The issue has sprung from a culture of secrecy in the industry, where scripts are often withheld until the last moment, leaving actors unprepared for the intimate or violent nature of some scenes, according to a BBC report.
Jessica Jefferies, a professional casting director and former motion capture performer, recounted her unsettling experience to the outlet, saying: “We’d get an email or a call from a studio saying we need you on these days for a shoot. That was all the information we’d get.”
On one occasion, she said she arrived on set only to be told she would be performing a graphic rape scene.
Jessica added: “I turned up and was told what I would be filming would be a graphic rape scene. It was just purely gratuitous in my opinion.”
The performer said she refused to perform the scene, describing it as “disgusting”, especially as she was the only female on set.
She added: “There’s no nudity involved, but it’s still an act, and there’s an intimacy in that act and also a violence in this situation.”
Her concerns were eventually acknowledged, and the scene was not recorded, the BBC said.
In response to these and other stories from shocked performers over explicit video game scenes, performing arts union Equity has published guidelines on minimum pay and working conditions, specifically addressing intimate or explicit scenes.
The guidelines also cover other critical areas such as the overuse of non-disclosure agreements, safety during motion capture, avoiding vocal stress, and the use of artificial intelligence.
Some games such as last year’s ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ have taken steps to address performers' concerns over edgy scenes by employing intimacy coordinators, the industry at large has been slow to act.
Rhiannon Bevan from The Gamer said explicit scenes in games are increasingly treated with care, but the risk remains performers may not be comfortable with the work.
UKIE, the trade body for the games industry, did not directly address the treatment of performers working on explicit content.
It also stated its focus “remains on fostering a supportive environment for all stakeholders in the UK video game sector, ensuring it remains the best place to create, play, and sell video games.”
