No Animals Were Harmed - All About Animal Actors

Animal Actor: Sandy Buck, American Humanitarian, Interview with Certified Animal Safety Officer

Q: What are American humane movies and TV units?

A: The American Humane [AH] Film & TV Unit is based in Los Angeles and monitors the use of animals in the media. American Humane is a national organization headquartered in Denver, Colorado. I am one of the certified animal safety personnel who set up and monitor the use of animals in movies and television. At the end of the movie credit, we will commend the disclaimer that "The animal was not harmed in the production of this movie."

Q: How did the American Film & TV unit start?

A: In 1926, AH set up a committee to investigate animal abuse in the film industry. At that time, the most risky animal actor was the horse. In that case, however, it was not possible to mandate the safety of animal actors because, as they do today, animals have no inherent legal rights. In 1939, for the movie "Jesse James", horses and jockeys were thrown into a raging river over a 70-foot cliff for action shots. Stuntman was fine, but his horse's back broke in the fall and died. This anger has created a new relationship between AH and some film directors and producers, causing the Hayes office to include the humane treatment of animals in the movie code. The following year, AH received permission to monitor the production of movies using animals. After that, he worked on the set for a while, the Hayes office was dissolved in 1966, the jurisdiction ended and it was removed from the set. This was a very disastrous time for animal actors who were used in several brutal ways. Later, in the early 1980s, another case caused another civilian protest, and if American humanitarianism was added to the agreement with SAG and using animals, a union movie would contact us This contract includes filmed media formats such as television, commercials, direct video projects, and music videos. A more detailed history can be found on our website. Currently, about 900 movies are monitored annually. It doesn't count commercials.

Q: Did you say that animal actors have no legal rights?

A: That is correct. Animals do not have “legal” rights in the sense that humans have them. However, under the agreement of SAG, animal actors on SAG film have “contractual” rights. This is because it is necessary to contact the AH office from the animal production company, and the person in charge of AH Film & TV Unit is set up during the filming.

Q: How about non-union production?

A: Nonunion productions are not obligated to contact us contractually, but you can see that many people want us to do it anyway. Some productions that say "We want you to be here. We want that rating at the end of the movie, and I want people to know what you have set." Have been working in

Q: So are the set people happy to meet you?

A: Generally, but not in some cases. Actors always love to meet us. They looked at my jacket ah patch and constantly approached me in the set, “Oh, you came here for the animal. It ’s so great, I ’m so happy” 39; here I'm in. “That ’s what we want. We want people to find us, to know that we are there and why we are there. When it comes to production, it depends on how they perceive us and whether they have worked with us in the past. Those who have worked with us love to be there. Someone who has never worked with us may think, “Oh no, animal police will come to patrol”. can not. That is not the case. We are not there to criticize. We are there to work with filmmakers. Not against them. If problems are found, they are addressed and resolved together. For example, in Florida, one of the big concerns is heat. During certain productions, the producers wanted the dogs to walk up and down the sidewalk. I told the director that there was a problem with this. I already knew that he didn't like to put me in the set, but just said, "Take off your shoes and walk on that street." He went out on the street and said the pavement-“Yes, you are right”. He wasn't trying to hurt animals, just thinking about animals, heat and pavement. That is part of why we are set up. I don't expect filmmakers to become animal experts. It makes sense for even producers who don't care about animals personally to take us there. Many people say they won't see movies that they have heard of if they think animals were injured or killed. People are looking for AH's disclaimer at the end of the movie saying, "The animals were not harmed in the production of this movie."

Q: How do filmmakers get a “harmless” disclaimer for movies?

A: The process begins when the production contacts the Los Angeles office and informs them that they are going to use animals. Guide the guidelines available on the Internet and request a script. We review the script and observe and observe the behavior of the animals to make sure that the animals are working and kept safe and comfortable. This costs no union production-it is part of an arrangement with the SAG office.

Q: How about non-union production? Can they get this disclaimer: “Animals are not harmed”?

A: The process for obtaining a disclaimer is the same, but it costs $ 30 per hour for the set time. The time spent on pre-production script evaluation and the time spent screening and reviewing movies is included in the $ 30 per hour set fee.

Q: Can students and independent filmmakers obtain a disclaimer?

A: Of course, if they meet the guidelines. If you have questions, just call the LA office and ask. Our LA office will gladly support young and ambitious filmmakers by providing guidance and information on the safe use of animals in movies. If they are in the middle of writing a script, you can call us for advice on whether a particular scene is feasible and how to get the desired scene and action. Productions that can't set AH personnel due to cost or schedule conflicts can write down what is scheduled and record animal action shoots behind the scenes with a small video-this is our way I review it, but I can't say it was there, but through the review, the production seems to follow the guidelines. This evaluation is called “not monitored: production fit”.

Q: How many evaluations are there?

A: The best “Supervised: Excellent” and “Don't harm animals” displayed on movie end credits® Disclaimer display to “Not supervised”, Lowest rating “Monitored Unacceptable”-Guidelines When animal safety is ignored or negligence causes animal injury or death. If you strive for a good evaluation, the production will be successful. If the production is in the middle of filming, and the animal that is the key to the movie is scared to move or get injured, it is like losing the main actor. What does the producer do? Do you want to re-shoot the animal scene with another animal actor? Do you want to rewrite the script? Do you want to discard the movie? Some professional trainers have similar talented dogs. One is a really good bar dog, one is a really good jumping dog, another dog does something else. This is useful if one dog is sick or injured, but does not stop the filming. Many of the worst scenarios can be avoided by planning. I look for potential problems and keep everything as safe as possible for everyone. Accidents can always happen and there is no way to prevent it. It happens in life. You can work to make things as safe as possible, but accidents can still occur. We understand it. The bottom line is that whenever a filmmaker plans to use animals, even his pet, he needs to contact the LA office.

Whether one of us comes out in your set they need to see us Guidelines To use animals safely with filmed media They know what they need to prepare to tell themselves-this is what I need to prepare if I use animals in my production. Are you ready to do what it takes to make sure everything is safe for animals? Our involvement benefits the production in that the filmmaker can say if there is a question about how the stunt was done-call AH. Filmmakers with a reputation for ill-treating animals to make movies and commercials are not hired and people don't want to watch movies. We are the only organization authorized to create and maintain these standards, and people want it. When they see animals in the movie, they try to make sure that the animals are not hurt. If they have questions about how things are done, they can go to our website and read about it. They see that this terrible stunt was actually done with computer graphics and no real animals were involved.

Q: Can I put my personal pet into the movie?

A: The guidelines recommend that filmmakers use professional animal actors obtained through trainers, but filmmakers, especially small independent student filmmakers, should use their pets or movies. Know to use friends and family pets. We understand that is the reality of this business. However, filmmakers should be in the habit of contacting the office even if their pet cat or dog is just sitting in a chair or walking around the room. For example, when a producer chooses a dog, he must look for a dog with a personality that is not afraid of personality. Fear can cause disasters. Dogs can bite someone out of fear if they fall into an uncomfortable situation. When using multiple dogs in a set, the dog must get used to being around other dogs. If one dog is aggressive to another dog in the set, the aggressive dog must be removed. Dogs who live together and are used to each other are a good choice.

Q: You mentioned that education is part of AH's goal. Can you talk about it?

A: As part of the curriculum, I would like to work with a film school that develops a program where students take courses or participate in seminars on the use of animals in movies hosted by AH representatives. If your school is not yet able to participate in the program, make the guidelines available at your school, or simply distribute it to your students to help them educate. The sooner you contact the students, the better. These filmmakers may grow their careers, eventually engage in large-scale productions, and eventually begin to produce movies using large animals. That is the point where you really worry about safety. Therefore, it would be nice if students could be educated early.

Q: What advice can you give to students who want to use pets and those who want to make movies? Your guidelines may be distracting.

A: If a filmmaker chooses to use a pet instead of a trained animal, it cannot be managed, but it is recommended that you review and follow the guidelines. If the guidelines seem overwhelming, ask the LA office and ask, “Do you only need the dog to sit in a chair or cross the room while we are filming?” Most of them are just common sense. Know that the animals you are using are friendly and completely safe to be around people and other animals. I don't want to put animals that are offensive, skirmish, or snap. Think about what to do with this animal when setting up a shot. How many times do you actually need a real animal? If I am concerned about using real animals, can I use a stuffed animal? It is not desirable for a real dog to sit under the hot light during setup. Go to the toy store and get the stuffed animal you are using. Make sure that animals do not get in the way of moving carts and are not in an area where they can be stepped on. She isn't running freely when she isn't used on the set, but there is a good place for her to hang out. You need a safe place like a crate for animals or another room. Allow the pet to take a break and lie down to rest or eat or drink something. If your pet is not in a wooden frame, place it on a harness or leash so that you cannot jump or escape if you are surprised by the loud noise or fast movement. . Plan ahead and be prepared for all possible scenarios. That is important. If animals don't do what you want, what are your options? Back up the plan. Where should I go to get the animals to do something? Forcing animals is a disaster if they don't or can't do what you want. An animal is an animal, even if the animal usually does something. You can't predict what it will do. It's like working with a child. You need to prepare a producer.

Q: Who is responsible for the safety of pets during filming?

A: If something happens to your pet, they will suffer from pain and sorrow, so the ultimate responsibility lies with the owner. We recommend that you do not give your pet to anyone who is playing with it. It can give the animal excessive stimulation and if the animals are all excited, they may not be able to perform the action you want them to perform. Many trainers make general announcements on the set-do not touch the animals while working. Obviously, exotic, people are pretty good to ask before touching them, but in many cases dogs and cats do pets walking without asking.

Q: Does AH have any problems with specific action shots?

A: If you are wondering if a filmmaker can safely take a specific action shot, please call us. If filmmakers want to run dogs away from the edge of the dock and jump into the lake to get an exciting shot, they need to make an obvious choice. Choose a Labrador Retriever who likes to swim and run and has practiced this. They should not choose a small chihuahua that was never underwater.

Q: How did you get into the field?

A: I grew up in Michigan with a very animal-oriented family. There was a house with an invisible sucker sign hanging in front-the animal could see the sign, but not. Animals constantly appeared at our door, and people threw puppies and kittens into our barn. There were all other things such as dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, hamsters. As a teenager, I raised and trained a working guide dog. Later, I brought up a wonderful doberman for submission. After college, I tried several careers but none of them really cares. In the early 1990s I moved to Key West, Florida. It was when the series “Key West” with Fisher Stevens and Jennifer Tilly was filmed as a pilot. I met Medic by chance and started talking. He said I knew I was a Dive Master with Dive Master medical training and was looking for someone to work on the set when they joined the series. He asked if I was interested. So I got EMT certification and worked on the series as a Medic when no other Medic was available. After the series, he worked full-time as an EMT ambulance crew and part-time as a film ambulance crew. I also volunteered with my dog ​​in the education department of the Broward County Humanitarian Association. We went to school and taught children about pet education. Through that, I started working as a surgical assistant in the shelter. I basically did the same thing with animals as I did with humans. For obvious reasons, I worked hard for the shelter, but it was very rewarding and I liked it very much. One day I was watching a movie through a credit, but I knew that there was a disclaimer that "animals weren't frustrated to make this movie" and that there was a representative to monitor all animal behavior. It was. The light disappeared in my head-"Hey, it's a job. If someone is on the set, it's a real job." I sent my resume to the recruitment office in Los Angeles for an interview. My background on horses and dogs, dog training, medical and cinema experiences worked well for the job title. After that, I attended AH training that basically teaches movie and set etiquette. This is already known from the set experience, reporting and learning guidelines. I now live in Virginia. Since my husband is in the army, we are a little moving around, but my work requires a lot of travel so I can do it wherever I am. Most of my work is done in this area, but I traveled the whole country. I have been to Mexico, Canada and Wyoming.

Q: Which movies are you working on locally?

A: Susan Jackson, our representative based in Richmond, and I worked independently, and we worked together for big movies like “Dreamer”. During the filming of Dreamer, the producers wanted to kill animals that looked like ointments, so they didn't know what to use. Susan proposed a solution for milk and water. So they mixed milk and water-“Oh, it looks really good.” Another instance of “Dreamer” was a barn scene. The crew had to kick out the barn cat before shooting. Susan came up with and organized a plan to catch cats and send them out for castration and castration. By the time the shooting was completed, the cats were back. It helped everyone. These are simple solutions that help producers get the scene they need. I don't expect filmmakers to become animal experts. That is why we are there. We have been involved in this business for a long time and there is a lot of training behind us. You can do a lot with camera tricks, computer graphics, stuffy stunts, photo doubles, and some creative solutions. Most recently I was one of Evan Almighty's safety personnel. A giant animal company in the film industry, Birds and Animals, provided animal talent. They have offices in overseas Florida, California and New York, and keep all kinds of animals. I've been working with AH seven years ago and have worked together for years. They are great to work with excellent trainers who are very interested in the safety and welfare of their animals. Another big part of our work is perception. It is often the recognition of actors who are not used to animal training. For example, when I was in “Evan Almighty”, there were all these different small animal scenes. One way to seduce small animals like Skunks, Rats, and Porcupines from Point A to Point B is to use a buzzer. These small animals cannot be trained to be like dogs or cats. These small animals are taught to get food rewards when walking across the room to the buzzer. An actor watching this came and asked, "Is these animals shocked?" I said, no, I explained the whole buzzer. If someone like me didn't come to ask, this actor would have been able to leave the set, thinking that the animals in the set were shocked. It was amazing to see the whole process of “Evan Almighty”. A huge ark was built in Charlottesville, Virginia, and there was a special camera that accurately reproduced every movement of the animal. Animals are brought one at a time. So if there are 40 animals in the scene, each animal will take at least 40 different times. Sometimes there was a pair of animals, sometimes there was only one-the same animal walked through the room twice. All of these animal pairs were put together on a computer to appear to be in the same room. It was a lot of fun to work on.

A “puppy bowl” will be held in Silver Spring, Maryland, at the Discovery Channel, which will be broadcast on Animal Planet at the same time as the Super Bowl. A small stage that looks like a soccer field is built and puppies go out there and play. There are “Kitty Half Time” and “Tailgate Party” for dogs who did not participate in the game. It's hilarious. At first they were a little cautious about me, but now they have a great relationship. When I left the set, the people I met when I first came say "Come here" and "Thank you for coming here, I want you to come back" next year. "

American Humane was founded in 1877. This is the oldest national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through child and animal protection agencies and personal networks, the American Humanitarian Association develops policies, laws, curriculums, and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. A non-profit membership organization headquartered in Denver raises awareness of the link between animal abuse and other forms of violence and the benefits of human-animal bonds. The regional office of American Humania in Los Angeles is the authority behind the “no harm to animals” ® end credit disclaimer for film and television production, and the American Humanian office in Washington Advocate for animal protection. At the federal and state level. American Humane has been approved by the Bise Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance and has been awarded the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence.

Animal actor `` Angus '', actor Ken Klein's black Labrador Retriever is a `` man and dog '' at Capitol Law, an ABC pilot filmed in Washington, DC, and as a quadruped pedestrian in Baltimore Cast by 'Shooter' # 39; s Federal Hill. Ken met Sandyback, a representative of the American humanitarian film and television unit, at the “Evan Almighty” set in Richmond, Virginia. There he oversaw the use of wild animals such as bears, wolves and mountain lions in sets. Angus decided to stay home for that particular movie.