The end of on-set bullying tactics

It is always a sad day in the production world when news breaks that casts the industry in a negative light. However, rather than ignoring it, it’s important to address this news to ensure positive change for the industry as a whole.

If you haven’t heard about the allegations against director Noel Clarke, the crux of the matter is that 20 women have come forward so far to tell harrowing accounts of sexual harassment and bullying by the actor, screen writer, producer and director. This isn’t the first movement of this kind which begs the question; who else in the industry knew what was going on? Why was the behaviour ignored or worse merely accepted as the norm. Rarely does behaviour of this magnitude go completely unnoticed.

The accounts tell that many of Clarke’s actions took place in front of witnesses on set, including colleagues and senior production staff. Is this yet another case of serious sexual harassment being treated as banter, just a bit of fun?

Of course Clarke denies the allegations of sexual misconduct but there is a wider story here. Many issues of this nature are coming to light with victims finding their voice and the strength to speak out. Hopefully this shift will see those using unacceptable behaviour being held to account. The production industry is a wonderful, creative place and we need to ensure that everyone in it (from stagehands to high profile actors) feel safe doing their job.