We’ve established that it’s not ok to touch models, and why. There are several specific occasions when touching a model is appropriate:
- A greeting at the start of the day;
- A model-initiated farewell touch;
- As part of a pre-agreed Shoot Plan, approved by the Creative Director; and
- Saving a model’s life.
Greeting the model at the start of the day is ok
It’s always appropriate to offer models a handshake when you first meet them, or meet them again after a time apart (for example, on their first shoot, and the second shoot a few weeks later).
This is professional and appropriate in the context. Make eye contact, say your name slowly. A single-handed handshake is appropriate, with no additional gestures like kissing her hand.
A model-initiated farewell touch is ok
Shoot days can be powerful emotional experiences shared with the Shoot Producer and some models may initiate a farewell hug.
It’s appropriate to return the hug as a human, while keeping your pelvis separate from the model, and to disengage as soon as the model does.
It’s never appropriate for the Shoot Producer to initiate a hug at the end of a shoot day (most models will perceive this simply as trying to “cop a feel”).
Touching as part of a pre-agreed Shoot Plan or Shoot Type is ok
Some occasional shoot types involve the Shoot Producer physically touching models. One example are shoots made by Guest Shoot Producers, who are sometimes models. Model-touching might be part of the Shoot Plan, that has been agreed to with the model before the shoot day and approved by the Creative Director on a shoot-by-shoot basis.
There are never exceptions for the standard Shoot Types (Solo, Girl-Girl, Girl-Boy, Intimate Moments, Guest Direction).
Touching to save a model’s life is ok
It’s appropriate to touch the model in life-saving situations, for example;
- Giving CPR when the model is not breathing or her heart is not beating;
- Administering back slaps or a Heimlich manoeuvre to dislodge stuck food;
- Dragging the model to safety after she was swept away by the rapids on a river shoot;
- Pulling the model out of the way of a speeding car that was about to hit her;
- Applying pressure to a seriously bleeding wound;
- Carrying the model from a burning building.
In these life-saving situations, there are still potential issues: women have complained about rescuers being “too handsy” even while saving their lives! We accept that risk, weighing it as less-important than saving the model’s life.
Touching the model for these actual life-and-death situations is acceptable, but for lower-impact things, touching the model is not ok. Following on from our previous examples;
- The model coughing after eating a corn chip is not a reason to rub her back to “help her swallow” is not appropriate;
- Taking the model’s hand to run across a busy road is not appropriate;
- Washing dirt from her grazed knee is not necessary;
- Throwing a bucket of water on a campfire that got too big does not require carrying the model away from the fire.
If there is any doubt about if touching is appropriate or not, a Shoot Producer must not touch the model.
It’s not ok to touch models.