Casting, Professional Standards & Boundaries in the Vertical Drama Industry
Professional Standards Exist For A Reason
Professional standards exist for a reason. They are there to protect everyone.
I worked as a PA to a dog trainer for a few years. When we started, her terms and conditions for clients were pretty short. By the end, they were a lot longer — because we had to write in things we never would have considered, but people actually did. Electric shock collars for their dogs, for example. Yep. We literally had to outlaw that.
And honestly, that is how many professional standards, guidelines, and codes of conduct develop. Not because people enjoy creating rules. But because over years, problems arise. Issues emerge. Boundaries get crossed. Harm happens. And systems slowly develop in response to those experiences.
The Vertical Drama Industry Has Grown Extremely Fast
It’s complicated. Vertical dramas have developed incredibly quickly partly because they haven’t been restricted by certain rules, regulations, and structures that exist elsewhere in entertainment. nd a huge amount of people working in this industry are kind, caring, considerate people who go above and beyond to look after each other. I genuinely believe that.
But as with every industry, issues still exist.
People not behaving professionally.
Blurred boundaries.
Grey areas.
Power imbalances.
People being put into situations ranging from uncomfortable to outright dangerous.
And as the vertical drama industry continues to grow — and we all want it to flourish — these conversations are inevitably going to be looked at more closely. Because everybody working in this industry deserves to feel safe at work. They deserve to have boundaries. They deserve to be able to say no. And still thrive and build successful careers.
Casting Holds Enormous Power & Responsibility
Casting directors are finally beginning to receive the recognition they deserve for the crucial role they play in a project’s success — reflected in the introduction of the Academy Award for Achievement in Casting. Casting sits at the centre of one of the most competitive industries in the world. For e very role, there are thousands of actors hoping this might be the opportunity that changes their life.
Casting decisions can:
launch careers
create financial stability
open doors
create opportunities
change somebody’s future entirely
And equally, not being chosen can close those same doors.
That is a huge amount of influence for anybody to hold. The phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” is overused sometimes — but here, it genuinely applies. Because whenever one side holds opportunity, and the other side needs it, there is always potential for imbalance. Even without bad intentions.
Blurred Boundaries In Modern Entertainment
The rise of social media has blurred the lines between:
fans
influencers
bloggers
press
casting professionals
producers
talent scouts
And that creates entirely new grey areas. Entertainment industries are built on networking and relationships. That in itself is not wrong.
But there is a very important difference between:
a professional meeting within a clear work context
andemotional or social pressure surrounding access, opportunity, or influence
Many creatives entering vertical dramas are young. Many are eager to succeed. Many are unsure what is “normal” industry behaviour. And because verticals are still developing structurally, there are often fewer established safeguards or clearer professional systems than exist in more traditional entertainment spaces.
That can create situations where people feel pressured into:
private meetings
coffees
constant messaging
social interactions outside professional expectations
tolerating behaviour that makes them uncomfortable
Creatives should never feel they have to:
flirt
maintain personal relationships
give emotional attention
be permanently available
tolerate inappropriate behaviour
in order to protect their career.
Why Professional Bodies & Codes Of Conduct Matter
This is exactly why professional bodies exist. To protect everybody. Both creatives and industry professionals.
Bodies such as:
Casting Directors' Guild
have developed codes of conduct, professional guidelines, and safeguarding standards over many years in response to real industry issues.
These guidelines exist to:
protect actors
protect casting professionals
create transparency
reduce exploitation
establish professional expectations
create safer working environments
For example, guidelines from Equity and the Casting Directors’ Guild explicitly state that online auditions:
must not request performers undress
must not request simulated sex acts
should maintain professional recruitment standards
should not distribute taped material without consent
and if abuse occurs, people should contact the police.
Those rules exist because historically, problems occurred.
That is how safeguarding evolves.
Accountability, Reflection & Industry Growth
It’s also something I personally think about a lot as my platform has grown. I do not have formal qualifications in this space. But I am aware I now hold a degree of influence. And because of that, I believe it is incredibly important to approach things thoughtfully, fairly, carefully, and kindly.
To think through ramifications.
To reflect.
To listen.
To stay accountable.
And honestly, I think everybody in positions of influence within entertainment should probably be doing the same.
Because we have seen repeatedly across the wider entertainment industry what happens when blurred boundaries, silence, imbalance, and lack of accountability go unchecked for too long. The Me Too movement did not emerge in a vacuum. It exposed patterns of behaviour, power imbalances, coercion, and exploitation that had often been normalised, dismissed, or left unchallenged for years.
And exploitation does not only affect women.
Men, non-binary performers, vulnerable newcomers, and people trying to build careers in highly competitive industries can all find themselves in situations where boundaries become blurred and saying “no” no longer feels simple.
Often, these situations do not begin with something overtly dangerous.
Sometimes it starts with:
subtle pressure
emotional obligation
blurred professional boundaries
“this is just how the industry works”
fear of being labelled difficult
fear of losing opportunities
Which is exactly why professionalism, accountability, safeguarding, and clear boundaries matter so much as the vertical drama industry continues to grow.
The Future Of Casting In Vertical Dramas
This industry creates extraordinary opportunities. It gives people careers. It tells stories. It changes lives. And the vast majority of casting directors, production teams, creatives, and industry professionals are working with integrity, care, professionalism, and genuine passion.
I know there are a huge amount of wonderful people out there working incredibly hard to ensure this industry grows in a healthy way. My hope is that as the vertical drama industry continues to expand, professionalism, responsibility, safeguarding, and respect grow alongside it. Because as this industry grows, the creatives building it deserve the very best too.