SAG-AFTRA Gets Really Serious About The Casting Couch

LOS ANGELES—Whether it's porn or Hollywood, the "casting couch" has long been a problem on both sides of the hill—but the actors' union SAG-AFTRA has decided to tackle that particular problem with a vengeance, and it's also taking a hard look at how mainstream directors are dealing with "on-set intimacy" among performers who don't fuck for a living. SAG-AFTRA's answer to that second problem has been to engage in discussions with Intimacy Directors International, an organization which provides "intimacy coordinators" to sets where nudity and/or "sexual situations" will be being shot, whether for movies or TV shows. The aim of the discussions will be to "establish new, relevant policies for nudity and simulated sex" and to "define the duties and standards for intimacy coordinators on productions." They'll also be looking into how such intimacy coordinators are trained and vetted for on-set work. "Our goal is to normalize and promote the use of intimacy coordinators within our industry," said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris in a press release posted yesterday. "Intimacy coordinators provide an important safety net for our members doing hyper-exposed work. At a time when the industry still needs to make great changes, our initiative will ensure the safety and security of SAG-AFTRA members while they work and respects the boundaries of actors." Unlike hiring performers for an adult feature, mainstream actors often have very specific clauses written into their contracts specifying just how much of their bodies they will allow to be exposed on film, and what simulated sexual positions they will engage in (though AVN has it on good authority that, at least in the past, some of those scenes have been consensually not simulated). One function of the "intimacy coordinator" is to make sure those boundaries aren't crossed, and to help the parties negotiate if last-minute changes need to be made. The union has also created several documents to aid in the "coordinating" process. One is titled "The Four Pillars of Change: Confronting Harassment and Advancing Equity," which are a set of rules and guidelines designed to "give members a clear understanding of their rights in the workplace and provide reliable guidance to navigate the unique environments of the entertainment and media industries." Specifically, the revised Code of Conduct, which was issued last year, provides "scenario-specific guidance that outlines best practices and offers practical insights for members on how to avoid and/or address sexual harassment in the workplace and related environments." The Code includes definitions of sexual harassment as well as guidance on how to report sexual harassment and how to deal with it if experienced on a set. It also "expands [SAG-AFTRA's] capacity to intervene rapidly and forcefully to protect our members against sexual harassment." "Employers who fail to maintain a harassment-free workplace face legal liability in court, state or local agencies and/or may also violate the terms of our collective bargaining agreement," Point 3 of the Code reads. "The union will vigorously pursue contractual violations in this area including, where appropriate, directing members not to report for work if they cannot work safely." But apparently, the Code of Conduct wasn't enough to deal with all of the problems some actresses (and perhaps a few actors) face, so the union recently issued Code of Conduct Guideline No. 1: "No Auditions Or Interviews In Private Hotel Rooms Or Residences." "SAG-AFTRA opposes auditions, interviews and similar professional meetings from taking place in private hotel rooms or at private residences," reads the first paragraph of Guideline No. 1. "We call on producers and other decision makers with influence or control over decisions that can impact a career, to STOP holding professional meetings in these high-risk locations and find alternative, appropriate locations for professional meetings. Furthermore, we call on SAG-AFTRA members and their representatives to STOP agreeing to professional meetings in these high-risk locations." [Emphasis in original here and below] The guideline also suggests that actors might want to call a friend to attend such meetings with them as a "Support Peer" who "should be allowed to maintain physical access to the member at all times during the meeting (e.g., no closed doors blocking the member and Support Peer.)" The guideline also advises that, "If you are in immediate danger, dial 911 to contact local law enforcement." Hmmm ... sounds like some in adult entertainment might want to take a cue from their mainstream counterparts.