The Mental Effects on Child Actors in Playing a Role : Observations on Filming Sites and Interviews with Filming Personnel

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the psychological changes and influences of child actors depending on their role. First, we met the film producer of Dogani and discussed about the filming condition. Second, we visited filming locations during the filming of Neighborhood, when shooting of parts involving the female child actor was taking place and evaluated the emotional states of the child actor before and after she played her role. Third, we interviewed various people of the movie industry, which included adult actors, directors, a professor of films and broadcasting who was a former child actor and a scriptwriter. In case of the film Dogani, the production crew provided enough care and protection and we concluded that child actors had no psychological sequelae. After interviewing the child actor and visiting filming locations, we confirmed that the child actor was not influenced by playing certain roles. In addition, after interviewing various people related to filming, we thought that child actors might not have psychological sequelae related to the character played. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study about influences of the playing character for child actors. We concluded that playing certain roles would not have negative effects on child actors.