ANIMAL ACTORS: Interview with Sandi Buck, American Humane, Certified Animal Security Representative Q: What is the unit American Humane Film & TV? A: American Humane (AH) Film & TV unit is based in Los Angeles and we monitor the use of animals in the media. American Humane is a national organization with headquarters based in Denver, Colorado. I am one of the accredited representatives of the animal's safety on the board and will monitor the use of animals in film and television. We attribute the "No animals were harmed in the production ® of this film" disclaimer seen at the end credits of a movie. Q: How did the American Film & TV Unit to begin? A: Back in 1926 AH set up a committee to investigate abuses of animals in the film industry. At that time, horses were the most players of animals at risk. But then, as now, animals have no inherent legal rights, we could not mandate safety of animal actors. In 1939, for the movie "Jesse James", a horse and rider were sent threw a 70-foot cliff into a raging river for action photography. The stunt was very good, but the horse's back was broken in the fall and died. Outrage over this led to a new relationship between HA and some film directors and producers and caused the Hays Office to include the humane treatment of animals in the Motion Picture Code. The following year, AH has received authorization to monitor the production of films involving animals. We worked on set for some time after that until the Hays Office was disbanded in 1966, ending our jurisdiction and we prohibit gambling. It was a bleak period for the animal actors that have been used in a brutal way. Then, in early 1980, another incident caused a public outcry and another American Humane has been added to the agreement with SAG that the mandate union films contact us if they were using animals. The agreement now includes all forms filmed media, including television, commercials, draft direct-to-video, and video clips. A more detailed history on our website. Currently, we monitor about 900 films a year, maybe more. That's not counting commercials. Q: Have you told the players not animals have legal rights? A: Yes. Animals have no "legal" rights in the sense that humans have. But because of our agreement SAG actors animals in films of SAG have "contractual" rights because the office must be contacted AH by productions using animals and AH TV & Film Unit to be representative the set during filming. Q: What about non-union productions? A: nonunion productions are not bound by contract to contact us, but we find that many people want us anyway. I worked with several productions that say - ".. We want you here We want to document the end of our film and we want people to know what we had on the shelf "Q: So people on the board are happy to see you? A: Generally, yes, but sometimes not. Players always love to see us. They look at the AH patches on my jacket and come to me at all times on set and say - "Oh, you're here for the animals is so great, I'm so glad you're here. . 'This is what we want. We want people to look for us to know we're here and why we're here. As for production, depending on their perception of us and if they worked with us in the past. The people we worked with love before we have there. Those who have not worked with before we sometimes think "oh no, here's the animal police to patrol us," I'll stay there with my hands on my hips and say what they can and can not not do. It's not like that. We are not here to criticize. We're here to work with filmmakers, and not against them. If we see a problem we will fix it and work together. In Florida, for example, one major concern is heat. During production, the producer wanted a dog and walk across the floor. I told the director there was a problem with that. I already knew he did not like me have on the shelf, but I told him anyway, "You take off your shoes and walk on this street." He went out into the street, put his hand on the sidewalk, and said: -. Yes, you're right "He was not trying to hurt the animal, it just was not thinking about the animal heat, and the roadway. It's part of why we are on the board. We do not expect to filmmakers also be experts on animals. Even producers who personally do not care about animals in general realize that it is logical for them to welcome us. Many people say they will not watch a movie in which they think or have heard that the animal was injured or killed. People seek the warning AH at the end of films, saying - "No animals were harmed ® in the production of this film." Q: How do the filmmakers get a "No Harm" warning to their films ? A: The process begins when the contacts of our production office in Los Angeles to let us know they intend to use animals. We direct them to our guidelines that are available on the Internet and call their script. We review the script and the necessary steps to enter and observe the action of animals to ensure that the conditions under which animals are kept working and is safe and comfortable. It costs nothing to produce the Union - part of the arrangement with the office of the SAG. Q: What about non-union productions? Can they get that "No animals were harmed ®" warning? A: The process to get the warning is the same, only there is a fee of $ 30 an hour for the hours we're on the board. The time we spend evaluating script pre-production and control of films and writing reviews is included in this $ 30 an hour over the established amount. Q: students and independent filmmakers can get your disclaimer? A: Certainly, if they meet the guidelines for it. If they have questions, all they need do is call our Los Angeles office and ask. Our Los Angeles office is pleased to help young filmmakers and future advice and information on safely using animals in their films. If they are writing a script, they can call us and ask if some scenes are feasible and for advice on how to get the action scenes and they want. Productions that can not get a representative on the board AH due to conflicts or scheduling cost can write what it is they will do, document the filming of the action of animals with a short video in Behind the scenes - that's how we did it, the kind of thing - and send us to consider it and if we can not say we were really there, we can say that with our review, it appears that production has followed the guidelines. This rating is called: "Unsupervised Production Compliant. Q: How many dimensions are there? A: We have several sizes ranging from our very high "control: open" and receive "No animals were harmed" disclaimer that appears ® in the end credits of the film, "uncontrolled" In our opinion below that is "guarded Unacceptable" - where our guidelines and animal safety have been considered and / or negligence caused the injury or death of an animal. Finding a good ranking ensures that production will be well. If a production is mid-term and shooting an animal that is the key to the film gets scared and falls off or injured, it's like losing a key player in man. What is the producer going to do? Re-turning scenes with another actor animals animals? Rewrite the script? Scrap the movie? Professional trainers have many different dogs with different talents who are alike. One is a dog that barks really good, you're a dog very good jump, another something else. This helps in case a dog gets sick or injured, it will not stop shooting. Many of the worst scenarios can be avoided by planning. I look at potential problems and keep everything as safe as possible for everyone. There may still have accidents, there is no way to prevent this. It happens in life. You can work to make things as safe as possible, but it can still be accidents. We understand that. The result is less than any time filmmakers intend to use animals, even their own animals, they should contact our office in Los Angeles. Whether or not one of us gets out of your game, they should refer to our Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media so they know what they need to prepare to say - c That is what I need to prepare if I'm going to use an animal on my production. Am I willing to do what I gotta do to make sure everything is safe for my pet? After having participated in the production benefits only if there is ever a question of how a shot was made the director can say - AH appeal. Filmmakers to the reputation of mistreating animals for the purposes of producing a film or commercial will not be hired and people would not want to watch their films. We are the only body authorized to make and enforce these standards and seek. When people see the animals in movies, they want to see that no animal was injured. If they have questions about how things were done, they can go to our website and read about it. They can see that this tour de force that looks absolutely horrible was done with computer graphics, a real animal did not even participate. Q: Pets are allowed staff to be in movies? A: Our guidelines recommend that filmmakers use professional actors animals obtained by trainers, but we know that the filmmakers, especially small independent filmmakers and students will use their own pets or pets of friends and family in their films. We understand that it is a reality in this case. But even if it is not more than filming their own pet cat or dog sitting on a chair or walking across the room, the filmmakers should get used to contact our office. When producers choose dogs, for example, they should look for dogs with outgoing personalities, dogs who are not afraid of people. Fear can cause a disaster. The dog may bite someone out of fear if they get into a situation they are uncomfortable. If more than one dog should be used on stage, dogs should be used to being around other dogs. If a dog shows aggression toward another dog on the set, the aggressive dog should be removed. Dogs who live together and are used to being with each other are good choices. Q: You mentioned education as part of the goal of AH. Would you talk a bit about it? A: We would like to work more with film schools where curriculum development within the curriculum, students take a course or attend a seminar by a representative of HA on the use of animals in the film. If the school can not put ourselves in their program again, simply because our charter school available or distributed to help educate students. The sooner we reach the students, the better. These filmmakers will flourish in their careers and eventually be involved in big productions where they might end up working on films with large animals. This is the point where you really worry about security, so the sooner we can educate students better. Q: What can you advise students and aspiring filmmakers who want to use pets? Your text can seem daunting. A: If the filmmakers choose to use a pet instead of the animal formed, we have no control over this, but we recommend that you review and adhere to our Charter. If the guidelines seem insurmountable, call our Los Angeles office with questions, for example - "All I want is my dog sit on a chair or walking across the room while we do our filming, what are the guidelines? Most are common sense. Know that you are using the animal is friendly and totally safe to be around people and other animals. You do not want an animal on the board who is aggressive, capricious, or breaks. Think about what you do with this animal while you are setting up plans. How many times have you actually need the real animal? Can you use a stuffed animal if there is concern about the use of a real animal? You do not want a real dog sitting under a hot light while you're setting up. Go to a toy store and get a stuffit lookalike any animal that you are using. Make sure the animal will not be in the manner of a trolley moving and it will not be in the area where it may get stepped on. When not used on the plateau have a suitable place for her to spend time, she is not running around loose. There must be a safe place, like a crate or separate room for the animal. Make sure the animal breaks and comes to lie down and relax or get something to eat and drink. If the animal is not kept in a cage, make sure it's on a harness or a leash so that if it is startled by a noise or quick movement, she can not jump and s run away. Plan ahead and prepare for all possible scenarios. This is essential. If an animal will not do what you want, what are your options? Have backup plans. How far should we go to try to get an animal to do something? If the animal will not or can not do what you want it to do, forcing it invites disaster. Even if the animal does something normally, an animal is an animal. You can never predict what he will do or not do. It's like working with a child. The producer must be prepared. Q: Who is responsible for the safety of a pet during the filming? A: The ultimate responsibility lies with the owners, because they suffer from anxiety and pain, if something happens to their pet. I recommend that animals can be moved around on the set of people to play with. This may be overstimulated animals, and if they are excited, they may not be able to perform the action you want them to perform. Many trainers make an announcement on the board - do not touch the animals while they work. Obviously, with these exotic species, people are very good to ask before touching them, but many times with dogs and cats, people on foot and pets without asking. Q: Does HA have a problem with some action scenes? A: If filmmakers wonder if a shot of some measures can be obtained safely, call and ask us. If a director wants a dog to run at the end of the dock and jump into a lake for a spectacular view, they should make the obvious choice. Select a Labrador Retriever who loves to swim and run and jump on the platform and even practiced it. They should not choose a small Chihuahua that has never been in water. Q: How do you field? A: I grew up in Michigan in a very family oriented animals. We had the house with the sign invisible miller suspended front of it - the animals could see the sign, but we could not. Animals constantly show to our door and people dumped their puppies and kittens off in our barn. We had dogs, cats, horses, pigs Guinea, and hamsters, and just about everything else. As a teenager, I raised and formed a working group saw the dog eye. After that, I raised a beautiful Doberman obedience. After college, I tried a few careers, but did not really take care of one of them. In early 1990, I moved to Key West, Florida. That's about the time of the series "Key West" with Fisher Stevens and Jennifer Tilly was filmed as a pilot. I ran into the doctor on the set and we started talking. He learned that I was a dive master in training medical and dive master said they were looking for someone else to work on the set when they went to the series. He asked me if I was interested and I was. So I went and certified EMT and has worked on such series as the doctor when the other doctor was not available. After the series ended, I worked full time as a time EMT paramedic and a part as in the film. I also volunteered with my dog in the department of education for Humane Society of Broward County. We went to school and taught education for pets for children. With that, I started working as a surgical assistant for the shelter. I was essentially doing the same for animals as I did for humans. It was hard work for housing, for obvious reasons, but it was also very rewarding and I loved it. One day I was watching a movie through the credits and saw the "No animals were harmed ® in the making of this film" and warning that the representative was on set to monitor all actions of animals. A light went off in my head - "Hey, this is a work If someone was on set, then there is a real work .." I sent my curriculum vitae to the recruiting office in Los Angeles and got an interview. My experience with horses and dogs, and dog training, and medical and experience of the film worked well together for the post. I then went through training that teaches mainly AH label film and game, I knew from my experience on the board, and report writing and learning guidelines. Right now, I live in Virginia. As my husband is in the military, we move a little, but my job requires a lot of travel, I can do, no matter where we are based. Although most of my work in this area, I traveled across the country. I was in Mexico, Canada, Wyoming. Q: What films did you work locally? A: Susan Jackson, our representative based in Richmond, and I worked independently and in the case of big movies like "Dreamer" We've worked together. During the filming of "Dreamer", the producers wanted something that looked like an ointment to smear an animal and they did not know what to use. Susan suggested a solution of milk and water. Then they mixed the milk and water and said: -. Oh, it looks really good "Another example of" Dreamer "was a barn scene. The crew needed the barn cats before they can start filming. Susan came up with and organized a plan to catch the cats and send them to be spayed and neutered. By the time filming was done, the cats could come back. He helped everybody. These are simple solutions that have helped producers get the scenes they want. We do not expect to be experts filmmakers animals, so we're here. We have been in this business a long time and have a lot of training behind us. Much can be done with camera tricks, computer graphics, stunt stuff and photo doubles and creative solutions. More recently, I was a delegate to the safety on "Evan Almighty." "Birds and animals," an enormous animal society for the motion picture industry has provided the talent of animals. They have offices in Florida, California, New York, abroad and have all kinds of animals and I worked with them for years since I started seven years ago AH. They are great to work with and have excellent trainers, very concerned about the safety and well-being of their animals. Another great part of our work is the perception. It is often the perception of actors who are not familiar with the training of animals. For example, when I was on "Evan Almighty" There was a scene with all these small animals. One way of attracting small animals such as skunks, rats, porcupines and from point A to point B is a buzzer. These small animals can not be trained to come as the dog or cat. These small animals are taught that when they walk into the room to the buzzer, they get a food reward. One of the actors look came over and asked - "Are these animals being shocked" I said no, and explained the whole thing buzzer. Without someone like me to be there to pose, this actor would have been left thinking that the animals on board were shocked. It was amazing to see the whole process on "Evan Almighty." A huge arch was built in Charlottesville, VA, and they had a special camera that accurately reproduces every movement of animals. Animals were fed one by one, so if there were forty animals in a scene, they only have to forty times more different, each time with each different animal. Sometimes there were pairs of animals and sometimes there was only one - the same animal across the room twice. It was put together by computer to look like all those pairs of animals were in the same room, even if they were not. It'sa lot of fun working. I also do the "Puppy Bowl" in Silver Spring, Maryland, the Discovery Channel which airs on Animal Planet at the same time as the Super Bowl. A small stage was built resembling a football field and puppies go and play. They "Kitty Half Time" and a "Tail Gate Party" for dogs who do not enter the game is hilarious. Initially they were a little suspicious of me, but now we have an excellent relationship. It's nice when you walk off the set and the people you met when you first came in were looking at you like - "Here She Comes" and then say - "Thank you very much for being here We want you next year. "American Humane was founded in 1877. It is the oldest national organization protecting children and animals. With a branch network of child welfare and animals and individuals, American Humane Association develops policies, legislation, programs and training programs to protect children and animals against abuse, neglect and operating. The nonprofit organization members, is headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about the link between animal abuse ® and other forms of violence, and the benefits arising from the obligation of man-animal . regional office in Los Angeles, American Humane is the authority behind the "No animals were harmed" ® End Credit Disclaimer on film and television productions, and American Humane's office in Washington is an advocate for children and animal protection at the federal and state levels. American Humane is approved by the Alliance of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving and received Independent Charities Seal of Excellence. Animal actor "Angus," actor Ken Kline black Labrador Retriever was presented as the "dog man" in "Capitol Law", an ABC pilot filmed in Washington, DC, and also on "Shooter" as a quadedestrian Baltimore from Federal Hill. Ken met with American Humane Film & TV Unit representative Sandi Buck on the set of "Evan Almighty" in Richmond, Virginia, where she was supervising the use of wild animals such as bears, wolves, mountain lions and on the plateau. Angus decided to stay home for this movie in particular.
