Performers working in the games industry have spoken of their distress at being asked to work on explicit content without notice, including a scene featuring a sexual assault.

Sex scenes are common in modern games - and are often made by filming human actors who are then digitised into game characters.

But performers have told the BBC a culture of secrecy around projects - where scripts are often not shared until the last moment - means they frequently do not know in advance that scenes may involve intimate acts.

They describe feeling “shaken” and “upset” after acting them out.

Performing arts union Equity is demanding action from the industry - it has published guides on minimum pay, and working conditions in games, including on intimate or explicit scenes.

  • cuchilloc@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17100·
    3 months ago

    Bro what’s the point of being an actor if you get offended by playing a role.

    • Capt. Wolf@lemmy.worldEnglish
      602·
      3 months ago

      Ms Jefferies told the BBC she was once asked to act out a scene with a male performer involving a sexual assault with no prior warning. “I turned up and was told what I would be filming would be a graphic rape scene,” she said.

      Imagine taking a role where nobody tells you there’s anything sexual about it and showing up one day and someone’s like “alright time for the rape scene.”

      “The what?“

      “The rape scene, you’re character is going to be raped and we need you to mocap it with this guy. Suit up!"

      Taking a job doesn’t entitle the studio to do whatever they want to you or have you do whatever they want. Standard guild actors will almost always have a nudity and sex clause in their contract. The same doesnt seem to be happening in the gaming industry for VAs and mocap actors, with studios hiding the degree of work behind NDAs to protect their projects and their asses.

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldEnglish
      51·
      3 months ago

      I’m not sure what industry you’re in, but most jobs include standards of what is generally included and expected. You can find unscrupulous people in any industry who will do the jobs that others reject, but they are not the norms.

      If you are in a contract and the terms suddenly change to include something unexpected and outside the standard expectations, don’t you want someone in a decision making position to speak up? That’s all that’s going on here, at least from a labor perspective.

    • Praise Idleness@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      35·
      3 months ago

      Really? Because I will never feel comfortable acting as a rapist, especially if it wasn’t explained to me before actually taking the gig.

    • koper@feddit.nlEnglish
      194·
      3 months ago

      If you genuinely don’t see that as a problem, I’m concerned for the safety of women around you.

      • cuchilloc@lemmy.worldEnglish
        38·
        3 months ago

        Im more concerned that this people did not take the time to read their contracts or have their terms reviewed. Work for people you can trust or get a lawyer.

        • cuchilloc@lemmy.worldEnglish
          53·
          3 months ago
          • time for the surprise sex scene
          • that’s not in my contract
          • then you’re fired
          • then you’ll be hearing from my lawyer

          THE END

    • hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      2·
      3 months ago

      Most actors don’t like having to have sex with someone they barely know without anyone warning them beforehand or making sure they aren’t abused.