After watching his mother die on AM

After watching his mother die on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Carl Grimes says his goodbyes and then shoots her in the head to ensure she won’t come back as a zombie. Actor Chandler Riggs was 12 at the time he played the role.

This story first appeared in the July 23, 2013 issue of Variety.
As entertainment continues to push the envelope, pundits debate how to protect the kids who watch. But what about the young actors involved in telling these increasingly extreme stories? How does the industry protect them when they are called upon to perform scenes that involve violence, sexuality and other mature content?

In the adult-oriented comicbook adaptation “Kick-Ass,” the film’s most foul-mouthed and ruthless character is a prepubescent crimefighter named Hit Girl, who delivers the line, “Okay, you c—s, let’s see what you can do now!” Chloe Grace Moretz was 11 when she shot the part, and 15 for the sequel, which opens next month.

This year’s Cannes film festival was full of international pics featuring young characters in edgy situations. In Palme d’Or winner “Blue Is the Warmest Color,” teenage actress Adele Exarchopoulos plays a 15-year-old student who experiences her first lesbian sexual experiences with an older woman. And Mexican drug-war drama “Heli” stirred controversy over a scene that depicts kids participating in a horrific torture sequence that ends with a teen drug dealer’s private parts being lit on fire.

SEE MORE: PHOTOS: Variety’s Youth Impact Report

Onstage, 13-year-old Brighid Fleming played a provocative role in the Center Theater Group production of “The Nether,” which takes place in a virtual world where real adults manipulate a teenage girl avatar. The play implies that she is a sexual object for older men and features a scene in which she is murdered with an ax — an ordeal repeated night after night for the duration of the show’s run.

According to professionals, the first thing the public must understand is that the children are acting: What they experience on-set is far different from what their characters appear to go through onscreen, heightened for viewers’ sake by body doubles, editing and other filmmaking tricks.

“You either believe it or you don’t,” says Paul Petersen, the former “Donna Reed Show” regular who founded nonprofit org A Minor Consideration to help counsel young performers about the pitfalls of celebrity (which extend to objectification offscreen, he says). “I once played a young boy in the Ford (Television) Theater where I witnessed my father hanged by the neck until dead. The impact on me as a developing child … it affected me like it really happened.”

SEE MORE: Variety Power of Youth Party Amps Kid Champs

Others insist that whatever their age, actors understand how to separate make-believe from real life, arguing that it’s not the content of the performances but the context in which the actors are raised that matters, with parents being the most important factor. As one insider put it, “You have someone like Lindsay Lohan who made ‘The Parent Trap,’ and she ends up a messed-up drug addict. And you have someone like Jodie Foster, who played a drug addict and ends up just fine.”

Tough Enough to Take It

In the case of Moretz, who also plays the title role in Stephen King remake “Carrie” this fall, those who work with the actress describe her as being unusually comfortable around tough material. Moretz started acting in 2001 and shot “The Amityville Horror” at age 6. On set, she is supported by her mother, older brother Trevor (who exec produced “Kick-Ass 2” and doubles as her acting coach) and longtime teacher Sissie Torrance.

According to “Kick-Ass 2” director Jeff Wadlow, “Her EQ is off the charts. Her innate understanding of emotions is just mind-boggling.” Considering Moretz’s maturity level, the helmer felt it was important to treat her the same way he dealt with his adult cast. “When it came to particularly violent things her character would have to do, I feel like it’s a disservice to the actor not to loop them in,” he says. “If you’ve created a safe environment where the actor can ask questions and we can talk about what’s happening in an honest fashion, I think that’s ultimately a lot more beneficial to the actor’s growth and the effort to protect them as a minor than it would be to hide what’s going on from them.”

When it comes to legal restrictions around working with minors, safety is the paramount concern, especially with regard to stunts.

SEE MORE: Variety Youth Impact Report

Other considerations vary from state to state, with California having some of the strictest child labor laws in the country. Nudity is absolutely forbidden, regardless of context (that “Man of Steel” scene featuring naked baby Clark Kent had to be shot in Vancouver). Real cigarettes are forbidden on set. And the number of hours a minor works is rigidly enforced (on “Kick-Ass 2,” Wadlow designed his coverage so he could complete it without Moretz if needed — a trick he learned from producer Bill Bannerman on “Never Back Down”).

But when it comes to moral content, the labor commission leaves it to the discretion of parents. “The parent is No. 1 in the children’s lives. They have to decide what’s best for them,” says Coast to Coast agent Meredith Fine, who takes pride in matching her clients to appropriate material. Fine reps three of the young actresses in the R-rated haunted-house chiller “The Conjuring,” but insists, “It wasn’t scary on set because there are lots of people protecting the kids.”

In other cases, something as innocuous as a Nickelodeon or Disney Channel series may cross a child actor’s comfort line. “I do have clients who pass on projects because the material is too scary for them, or because a young girl is not ready to have her first kiss onscreen,” Fine says. “You have to recognize what makes sense for your child. I think the success of these kids is that they have a good support team around them.”

The Last Line of Defense

In addition to parents or guardians, the law dictates that a social worker be present on set whenever minors are involved, usually in the form of unionized studio teachers. Because the production pays that additional salary, “They combine this role into one: I’m a teacher, social worker and lawyer,” says Tom O’Flaherty, the studio teacher on “The Nether.” “The parents are the first one to make the decision if they want their kid to do this type of role, and then we’re there as a support system for the kid and for the family, to make sure they’re comfortable, safe and taken care of in every aspect. We’re the watchdogs.”

With “The Nether,” O’Flaherty was hired by the production early on, giving input during rewrites and planning so playwright Jennifer Haley could portray the show’s predatory virtual world without putting teenage Fleming at physical risk. As for the emotional demands, “The actress was very aware of the material,” O’Flaherty says. “She had done a lot of TV and film, so she had an idea how to portray a role like this.”

SEE MORE: PHOTOS: Up-and-Coming Young Talent: Variety Youth Impact Report

“The Walking Dead” exec producer Gale Anne Hurd felt similarly confident about working with Riggs, whom she describes as “an actor, not just a child actor,” explaining, “A lot of child actors essentially play versions of themselves, but if they need to go to a deeply emotional place or do something that they themselves in real life wouldn’t do, they have trouble performing those scenes.”

Riggs had a chance to work his way up to the mom-killing scene over the course of three seasons. The young actor and his parents (who are both teachers) were familiar with the graphic novel and always received scripts, so there were never any surprises.

“You know going in that a lot of these characters are going to have a short shelf life,” says Chandler’s father, William. (The pilot featured a zombie girl being shot in the forehead.) “It’s always very sad when we lose a cast member. We just talk our way through it. He has always understood that it’s all pretend, but it’s still difficult because Sarah Wayne Callies was very good to Chandler, and she treated him as a surrogate mom on the set.”

Problems most frequently arise when productions are unclear with parents about what a given role entails, says Children in Film founder Toni Casala. “It’s intimidating for parents (to object) because they’re afraid their kids may never work in this town again. The less experience they’ve had in the industry, the more they’re willing to endure,” says Casala, who points out that productions can make their content as extreme as they like because there’s always some parent willing to sign their kids up for the role. “Child performers don’t really have a say unless their parents make them team players.”

Petersen takes an even more extreme view, citing the thousands of girls who auditioned for Adrian Lyne’s “Lolita” remake, knowing the effect the (less explicit) original had on Sue Lyon: “Remember, children are chattle (under the law). They belong to the parent, no different than a slave. Bad parental choices have consequences.”

For first-time child actors taking small parts, the parents and studio teachers may not have access to the full script. In other cases, masking the full nature of the role is the best way to protect the young performers. That’s how Mexican helmer Amat Escalante — who won director honors at Cannes for “Heli” — staged the film’s shocking torture scene, by clearly explaining to the 11-year-old extra and his parents that the young performer would be instructed to paddle an actor whose backside was exposed, then walk off set with his eyes closed (he would then hear screaming as the tortured actor’s genitals were lit on fire via a computer-generated effect).

“We try to make it a fun atmosphere and to relieve t

Resultados (Português) 1:

After watching his mother die on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Carl Grimes says his goodbyes and then shoots her in the head to ensure she won’t come back as a zombie. Actor Chandler Riggs was 12 at the time he played the role.This story first appeared in the July 23, 2013 issue of Variety.As entertainment continues to push the envelope, pundits debate how to protect the kids who watch. But what about the young actors involved in telling these increasingly extreme stories? How does the industry protect them when they are called upon to perform scenes that involve violence, sexuality and other mature content?In the adult-oriented comicbook adaptation “Kick-Ass,” the film’s most foul-mouthed and ruthless character is a prepubescent crimefighter named Hit Girl, who delivers the line, “Okay, you c—s, let’s see what you can do now!” Chloe Grace Moretz was 11 when she shot the part, and 15 for the sequel, which opens next month.This year’s Cannes film festival was full of international pics featuring young characters in edgy situations. In Palme d’Or winner “Blue Is the Warmest Color,” teenage actress Adele Exarchopoulos plays a 15-year-old student who experiences her first lesbian sexual experiences with an older woman. And Mexican drug-war drama “Heli” stirred controversy over a scene that depicts kids participating in a horrific torture sequence that ends with a teen drug dealer’s private parts being lit on fire.Veja mais: Fotos: juventude do variedade relatório de impactoNo palco, 13 anos Brighid Fleming papel provocante na produção do grupo de teatro centro de "The Nether," que tem lugar em um mundo virtual onde adultos reais manipulam um avatar de adolescente. O jogo implica que ela é um objeto sexual para os homens mais velhos e apresenta uma cena em que foi morta com um machado — um calvário repete noite após noite para corrida com a duração do show.De acordo com profissionais, a primeira coisa que o público deve compreender é que as crianças a agir: o que eles experimentam em conjunto é muito diferente do que seus personagens parecem passar na tela, agravada por causa dos telespectadores pelo corpo duplas, cinema de edição e outra truques."Você quer acreditar ou não," diz Paul Petersen, o antigo "Donna Reed Show" regular que fundou a organização sem fins lucrativos org A menor consideração para ajudar jovens artistas de conselhos sobre as armadilhas da celebridade (que estendem a objetivação fora da tela, ele diz). "Eu joguei uma vez um jovem rapaz no Teatro Ford (televisão) onde testemunhei meu pai pendurado pelo pescoço até morrer. O impacto em mim como uma criança em desenvolvimento... isso me afetou como se realmente tivesse acontecido."Veja mais: Poder de variedade de amplificadores de partido da juventude Kid ChampsOutros insistem que seja qual for sua idade, atores entendem como separar o imaginário da vida real, argumentando que não é o conteúdo das performances, mas o contexto em que os atores são gerados que importa, com os pais, sendo o fator mais importante. Tal como um "insider", "você tem alguém como Lindsay Lohan que fez 'Armadilha do pai', e ela acaba um viciado em drogas confusa. E você tem alguém como Jodie Foster, que interpretou um viciado em drogas e acaba muito bem."Forte o suficiente para levá-loNo caso de Moretz, que também interpreta o papel-título no remake de Stephen King "Carrie" esta queda, aqueles que trabalham com a atriz descrevem-la como sendo excepcionalmente confortável ao redor de material resistente. Moretz começou a atuar em 2001 e tiro "The Amityville Horror" 6 anos de idade. No conjunto, ela é suportada pelo seu irmão mais velho, mãe Trevor (que produziu o exec "Kick-Ass 2" e duplas como seu treinador interino) e professor de longa data Sissie Torrance.De acordo com "Kick-Ass 2" Diretor Jeff Wadlow, "seu EQ é fora de série. Sua compreensão inata de emoções é simplesmente incompreensível." Tendo em conta o nível de maturidade do Moretz, o helmer senti que era importante para tratá-la da mesma maneira que ele tratou com seu elenco de adulto. "Quando se tratava de coisas particularmente violentas sua personagem teria que fazer, sinto que é um desserviço para o ator não fazer loop-los," diz ele. "Se você criou um ambiente seguro onde o ator pode fazer perguntas e podemos falar sobre o que está acontecendo de uma forma honesta, acho que é em última análise, muito mais benéfica para o crescimento do ator e o esforço para protegê-los como menor do que seria para esconder o que está acontecendo com eles."Quando se trata de restrições legais ao redor de trabalhar com os menores, a segurança é a preocupação primordial, especialmente em matéria de acrobacias.Veja mais: Variedade juventude relatório de impactoOutras considerações variam de estado para estado, com a Califórnia, tendo algumas das mais rigorosas leis do trabalho infantil no país. Nudez é absolutamente proibido, independentemente do contexto (essa cena de "Homem de aço" com o bebé nu, que Clark Kent teve que ser filmado em Vancouver). Cigarros de verdade são proibidos em conjunto. E o número de horas trabalhadas de um menor é rigidamente aplicado (em "Kick-Ass 2," Wadlow projetado sua cobertura, para que ele pudesse concluí-lo sem Moretz, se necessário — um truque que aprendeu com o produtor Bill Bannerman sobre "Nunca voltar para baixo").Mas quando se trata de conteúdo moral, a Comissão de trabalho deixa ao critério dos pais. "O pai é n º 1 nas vidas das crianças. Têm que decidir o que é melhor para eles,"diz agente de costa a costa Meredith Fine, que se orgulha de correspondência a seus clientes com material apropriado. Belas representantes de três das jovens atrizes no refrigerador de casa mal-assombrada R-rated "The Conjuring", mas insiste, "Não foi assustador em conjunto porque há muitas pessoas a proteger as crianças."Em outros casos, algo tão inócuo como uma série da Nickelodeon ou Disney Channel pode cruzar a linha de conforto de um ator criança. "Eu tenho clientes que passam em projetos porque o material é muito assustador para eles ou porque uma jovem não está pronta para tê-la primeiro beijo na tela", diz Fine. "Você tem que reconhecer o que faz sentido para o seu filho. Acho que o sucesso destas crianças é que eles têm uma equipe de suporte bom em torno deles."A última linha de defesaIn addition to parents or guardians, the law dictates that a social worker be present on set whenever minors are involved, usually in the form of unionized studio teachers. Because the production pays that additional salary, “They combine this role into one: I’m a teacher, social worker and lawyer,” says Tom O’Flaherty, the studio teacher on “The Nether.” “The parents are the first one to make the decision if they want their kid to do this type of role, and then we’re there as a support system for the kid and for the family, to make sure they’re comfortable, safe and taken care of in every aspect. We’re the watchdogs.”With “The Nether,” O’Flaherty was hired by the production early on, giving input during rewrites and planning so playwright Jennifer Haley could portray the show’s predatory virtual world without putting teenage Fleming at physical risk. As for the emotional demands, “The actress was very aware of the material,” O’Flaherty says. “She had done a lot of TV and film, so she had an idea how to portray a role like this.”SEE MORE: PHOTOS: Up-and-Coming Young Talent: Variety Youth Impact Report“The Walking Dead” exec producer Gale Anne Hurd felt similarly confident about working with Riggs, whom she describes as “an actor, not just a child actor,” explaining, “A lot of child actors essentially play versions of themselves, but if they need to go to a deeply emotional place or do something that they themselves in real life wouldn’t do, they have trouble performing those scenes.”
Riggs had a chance to work his way up to the mom-killing scene over the course of three seasons. The young actor and his parents (who are both teachers) were familiar with the graphic novel and always received scripts, so there were never any surprises.

“You know going in that a lot of these characters are going to have a short shelf life,” says Chandler’s father, William. (The pilot featured a zombie girl being shot in the forehead.) “It’s always very sad when we lose a cast member. We just talk our way through it. He has always understood that it’s all pretend, but it’s still difficult because Sarah Wayne Callies was very good to Chandler, and she treated him as a surrogate mom on the set.”

Problems most frequently arise when productions are unclear with parents about what a given role entails, says Children in Film founder Toni Casala. “It’s intimidating for parents (to object) because they’re afraid their kids may never work in this town again. The less experience they’ve had in the industry, the more they’re willing to endure,” says Casala, who points out that productions can make their content as extreme as they like because there’s always some parent willing to sign their kids up for the role. “Child performers don’t really have a say unless their parents make them team players.”

Petersen takes an even more extreme view, citing the thousands of girls who auditioned for Adrian Lyne’s “Lolita” remake, knowing the effect the (less explicit) original had on Sue Lyon: “Remember, children are chattle (under the law). They belong to the parent, no different than a slave. Bad parental choices have consequences.”

For first-time child actors taking small parts, the parents and studio teachers may not have access to the full script. In other cases, masking the full nature of the role is the best way to protect the young performers. That’s how Mexican helmer Amat Escalante — who won director honors at Cannes for “Heli” — staged the film’s shocking torture scene, by clearly explaining to the 11-year-old extra and his parents that the young performer would be instructed to paddle an actor whose backside was exposed, then walk off set with his eyes closed (he would then hear screaming as the tortured actor’s genitals were lit on fire via a computer-generated effect).

“We try to make it a fun atmosphere and to relieve t

Resultados (Português) 3:

Depois de ver SUA mãe morrer no AMC, "the walking dead", Carl Grimes diz Adeus e depois atira Na cabeça dela para garantir que ELA não VAI Voltar Como um Morto - vivo.O ator Chandler Riggs tinha 12 Anos Na época, ele desempenhou o Papel.

esta história apareceu PELA primeira vez EM 23 de julho de 2013 a questão Da variedade.
Como Entretenimento continua a empurrar o envelope, O paulistano debate Como PROTEGER as crianças que assistem.MAS o que OS jovens atores envolvidos EM contar estas histórias cadA vez Mais extremos?Como é que a indústria protegê - Los quando são chamados a realizar cenas que envolvem violência, sexualidade e outros conteúdo adulto?

o do adulto para comicbook adaptação "kick ass," O Filme Mais esfarrapado e implacável caráter é UMA pré - adolescente crimefighter chamado hit girl.Quem oferece a Linha, "OK, você C-S, vamos ver o que você Pode fazer Agora!"Chloe grace Moretz tinha 11 Anos Quando ELA atingiu a parte, e 15 para a sequela, que abre no próximo mês.

este ano do Festival de cinema de Cannes FOI Cheia de fotos com personagens jovens EM nervoso Internacional de situações.A Palma de Ouro vencedor "Azul é a cor Mais Quente,"Teenage actress Adele exarchopoulos desempenha um estudante de 15 Anos que vive SUA primeira experiência sexual lésbica com UMA mulher Mais velha.E de drogas Mexicano "Heli", drama sobre a Guerra criou controvérsia sobre UMA cena que Mostra crianças participando de UMA terrível Tortura sequência que termina com um adolescente traficante Da partes Privadas sendo incendiada.

Veja Mais: fotos: variedade de Juventude do relatório de Impacto

No Palco, de 13 Anos Brighid Fleming desempenhou um Papel provocatório no Centro do Grupo de Teatro a produção do "exterior", que TEM Lugar EM um Mundo virtual ONDE verdadeiros adultos manipular UMA adolescente avatar.O Jogo IMPLICA que ELA é um objeto sexual para Homens Mais velhos e apresenta UMA cena EM que ELA é assassinada com um Machado - experiência repetida, Noite após Noite, Durante o programa do IR.

Segundo OS profissionais, a primeira coisa que o público deve entender é que as crianças estão atuando:O que a experiência no set é Muito diferente do que seus personagens parecem IR PELA tela, maior para OS telespectadores de Deus pelos duplos, edição e outros truques de filmagem.

"Ou você acredita ou não", diz Paulo Petersen,O ex - "Donna Reed show" normal que fundou a nonprofit ORG menor conta para ajudar jovens artistas sobre as Armadilhas do advogado de Celebridades (que estender a objetivação offscreen, diz ELE)."UMA vez EU joguei um rapaz Na Ford (televisão) Teatro ONDE VI MEU Pai Morto por enforcamento.O Impacto sobre MIM, Como UMA criança EM Desenvolvimento afectou - me Como realmente Aconteceu. "

Veja Mais: variedade Ao poder Da Juventude parte champs

outros amps Filho insistir que independentemente Da SUA idade, atores Como separar ilusórios Da Vida real, alegando que não é o conteúdo Das apresentações, MAS o contexto EM que OS atores são levantadas questões que,Com OS Pais, sendo o fator Mais importante.Como um insider diz, "você TEM alguém Como a Lindsay Lohan, que Fez a parent trap, e ELA Acaba UMA asneira, viciada EM drogas.E você TEM alguém Como a Jodie Foster, que jogou um viciado EM drogas e Acaba BEM "



Duro o suficiente para levá - Lo EM CaSO de Moretz, que também interpreta o Papel - título EM Stephen King remake" Carrie "Neste outono,Quem trabalha com a atriz descreve - a Como sendo Muito confortável EM material resistente.Moretz começou atuando EM 2001 e Tiro "Amityville Horror" AOS 6 Anos de idade.No set, ELA é apoiada por SUA mãe, irmão Mais Velho de Trevor (exec produced "Kick Ass 2" e também Como Professor e Antigo professor querida Torrance.

Segundo "Kick Ass 2" director Jeff Wadlow,"O EQ é fora de série.A SUA inata a compreensão de emoções é Alucinante ". Considerando Moretz do Grau de maturidade, O Helmer considerou importante tratá - La Da mesma forma que lidava com o Elenco adulto."Quando CheGou a SEU caráter particularmente violento teria de fazer, EU Sinto que é um desserviço para o ator não loop - Los", diz ele."Se você criou um Ambiente Seguro ONDE o ator Pode fazer perguntas e nós podemos falar sobre o que está acontecendo com honestidade, EU acho que isso é, EM última análise, Muito Mais benéfica para o crescimento do ator e o esforço para protegê - Los Como menor do que seria para esconder o que está acontecendo com eles."

Quando se trata de restrições Legais à Volta a trabalhar com menores,A segurança é a principal preocupação, especialmente no que diz respeito às sensações.

Veja Mais: variedade de relatório de Impacto

Juventude outras considerações variam de estado para estado, califórnia com algumas Das Mais estritas Leis de trabalho Infantil no país.A nudez é absolutamente Proibido, independentemente do contexto ("O homem de aço" cena de Nu baby Clark Kent teve de ser filmado EM Vancouver).Verdadeiros cigarros são proibidos no set.E o número de Horas por trabalhos menores é rigorosamente aplicada (EM "Kick Ass 2, Wadlow desenhou SUA cobertura para que ele pudesse concluí - Lo SEM Moretz se necessário - um Truque que aprendeu do produtor bill Bannerman" Nunca desistir ").

, MAS Quando se trata de conteúdo moral, O trabalho Da comissão deixa a critério DOS Pais."O Pai.