On-Screen Nudity And Simulated Sex Guidelines Launched By Directors UK

As a BAFTA-winning director and Vice-Chair and Film Committee Chair of Directors UK, Susanna White is helping to attempt to alter the ways in which sex and nudity are filmed. A new set of guidelines, released in full via The Hollywood Reporter, are being coined “Directing Nudity & Simulated Sex: Guidance For Directors” and will extend well beyond merely the director’s chair.

White’s industry knowledge, fused with her dedication to evolving the forum, are only the first few steps in bridging more professional ethics to on-set encounters. “The guidelines created by Directors UK set the standard for directing intimate scenes, and will help to foster a safe working environment for everyone on a film or television set," White explains in the campaign note.

Having worked on such projects as “Parade’s End” and “Generation Kill,” both of which portray war and the surrounding issues that come with it, White certainly knows a thing or two about filming controversial subject matter. Though inasmuch as she wants to alter the way movies are filmed, White merely vies more to protect the people occupying each set, from that of writers and performers to coordinators and agents.

“The director, as the creative lead on a production, should set the tone for a professional and respectful on-set environment,” White stated. “We are all here because we want to tell compelling and impactful stories, and no member of a cast or crew should ever be put in a position where they feel unsafe, exploited or mismanaged—especially when making sensitive material.”

The newly-inducted U.K. guidelines come off the heels of actress Emilia Clarke’s own allegations of being pressured to perform nude scenes in early “Game of Thrones” seasons. Though not directly mentioning them, White and Directors UK want to ensure Clarke’s experiences are never emulated, and that all on-set encounters remain professional.

White adds, “Throughout my career, I have seen how vitally important it is to know how to approach sensitive content with professionalism.”

Consulting alongside many industry insiders, along with Directors UK member directors, and have already garnered support from BAFTA, BFI, and various other British guilds in film, the new standards have seemingly passed with flying colors.

Having been pivotal in examining bullying and harassment issues in 2018, Directors UK continues to strive for more cohesive and collaborative on-set experiences to ensure professionalism remains at the forefront of the industry.