecy around projects, meaning actors are often unaware of the work they are signing up for until the last minute. That means they may not know they will be asked to perform intimate or explicit scenes that could be distressing.
“We’d get an email or a call from a studio saying they needed you on those days for a shoot,” professional casting director Jessica Jeffries, who works primarily in the video games industry, told BBC News. “That was all the information we got.”
Jeffries explained that she was once asked to perform a “graphic rape scene” without any warning. “This act could be watched for as long as the player wanted through a window, and then a player could shoot this character in the head,” she added. “It was just gratuitous to me.”
She refused to participate and eventually convinced the studio involved to cut the “disgusting” moment.
“There's no nudity involved, but it's still an act and there's intimacy in that act and also violence in that situation,” she continued. “So yeah, there might be a layer of Lycra between us, but you're still there and you still have to really immerse yourself in that scene.”
Permissive practices can turn working on explicit scenes into a “heartbreaking” experience
Another actor who spoke anonymously explained that video game workers are “almost not told anything” when they sign on for a project and must accept non-disclosure agreements to secure work. It's an approach that led to them having to film a “full-on sex scene” without any warning.
“I had to [vocally] “It matches the scene and through the glass of the booth was the entire team, all male, looking at me,” they recalled. “It was heartbreaking. I had been in the gaming industry for a while at that point and I had never felt so shaken.”
They felt “upset” at being cornered and explained “no one thought to ask if I was okay, and no one checked in to see if I was okay afterwards.” As freelancers, they also felt uncomfortable voicing their concerns for fear of losing their jobs.
The UK performing arts and entertainment union, Equity, has echoed these calls for greater protections and support. The union recently published two new guides (Best Practices for Video Game Companies AND Working as a video game performer) that aim to combat common issues for artists working in video games, including lack of warning for explicit and intimate scenes.
“A complete story summary and outline, scene breakdowns, and scripts (where applicable) should be distributed to all cast members prior to filming or recording,” reads the guide for video game companies, which also calls for intimacy coordinators and closed sets.
“Any explicit scenes with explicit language or content should be reported to an artist prior to recording. A safe line of communication should be in place between the artist and production in case the artist has concerns or questions about the content.”
Read the full article on BBC News for more information. For additional resources, visit Equity website.