Discretion
is vital to a performer’s attitude in the arts. One of the most fascinating
aspects about the arts broadly speaking is that it is almost immediately
apparent that each artist, whether it be the creative team, technical crew or
member of cast, has been selected with an aptitude to deliver something unique
to the production. As a colleague I need to remain mindful of this, respecting
the decision for that person’s presence. If I am to comment on a performance, it
must be done with the intent to help benefit and further the production and not
with that of looking to single out or belittle that person’s ability. It is
also often best to be dealt with as discreetly as possible, if that means
taking those it directly involves aside such as the director and another member
of the cast to discuss work on a particular scene or motif within the
production. I also need to remain open to critical criticism of my own work and
identify that my colleagues are operating with the same ethos as myself.
When working
with children, there is a little more involvement with contracts. Before
commencing rehearsals, I was required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS). I have spoken about the process previously with regards to my
old job as a drama teaching assistant during module one (see task 1b). The
check is put in place to confirm any previous evidence of a criminal record in
order to make the environment a safe place for children in the cast, but it
also plays a couple of other roles in which I have not experienced personally
but have been made known to me. In the case that an outside body, such as a
teaching standards examining board entered my place of work (as was the case
when I assisted with teaching ISTD drama examinations), the mediators would
normally ask for proof of all staff’s eligibility for employment via
certificate of a DBS. It is important that this service is carried out
regularly (I believe it was every six months in my particular place of
employment), not only for the protection of children but also for the staff.
Failure to comply with these regulations through negligence can lead to
incrimination and the dismissal of a given employee.
There was
also the matter of maintaining a professional relationship between myself and
the students or child cast members. This included an awareness in the way I
communicated with them. If I am asked or feel the need to talk an activity
through with them, I need to do it in a way they will understand via relatable
themes or ideas. I cannot, after all, expect them to meet the level of
compliance akin to a professionally trained performer. At the same time, I
cannot speak in a manner as to undermine them. I should be looking to encourage
and stimulate their engagement in activities. To follow, material taught must
be appropriate to age. This is something I have not handled myself as I have
only ever assisted to someone else’s body of work, a creative team’s vision for
a play/musical or the drama tutor’s lesson plan for example. It is my job to
remain representative of this. Outside of the work process, there is also the
subject of personal safeguarding. I have on occasion had a dialogue with a
student or cast member in which they have disclosed personal information to me.
It can be difficult to assess whether the information they share is something I
should be involving myself with. It will often depend upon the content of the
dialogue. I want to remain respectful and supportive of a child’s decision to
enter discussion with myself as one assumes they trust my opinion, but at the
same time I don’t want to endanger my position. There is a duty of pastoral
care involved and if I feel information disclosed requires the attention of a
higher authority such as my employer or the child’s parent, I am obliged to
discreetly share this knowledge with them.
Another
factor that comes into play for performers as part of contracts, particularly
with film, television and theatre work, are non-disclosure agreements. A legal
binding signing of the aforementioned means that knowledge between two or more
parties about a particular product cannot be discussed with anyone outside of
the agreement. There will come a time, usually upon initial release of the
product, where the artist will be able to freely speak about its content. Even
after this point, however, what is the personal limit to which an artist can
discuss work without spoiling its content? I have not worked with anyone previously
who has infringed upon this but the act of doing so can be detrimental to the
offender, the property owner and the arts in general. If devastating enough,
the owner may reserve the right to call upon the arts union known as ‘Equity’
in order to seek a resolve to the settlement in dispute. I am yet to handle a
performance contract large enough that may require the backing and security
offered by the union but it is the leading organisation in supporting all
aspects of the entertainment industry and important to remain informed about.
Equity does not just cover corporations like the BBC, for example, but manages and
secures equal pay for all artists that are employed by the likes of a larger
establishment. It provides the support that an individual artist cannot on
their own should they feel they are being treated unfairly.
Working with
my own thoughts on this task without the influence of research has been satisfying
in evaluating where ethics apply in my practice. Even if it isn’t surrounding
my day to day activities at present, I have a diverse enough experience to
identify a few professional communities in which I have had to consider my
actions in relation to those around me. It will be interesting to assess my
assumptions against sought out codes of practice and regulations as to be
examined in the next task.
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