What does 'No Animals Were Harmed' actually certify?
Some films with animal performers end with the credit: 'No Animals Were Harmed.' That familiar phrase is actually a registered trademark belonging to a specific certification program, raising an interesting question about what on-set monitors actually check, and what happens outside the camera frame.
Questions you could explore
- Which parts of a production can an on-set record establish, and which require reviewing the finished film?
- What is the scope of the certification, and what kinds of claims about animal welfare go beyond it?
Start reading
- American Humane SocietyHow to Certify a Production
The certifier describes script review, animal safety representatives, and the final screening required before certification.
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