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[BBC] Actors demand action over 'disgusting' explicit video game scenes

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
But... The actors could refuse to do the part, right? No one has a gun to their heads. So at some point it becomes a question of moral integrity vs paycheck and.. it sounds like every one of these people chose paycheck but then felt like complaining about it later.
Moral integrity doesn't pay the bill.

If this is an actual problem, the fix is simple. Make sure the talent knows exactly what it is they'll be doing before they sign. They're signing NDAs anyway.
 

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
I wanna know what scenes & games she is referring to because since games started having actual sex scenes in them of a realistic nature to require mocap they haven't been boy on girl scenes, let alone a sexual assault scene.
 
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But... The actors could refuse to do the part, right? No one has a gun to their heads. So at some point it becomes a question of moral integrity vs paycheck and.. it sounds like every one of these people chose paycheck but then felt like complaining about it later.

I don't feel like you get to have both. I don't agree that the scenes should be kept secret- it does feel like entrapment to an extent- but the actor always has the right to walk away from it.

What a bad take. Not even accurate since the person referenced in the post didn't choose paycheck over "moral integrity"

"She refused to act out the "disgusting" scene - which was made worse as she was the only female on set.

"There's no nudity involved, but its still an act and there's an intimacy in that act and also a violence in this situation," she said.

"So yes there may be a layer of Lycra between us, but you are still there and still having to truly immerse yourself in this scene."

In the end her concerns were listened to and the scene was not recorded."


Often times, people act like choosing a paycheck is some sort of option that can easily be walked away from. Walking away from a paycheck isn't just walking away from money. It's walking away from food and shelter. Possibly also food and shelter for your children as well. If there is something of an explicit nature that will be part of a gig, then that needs to be disclosed up front. If not, you are pressuring someone to do something they are uncomfortable with and using their need for food and shelter as a bargaining chip.
 
Im not a prude or anything but why and who even wants these graphic sex scenes in games. It seems like those type of hollywood weirdos who exploit sex and violence just for shock value. Am I the gamer conducting this rape? Or is the player getting raped? Come on now its an absurd form of content and it doesnt belong. Le High Art Emotional Trauma Deep Topic bullshit. Its grotesque for the sake of it under guise of "addressing mature situations".

And tbh I dont give a shit about these voice actors either.
It's not called "surprise sex" for no reason, if the actror knows beforehand, it would not be authentic. It's not like they are getting Weinsteined here. As long as theres a disclaimer in the boot up saying "No Voice Actors Were Raped in the Recording of This Game" then I have no moral quandries enjoying the simulation the unmentionable!
 

Bridges

Member
Actually wild, imagine coming into work one day halfway through a project and your boss says "okay, today this guy is going to pretend to rape you for a long time and you need to convincingly pretend to be raped and we're all gonna watch".

You don't need to disclose specific story details, just have everyone sign NDAs during casting and ask them ahead of time if they're comfortable with sex/rape scenes
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I wanna know what scenes & games she is referring to because since games started having actual sex scenes in them of a realistic nature to require mocap they haven't been boy on girl scenes, let alone a sexual assault scene.
No kidding. I don’t think I read a single game title in the OP. Did they sign up for one of those Adult Visual Novel games? I can’t recall the last game I played with sexual assault or rape. Someone school me on this subject please.
 
Lower on the totem pole I reckon.

If someone like Hugh Jackman was doing motion capture and voice work in a video game he would be treated like a star and would know the full script of the game. Including any sex scenes or riskay content.

But some unknown motion capture actor? Tell them on the day as they are replaceable.

Not saying I agree with the above. I don't. It's just what I think is at play. Open to being wrong but it does come off as "do your job monkey boy, or you don't get paid"
 
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It's a reasonable thing to ask for but what games are these? The west is so averse to these types of content that I'm having trouble thinking of a single recent game that had graphic sexual violence.
 

shamoomoo

Member
What game is she talking about here? The only I can remember something similar happening is in Heavy Rain.


This act could be watched for as long or as little time as the player wanted through a window, and then a player would be able to shoot this character in the head.
 

near

Gold Member
Actually wild, imagine coming into work one day halfway through a project and your boss says "okay, today this guy is going to pretend to rape you for a long time and you need to convincingly pretend to be raped and we're all gonna watch".

You don't need to disclose specific story details, just have everyone sign NDAs during casting and ask them ahead of time if they're comfortable with sex/rape scenes
Not to be that guy but these are performance actors, they’re professionals who are hired to play a variety of roles and scenes, it’s what they do. They're hired on the presumption that they're willing to play a character. A bit of transparency with the script/scene beforehand would definitely go a long way, but most studios would hire an intimacy coordinator to help with the collaboration of those types of scenes between the actors and studios.

It's a reasonable thing to ask for but what games are these? The west is so averse to these types of content that I'm having trouble thinking of a single recent game that had graphic sexual violence.
Wasn't intended to be violent, but sure as hell felt like it:

meHsKAg.jpeg
 

PeteBull

Gold Member
Actually wild, imagine coming into work one day halfway through a project and your boss says "okay, today this guy is going to pretend to rape you for a long time and you need to convincingly pretend to be raped and we're all gonna watch".

You don't need to disclose specific story details, just have everyone sign NDAs during casting and ask them ahead of time if they're comfortable with sex/rape scenes
What game was like that, iirc even last of us, which had a scene where pedo attempted rape of a child didnt require any acting that would make actress uncofortable, i know there must be some gafers who know of more such a games, in that particular case im not man of culture enough but im actually wondering what game contained such detailed rape scenes?
Couldnt be any AAA or even AA or we would at least somewhat remember it, was it some indie cartoon/porno game u got tens of tousands on steam?
 
Don't have problem with the content, but actors should be informed of the screenplay beforehand.

You can keep the entire script a secret and still inform the actors if there's going to be a gruesome rape scene and not pressure them at gunpoint or in front of 20+ people in the mocap whiteroom where they are peer pressured into agreeing despite disgust.
 

Evolved1

make sure the pudding isn't too soggy but that just ruins everything
Deck chairs on the Titanic. Mocap actors have other things to worry about... like finding a new career. No one is going to pay these people in another year or two.

Edit: this post seems pretty heartless, I definitely empathize with the actors... just where my head went.
 
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Aenima

Member
Alot of VA have been acting like total snowflakes these days, but in this case i can kinda understand they complaints. Dont movie actors have access to the scrip before deciding to acept a movie role?
I think even if not needed to reveal the entire game plot the VAs and Mocap ppl should be aware of what kind of scenes they signup up to.
 

ReyBrujo

Gold Member
It's not called "surprise sex" for no reason, if the actror knows beforehand, it would not be authentic.

wtf are you talking about, if the actor is professional enough they will be able to make it authentic even if they are told beforehand. You no longer need to rape someone as in Last Tango in Paris to get something genuine anymore.
 

RaduN

Member
Just get porn actors to do the mocap, problem solved!
But then if you use real actor/model/real whatever persons faces, the studio would, again, need to inform the said actors upon signing the contract that their image would be used in such scenes.

There was a very interesing Black Mirror episode a few years back (last year maybe?), on exactly this subject.
 

MarkMe2525

Gold Member
But... The actors could refuse to do the part, right? No one has a gun to their heads. So at some point it becomes a question of moral integrity vs paycheck and.. it sounds like every one of these people chose paycheck but then felt like complaining about it later.

I don't feel like you get to have both. I don't agree that the scenes should be kept secret- it does feel like entrapment to an extent- but the actor always has the right to walk away from it.
and be labeled "hard to deal with". This not only puts the actor in a bad position, but also everyone else on set that is ready to shoot. All they are asking for is an outline to what type of performances are required of them, beforehand. It is not an unreasonable ask.
 

Soodanim

Member
And tbh I dont give a shit about these voice actors either.
It's not called "surprise sex" for no reason, if the actror knows beforehand, it would not be authentic. It's not like they are getting Weinsteined here. As long as theres a disclaimer in the boot up saying "No Voice Actors Were Raped in the Recording of This Game" then I have no moral quandries enjoying the simulation the unmentionable!
Quoting just to highlight just how fucking stupid this paragraph is
 

Gamer79

Predicts the worst decade for Sony starting 2022
Nothing wrong with some shagging in a video game. But not telling the actors about it before they sign on is fucked up beyond all measure. Awful.

Nothing wrong with some shagging in a video game. But not telling the actors about it before they sign on is fucked up beyond all measure. Awful.
I 100% agree with you. Sex is taboo and I believe people are way too sensitive about talking about it. (especially women) With that said, do not just put it in a job without giving me the option to agree or not. I am not gay and would be royally pissed off if my role was to simulate taking in up the ass.
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Also the cringy moaning about the motion capture body suits they have to wear, the same body suits that have existed from the start of motion capture, yet they make it sound like they are skin tight suits purposely made for people to drool over them.

Not sure if we read the same article, but there’s nobody there complaining about the bodysuits.
 
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I wanna know what scenes & games she is referring to because since games started having actual sex scenes in them of a realistic nature to require mocap they haven't been boy on girl scenes, let alone a sexual assault scene.
this is the problem lying at the core of this shocking expose: which games containing sexual assault &/or 'intimate acts' are these? & why has no one ever played them? for someone as well-informed & as upset about this as jessica jeffries' supposedly is, it's odd that she never actually names names...
 

Killer8

Member
Wanting to be made aware of these scenes well in advance by the casting agency so they can decide whether they still want to sign up for the role is one thing.

Wanting the developers to censor scenes of a certain sexual nature out of a game completely, because you personally don't want to play them, is quite another.

You don't tell the artist what to do. With this sort of demanding attitude we wouldn't have games like Silent Hill 2, which includes one of the very scenes in question. If you want it gone then you can fuck off out the industry.
 
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TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
this is the problem lying at the core of this shocking expose: which games containing sexual assault &/or 'intimate acts' are these? & why has no one ever played them? for someone as well-informed & as upset about this as jessica jeffries' supposedly is, it's odd that she never actually names names...
And I doubt a game director/producer/studio will cut a whole scene because one mocap actress that they don't even use for her likeness refused to do it.
They'd just get another.
And mocap actors are listed for games so it's weird I can't actually find anything 🤔
 
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peek

Member
IF this story is actually true... they should 100% be told what theyre signing up for well in advance.

Cant just show up and go, well in this scene youre gonna get raped now. Like come on now.
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
Putting sex scenes into video games has been a terrible idea from the start. It’s cringey and awkward and it never feels natural or looks natural no matter how good the graphics get.

Sex scenes in movies are hard enough to get right without being awkward or gratuitous, it just never works in games.
I agree with this. it serves no purpose other being super cringe, even game like Catherine which is about adult relationship doesn't show actual sex, they only imply they had sex and thats all you need.
 
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