Setting the Standard: PCDG Supports Safe Intimacy Scenes in Poland
22. Sep 2024 |
pcdg.pl
“PCDG supports industry-backed guidelines for safe intimacy scenes in Poland, ensuring professionalism, consent, and actor protection in film productions.” Filmmakers
The film industry is built on powerful storytelling and emotional depth—but when it comes to intimacy scenes, professionalism, safety, and clear guidelines are essential. For actors, casting directors, and agents, these moments require structured, ethical practices, ensuring that creative freedom does not come at the expense of personal boundaries.
In Poland, our partner the Polish Casting Directors Guild (PCDG) recognizes the importance of international best practices in handling intimacy scenes and is actively sharing and supporting professional standards to ensure actors are protected and productions are run responsibly. A set of comprehensive Guidelines for Intimacy Scenes outlines best practices from pre-production to post-production, ensuring safety, clarity, and respect in all intimate scenes.
As the European platform for casting professionals, Filmmakers Europe supports this initiative. Our role is to ensure casting professionals, agents, and actors across Europe are aware of these best practices and can integrate them into their work.
Why Safe Intimacy Scenes Matter
Intimacy in film can be powerful and meaningful, but actors should never feel vulnerable or unprotected on set. Research from Poland’s 2022 Industry Safety Report highlights why structured guidelines are necessary:
- 93% of actors find intimacy scenes challenging.
- 80% have experienced discomfort or a lack of security while performing simulated sex scenes.
- 74% of industry professionals believe clear safety protocols should be standard.
While intimacy coordination has become a best practice in other countries, many productions in Poland are still operating without formal structures, leaving actors in uncertain situations.
PCDG acknowledges the importance of these guidelines and aims to follow and promote them within the Polish industry. By doing so, they help ensure casting processes align with international safety standards, giving actors the confidence and security they deserve.
PCDG: Spreading Awareness for Best Practices
PCDG is committed to raising awareness about proper handling of intimacy scenes and ensuring Polish productions work within a framework that prioritizes respect, professionalism, and clarity. The Guidelines for Intimacy Scenes provide essential insights for:
- Transparent casting processes – Actors should be informed about intimacy requirements before auditions, with no surprises or pressure.
- Safe rehearsals – Intimate scenes should be choreographed, not improvised, and nudity should never be required in auditions.
- Professional on-set protocols – The presence of Intimacy Coordinators (ICs) ensures actors feel supported and protected.
- Post-production safeguards – Unused intimate footage must be securely stored or deleted to prevent unauthorized use.
By recognizing and supporting these practices, PCDG helps ensure Polish productions align with international ethical standards—not because they are mandatory, but because they reflect a growing global commitment to safety and professionalism.
Why Casting Directors, Agents, and Actors Should Take Note
For casting directors, agents, and actors, following these guidelines is an important step toward a more ethical, structured industry.
- Casting Directors → Ensure that every casting call provides detailed information about intimacy requirements. Never ask for nudity or simulated sex during auditions.
- Talent Agents → Make sure contracts clearly define intimacy expectations before your clients accept roles. No actor should be pressured into an intimate scene they weren’t fully prepared for.
- Actors → Understand your rights. If an intimacy scene is required, ask who the Intimacy Coordinator is and what protections are in place. If something feels off, you have the right to say no—without risking your career.
Intimacy Coordinators: A Growing Standard
A key element in ensuring safe and professional intimacy scenes is the Intimacy Coordinator (IC). Just like a stunt coordinator for action scenes, an IC:
- Mediates between directors, actors, and production teams to ensure transparency and safety.
- Choreographs intimate scenes so actors are never left to improvise.
- Prevents miscommunication and discomfort on set.
- Supports actors in maintaining personal boundaries while still achieving the director’s vision.
Although not yet standard in all productions, more and more European film industries are recognizing the importance of ICs—and Polish productions are starting to follow suit.
By sharing and following these guidelines, PCDG is contributing to a safer, more professional environment for actors in Poland. This is not about introducing unnecessary rules—it is about ensuring that actors, casting professionals, and agents all work within a system that prioritizes professionalism and respect.
At Filmmakers Europe, we believe that clear, structured best practices benefit everyone in the industry. By making these guidelines accessible to casting professionals across Europe, we help ensure that all actors—whether in Poland or elsewhere—feel safe and supported on set.
For industry professionals in Poland, now is the time to:
- Casting Directors → Implement these guidelines in your casting and on-set practices.
- Agents → Ensure contracts reflect actors’ rights in intimacy scenes.
- Actors → Know your rights, ask questions, and demand a safe work environment.
PCDG is committed to following and promoting these guidelines, and Filmmakers Europe is here to support and amplify these efforts—because a safer, more respectful industry benefits everyone.
Visit PCDG for more information: https://pcdg.pl/about/
Let’s ensure that talent thrives, safety is respected, and professionalism is at the core of every production.
Let’s ensure that talent thrives, safety is respected, and professionalism is at the core of every production.
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