London - Guidelines for directing nudity and sex scenes in the era of #MeToo have been issued for the first time.
The advice, published by professional body Directors UK, includes a ban on full-nudity in auditions – suggesting actors wear bikinis or trunks instead – and proposes performers bring a chaperone when reading for intimate TV and film scenes.
And if a callback audition requires semi-nudity, actors and agents must be given 48 hours’ notice.
The guidelines, which are backed by Bafta and the BFI, state the production must also have explicit written consent from performers prior to filming or photographing them nude or semi-nude.
Directors UK said it recognises that "by their nature auditions are based on a power imbalance" but is aiming to redress the issue by setting "the tone for a professional and respectful on-set environment".
The advice comes just days after actress Emilia Clarke, 33, claimed she had been pressured into nude scenes in 'Game Of Thrones' so as not to "disappoint fans".
The actress claimed she was told she’d “disappoint” ‘Game of Thrones’ fans if she didn’t film nude scenes for the show.
The 33-year-old actress starred as Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO fantasy drama, and has said she had “fights” over nudity whilst on set, because whilst she wanted to keep a sheet over herself during some scenes, she was told fans would be upset if she didn’t strip off.
She explained: "I know too much about nudity waivers. I mean, this way back in the day. So, now things are very, very different and I'm a lot more savvy about what I'm comfortable with and what I am OK with doing. Like, I've had fights on set before where I'm like, 'No! Sheet stays up' and they're like, 'You don't want to disappoint your ‘Game of Thrones’ fans' and I'm like, 'F**k you.’ ”