Ditch the Casting Couch

These past couple of weeks have been full of revelations about Harvey Weinstein and the way in which he took advantage of women.

There have been over 50 allegations ranging from Weinstein exposing himself to women, to outright rape.

Furthermore, as the outrage grows, more female actors (and some men) are stepping forward and using the hashtag #metoo to share their own stories of sexual abuse within the film industry.

That sexual abuse in film castings and productions happens cannot be denied.

That it will continue to happen is something we need to discuss.

But as the debate continues, right now we need to make our work environment a safer and more professional place to be.

Specific ideas to stay safe at castings

While the vast majority of castings are perfectly legitimate and are never a problem, it’s as well to be prepared just in case.

1. Always check where the audition is and learn as much about the production and the people involved as you can beforehand. If you’re concerned, treat it like you would a blind date: let your friends know where you’ll be, maybe even take one along for support.

2. If you’ve ANY concerns about the casting then get in touch with the production beforehand and ask them. A legitimate production will be happy to explain everything. A dodgy production won’t.

3. A first audition should rarely, if ever, involve nudity or physical contact. Certainly you must be told about it beforehand if it does. If you arrive and are suddenly told to strip or kiss out of the blue then politely thank them and leave. In other words, no naked auditions!

4. And if it’s the director or producer or a non-actor you are supposed to kiss or behave intimately with, then leave immediately!

5. Know your boundaries and never cross them. Don’t let ANYONE ever push you into doing something you’re not comfortable with. No job is worth it! So if something just doesn’t feel right, then politely thank them and leave immediately.

6. And finally, if something happens, first write a detailed account of what happened as soon as you can after the event. Then speak out. Tell your agent and other actors. Tell the site where you found the casting. Tell us here. And if it’s serious, tell the police.

General ideas for the industry

The problem is, of course, rooted in the way in which the industry currently works. So here are just a few ideas that we can all get behind right now which will, in time, help.

1. Hire more women. The vast majority of sexual abuse on set happens between powerful men and less powerful women. There are 5 times more men working in the film industry than women and it’s not because women aren’t as capable as men (I can’t believe I even have to write that) but because women are overlooked in the hiring process. So, hire more women when you make films both in front of and behind the camera. Even if it’s just a small indie production. It will make very little difference today, but tomorrow the effects will start to show.

2. Men must speak up. Men like Weinstein have no respect for women, and are often encouraged to continue their sexually abusive behaviour by the “locker room” culture around them. They want to feel “big” in front of other men and show off their sexual prowess to other men. So if you – as a man – witness sexually abusive or sexist behaviour (no matter how trivial) then call out the perpetrator and make them accountable; make them see that what they’re doing is not acceptable and that you are not complicit in their actions.

3. If you are a man, then don’t be a dick.