I’ll be working on a set tomorrow and in the detailed documentation I received late this afternoon, there is a “guideline” that has got me thinking.  It reads:

I understand there is need to preserve on-set safety and security by not revealing shooting locations.  I appreciate the need to ensure plot and screenplay uniqueness, as well as protect viable commercial interests, by safeguarding details of scenes and the storyline.  And I grasp the desire to prevent untoward or undesired media coverage of the production, the production company and its employees in advance of the presentation of a final project.  But this “guideline” strikes an antithetical chord in me.  Should such “guidelines” hinder personal freedoms?

If I enjoy myself while working, may I not say so? If I learn a new technique, should I keep my newfound knowledge to myself?  Are employees endeared to a production company and it’s final product through the muzzling of forms of self-expression?

So I ask you, reader: At what point do … Read more »