Morality On Set
"You are your child's biggest advocate"
As humans, our values and morals are tested on a daily bases. The more you and your child work on set, the more you will find this is also the case for the parent of a child actor. Your values and standards will be tested regularly and you must remember that you and you alone are in control of your child's moral upbringing.
Your child may be asked to do something with which you are not comfortable. Know that it is okay to stand your ground.
We have seen it before: children who are asked to read lines that they do not understand or say curse words that they would not normally be allowed to say. We've seen kids who have been asked to mimic sexual acts, make gestures or behave in a way that they normally would not.
In American Beauty a then sixteen year old Thora Birch was asked to show her breasts.
In the stage play version of The Full Monty it is implied that a young boy is exposed to full-frontal nudity.
Dakota Fanning "participated" in a controversial rape scene for the feature film Hound Dog.
As astonishing as it may seem, each of these productions were able to accomplish these scenes within the limits of the law. How will you react when your child is up for such a role?
Many Children In Film "Power Parents" like Patricia Riley (mother of Bailee Madison; Just Go with It, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark) regulate their child's moral upbringing from day one. "She's a good girl; she has a good heart," Patricia explained in her CIF Power Parent Interview. "She is polite on set, but...well, I am all over it. I keep her humble."
Power Parent Angela Williams has similar theories when it comes to bringing up her son Tyler James Williams of Everybody Hates Chris. "We have lots of rules and regulations in our house and there were certain things that we were not going to do - certain auditions, for example, [the children] could not go out for." Angela went on to explain that "My husband and I have performance backgrounds. I came from that place where I could see the contamination coming and we made a commitment that if we were compromising our values or something wasn't right, we would walk. The kids knew that from the beginning: if it changed their character, we would walk."
What Will You Do?
Know that production will push the limits with your child. Often production does not necessarily know what is acceptable and what is not for your family, and they will look to the parent for permission. Decide your boundaries before you work, so that you will know how to react when the time comes.
As a family, you must determine your own moral standards, but for some knowing what to allow and what not to allow can be troublesome and problematic. To assist you, we've called upon California Labor Law, the Penal Code and professionals with knowledge in the area.
To read more about Morality on Set in the "Responsible Parenting" section of ChildrenInFilm.com
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