Working with children and animals
Actor WC Fields is credited with saying 'never work with children and animals'. But how would Andrex sell toilet paper without the cute puppy? How could you make a blockbuster like Seabiscuit or or a long–running TV epic like Lassie? Here's what you need to know if you employ children or animals in your productions.
Children
A child working on set needs a chaperone to look after their welfare, health and safety. If they are of school age and the production is in school term time, a tutor is required to keep them up to speed with their studies. Tutors and chaperones must be cleared through local authority checks with the Criminal Records Bureau.
Animals
Skillset has developed standards and qualifications for those caring for animals in the audio visual industries to
- bring the standard of animal care in the entertainment industry in line with other animal care businesses
- encourage the highest standards of animal welfare, competence and safety among animal consultants and trainers within the audio visual industries
The American Humane Association, based in Los Angeles but working in the film industry worldwide, has published No animals were harmed:guidelines for the safe use of animals in filmed media.
Animal Acting has produced Production guidelines for the use of animals in the media guidelines approved by the British Veterinary Association, RSPCA, British Board of Film Censors and the British Film Producers' Association.
