Am I the only one to be chocked when reading Chris Snyder’s article « Here's how they make babies cry in TV and movies »?*
A so-called baby wrangler, E. H., uses a special technique to make a baby cry on command: she starts to cry herself and the baby will start to cry. She explains that when a baby, even an infant, hears another baby cry, the infant or the baby will start to cry themselves, adding « it is an example of empathy ». It's pretty instantaneous and her success rate is 100 percent. She says she has heard of other baby wranglers using questionable techniques like placing bad odors in front of the child or making a loud noise. But according to the lady, these sorts of methods may be harmful to the child, and should be avoided.
Shouldn’t it rather be avoided to use any crying babies at all in TV and movies? How can one be sure the infant cries because of empathy? If you put a few actors in a crowded place and ask them to suddenly start running and screaming. I am pretty sure the experiment will lead to a crowd’s movement. If you ask the people afterwards, I would be very surprised to hear they followed the crowd's movement out of empathy. Likewise, wouldn’t it rather be because babies are afraid and don’t feel safe that they start crying when hearing and seeing someone starting to cry? As E. H. herself says, when she stops crying and assures the baby that everything is safe, that she is okay, that they are ok, then the baby will stop crying. Isn’t it twisted to first make the babies believe they are not safe, then assure them they are, once the scene is shot?
« Babies cry all the time », as goes the saying. Is that any reason to make them cry once more for entertainment? Especially when other ways exist, like using dolls. Thanks to the evolution of technologies, dolls are highly realistic nowadays. And if the film makers insist on having a real baby on set, they can always choose not to show the baby’s face and play the record of a baby crying in a daily-life situation. A growing number of film makers use these methods.
As explained on Leche League’s website**, « the widely practiced technique of controlled crying is not consistent with infants’ and toddlers’ needs for optimal emotional and psychological health and may have unintended negative consequences.
Crying is a signal of distress or discomfort, either psychological or physical. Letting babies cry, even for a short period of time, without comforting them may be a source of anxiety. »
I know there is a debate on wether one should let a baby cry or not. And doctors or care-givers will have a good case on both sides, but what about marketing this practice for television and movies? For entertainment…?!?
I don’t think this practice is fair for the children. So I won’t buy anymore dvd or movie tickets as long as I don’t have the guarantee that the film maker didn’t leave babies and toddlers crying it out on set. And if movie makers don’t think it appropriate to generalize the disclaimer I suggest: "No babies or toddlers were harmed during the making of this film », I ask them to mention at least the warning : « Babies and toddlers were led and left to cry it out during the making of this film ». At least I would be able to make an informed choice.
What about you?
*
(consulted 25 April 2020)
**
(consulted 25 April 2020)
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