Today, Thursday 8th April 2021 TIME’S UP UK is launching the TIME’S UP Guide to Working in Entertainment, a set of three guides empowering arts and entertainment workers with information about their rights, industry-specific norms, and practical ways they can advocate for themselves and their safety.

These resources were developed by both TIME’S UP in the US and TIME’S UP UK, ensuring that this advice can support talent in the two most significant markets in film and television production. These UK editions were created in collaboration with key British screen industry bodies including BAFTA, BECTU, BFI, Casting Directors’ Guild, Directors’ UK, Intimacy On Set, and Spotlight, these free downloadable resources cover specific circumstances where people have historically been preyed upon, such as auditions and nude, intimate, and simulated sex scenes, as well as general guidance about your options and rights.

“The entertainment industry is not a typical workplace”, says Dame Heather Rabbatts, Chair TIME’S UP UK, “so figuring out your rights and options around workplace harassment, discrimination, and misconduct can be confusing. We have developed these resources together with our sisters in the US, for people in the entertainment industry who find themselves in situations that are at best awkward, or at worst, dangerous.”

TIME’S UP UK has a growing number of talent ambassadors who support the work, here are some messages from those who have been with TIME’S UP UK from the outset.

Naomie Harris says, ““I absolutely welcome these guides, which have been created by my sisters at TIME’S UP. They demonstrate that no matter your situation, you have options. These guides help arm people with the resources and information needed to determine the best path forward.”

Ruth Wilson says, “Our industry is a truly wonderful one but one that has existed without necessary safeguards. These TIME’S UP safety guides offer a detailed, step by step set of tools and advice for all those in the industry. Whatever the experience, whether negotiating a sex scene for the first time or witnessing abusive behaviour on set, these guidelines are there as an essential resource. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, and these offer a huge step towards that becoming a reality.”

TIME’S UP was born in Hollywood when some of the most powerful actresses and screen professionals in the world stood up and spoke out against sexism, violence, and double standards in the industry. Since its launch in 2018 TIME’S UP has been striving to end sexual discrimination and misconduct for women in entertainment and every industry. These guides offer one of the tools in the armoury to help equip workers the information they need to know to help protect them from sexual harassment and misconduct.

The TIME’S UP Guide to Working in Entertainment series comprise:

• Your Rights in Audition
• Your Rights in Nude, Intimate, and Sex Scenes
• Your Right to Report Sexual Misconduct and Harassment
• Nudity and Simulated Sex Rider Basics
• Incident Report Template

Ita O’Brien, Founder, Intimacy On Set says, “I welcome these safety resources from TIME’S UP UK and was delighted to be able to offer support in the development of them with regards with intimate content. It is essential that we continue to share best practice awareness as there is still along way to go. For example firstly, we want to ensure that having an Intimacy Coordinator in auditions becomes standard practice, and second, that nudity/ simulated sex riders are created as stand alone contracts rather than as part of a contract before filming, which leaves actors vulnerable and feeling concerned about what they have committed to during the run of a theatre production, TV series or film.”

Jen Smith, Head of Inclusion at the BFI says, “The BFI are proudly committed to continuing to support the important work of TIME’S UP. These very useful tools and resources complement our own industry-backed BFI and BAFTA Guidance and Principles. By TIME’S UP making these resources freely and widely available they will undoubtedly help enable our industry to be a safer and more inclusive place for everyone”.

Victor Jenkins, Chair of the Casting Director’s Guild, says, “The Casting Directors’ Guild welcomes these safety guides and we were pleased to have been able to offer support in their development with regards auditioning in particular. We believe in promoting best practice in our own work and guiding our members to do the same so we absolutely support this initiative from our friends at TIME’S UP UK empowering people working in the entertainment industry with information about their rights and how to protect them, this lies at the very heart of what we do.”

Access the free downloadable guides here.