Page 1 of 1

Child and Young Performer Safety

Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:35 am
by admin
For the Safety, and pleasure, of users of the NAPM Forums there are some important things to remember, especially as some of you will be under 16 (although this should go for everyone in general anyway!!):

DO NOT give out any personal information about yourself - either in a posting - or in a PM. It is a very sad fact, that paedophiles pretend to be children, and do so very convincingly!! They know their stuff, and can make anyone believe they are children when writing things down...so don't assume that another user is a child just by reading the things they have written....

NEVER arrange to meet anyone else from the forum, without having your parents confirm that the person IS WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE!!! - for the very same reasons as given above!

Always RESPECT the opinion of everyone on the forum - they might not be the same opinion as you, but that does not mean that they are wrong....

BE NICE! we all want to learn from and enjoy the companionship of others in this industry - and that won't happen if anyone is rude or unfriendly in any way!!

If ANYONE gets a PM or a message they are concerned or worried about LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY, and I will deal with it accordingly...

Anyone applying for jobs that have been posted by other people onto this forum are doing so at their own risk. I cannot be held responsible for ads found on other sites, and without causing unreasonable delays, I can't check them out.

When applying for those jobs, please can you ensure that you are careful in conducting your own checks to see that these ads are genuine. You are responsible for the safety of your own children.

Those posted on here by me, have been checked out as best as I can, and NONE will be posted without me having contact details that include a phone number and address on my file that are traceable in the event of any queries.

When attending auditions, do not send any child to a venue alone.

Make sure you are comfortable with the person(s) auditioning your child, before they ask to take them off to audition, and if you can, try and go in with them. Many will ask to see the child alone (most children perform better without a parent watching - and it is standard practice) in which case you should be able to see the room they are auditioning in, and be able to remain out of sight but within earshot. You need to take all reasonable precautions. Those auditions through an agent, should already have some safety protocols in place (eg audition space), but if going to a private house, you still need to be aware and just a little bit careful.

When on a shoot, all parents should be aware of the rules and regulations about children working on a set. YOU are there to protect them.

All young people (16+) are still at risk, even though you don't need a chaperone - maybe even more so, because you will have the strong desire to please the director and not cause a fuss - and from their point of view, some directors will be relying on this to ask for things that they shouldn't... Please be aware, that you have the RIGHT to say NO if you are remotely unhappy, or unsure of something you are being asked to do. I would suggest a general rule of thumb...that if a part is unpaid there should be no nudity or sex. (someone else getting the gratifying view of YOUR body - for FREE...?????) No matter how desperately you want to be in a film, try to have pride in your abilities, and don't drop your standards. If you are being asked to do a 'fight' scene - or anything that may cause you injury - insist on reasonable safety protocols to be in place. No-one has the right to put you in a position that might cause you any kind of injury, even accidental. Don't be unreasonable about it, but don't be walked over either! In the event of an on-set injury report it to the first AD, and Photograph it as soon as you can. Should the injury lead to further complications, the student/companies' insurance should cover costs.