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Original poster

Using 'unhappy' children in films - how is this done safely?

83 replies

Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 07:37

I watched the trailer for a film made by some acquaintances of mine yesterday. During this there was a scene with a small child, witnessing a fight between two adults, and walking away from it clearly extremely distressed, sobbing, saying 'Ma-ma' in that broken way children do when they are horribly upset or frightened.

I couldn't watch it again to check whether it was possible the child was edited into the scene so not actually crying because of the fighting, that it wasn't really her Mum, and she was upset for some other reason.

The child looked about 4.

Whatever the reason for the crying, it was not acting. It was genuine fear or distress, that much was obvious and it was incredibly painful to watch.

I'm pretty shocked that they thought it was Ok to use footage of a child in real distress, and also wondering what happened to make her so distressed, and if they just allowed it because they needed the footage for the film?

I kind of need someone to reassure me here. I absolutely hate seeing children crying in TV or films, because I think the same thing - they let them cry, or they may have even made them cry.?

This is wrong, isn't it?

OP posts:
KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 28/02/2016 08:59

I read that the little girl in Sophie's Choice thought it was all real and refused to 'act' ever again.

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Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 08:59

Exactly, Itsall. That's exactly what I mean. Even five, ten seconds of distress in order to get the 'shot' is unacceptable, in my opinion.

I should say its a crap film anyway so I don't expect it will do very well.

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Original poster
Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:01

Absolutely sure. And then the guy smacks the woman round the face, hard, having just passed the child to another person.

It's effing appalling. Angry

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Jasonandyawegunorts · 28/02/2016 09:03

Shock that does sound bad.

Jasonandyawegunorts · 28/02/2016 09:07

Shirley Temple said that it was common in the early days of Hollywood for child actors to be locked in a windowless box with a block of ice as a chair.

Shock??!?!?!?!

NannyR · 28/02/2016 09:09

I remember reading something about how they filmed that awful scene in 'Sophie's choice' (although that was years ago and regulations have hopefully changed). Apparently the little girl was absolutely perfect in the first take but they kept filming it over and over again, as every time they did it, she was more scared of the guard and could anticipate what was about to happen. I think she was only 4 or 5 in real life.
I suppose it added to the realism of the film, but her distress was awful to watch.

DrSeussRevived · 28/02/2016 09:11

Try telling Ofsted as they may know who to tell?

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Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:12

The more I read about this the more I think some film directors don't give a flying poo about the children or even adults they are using.

My own child once did an audition for a part in a different film, and I felt very, very uncomfortable at the way the people doing it tried to manipulate her into doing certain things...offering sweets, all sorts of bribes, it was clearly uncomfortable for her and so I withdrew.

It was nothing like I had thought and I was quite shocked.

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Original poster
Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:13

Yes I will talk to Ofcom tomorrow and ask their advice. It certainly goes against their guidelines, anyway.

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SoupDragon · 28/02/2016 09:13

What you have no idea about is how many shots were stitched together to make one scene. If you film a child from several angles, you can probably get away with using the same footage to make a longer scene with any actual distress having been limited to a few seconds.

It boils down to the difference between parents who can not bear their child to cry for even one second and those who are happy to, say, do controlled crying when sleep training.

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Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:15

Soup I don't think it's a direct comparison tbh. CC is there for a purpose other than entertainment, and even if I strongly disagree with it, I can see why people might reasonably feel they have little choice.

Making or letting a child cry for entertainment is unnecessary and wrong.

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NickiFury · 28/02/2016 09:15

I've often thought this when watching The Walking Dead. The children who play zombie are are all covered in blood and gore and the ones who have guns and are shooting zombies or threatening to shoot cast members. I don't see how they can film that sensitively.

NannyR · 28/02/2016 09:16

How they filmed Sophie's choice

SoupDragon · 28/02/2016 09:18

They are exactly the same insofar as some parents can not let their child cry for one second, some can leave them to cry.

Anyway, you clearly don't want to know "how it is done safely" at all.

SoupDragon · 28/02/2016 09:21

Interesting how the girl in Sophie's Choice says “It’s such a long time ago in my life but it’s always nice to remember,” she says. “It’s a nice memory.”

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Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:21

Tell me how it's done then Soup, or are you just being antagonistic for the sake of it? again

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SoupDragon · 28/02/2016 09:23

Ah, so if you don't have anything sensible to say, try insults. Nice.

Why did you feel the need to name change for this as clearly you aren't new if you feel able to accuse me of baking antagonistic "again"?

Can't be arsed with all this bollocks.

Original poster
Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:24
Hmm
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horseygeorgie · 28/02/2016 09:42

"Stanley Kubrick ordered Shelley Duvall to repeat a traumatic scene over and over again in ‘The Shining’. After whacking Jack Nicholson over the head with a bat a reported 127 times Duvall became so distressed that her hair fell out and she was violently ill."

Have to wonder how Jack Nicholson was feeling after being hit over the head with a bat 127 times! Grin

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 28/02/2016 09:44

No Sarah by fractious I meant until they cry - as babies and toddlers are known to do - and then they shoot the scene once, twice at the most, and the baby goes straight to their parents for comfort. I've never known a parent outright poke or provoke their child into crying.

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Sarah961 · 28/02/2016 09:48

Oh thank you Ovaries, I get it now. Sorry, I wasn't clear on your wording before.

I can totally understand why it's possible to film a crying baby. Older children, I just don't know.

Thank you for all the responses. I feel a bit less awful about it now just for sharing.

And if anyone is actually wondering why I name changed, it was because I didn't want the people who made the film, to be able to search my other posts and know who I am.

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Fabellini · 28/02/2016 09:52

I heard from someone whose child did a bit of acting when they were younger that they were present when the lead actor was being covered in the "bloody" make up - the lead chatted to them the whole time and the make up artist let the child put a bit of the stuff on to the actor.
When it came to filming their child wasn't in the least bit bothered because they knew full well it wasn't real. Same with the fangs! (Being Human)

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 28/02/2016 10:19

It sounds like with the film you've seen, especially if they're amateur film makers, it'd be worth contacting ofcom or similar to ensure that they've followed safeguarding procedures.

Terribleknitter · 28/02/2016 10:49

I use to know someone who had acted as a child in a couple of horror films and it was exactly as the pp said - they went into make up with the actors and sat with them while they got their make up done, chatted to them all and really got to know them well. He spoke very highly of the lead 'baddie' as he went out of his way to make a 7 year old feel very comfortable and happy on set.
He had very fond memories of his time filming with them and kept in touch with the actors for quite a while.