Delicate dilemmas: an insight into the ethics of filming with vulnerable participants

This presentation explores the process of the filmmaker obtaining consent to film participants who have a deteriorating health condition. It focuses on the filmmaker and the ethical dilemmas they face between their artistic and editorial ambitions while having a moral duty of care to their subjects. This particularly applies to the case of participants with health conditions that make it less easy for them to make informed decisions about whether or not to be filmed.

With one million people being diagnosed with dementia in the UK by 2025, filming vulnerable participants, for example, people with dementia will become an ever increasing dilemma for the creative industries.

The presentation will highlight a number of scenarios using clips from television documentaries describing the context of those situations and site other examples of filmmakers who have faced similar ethical issues. By providing an insight into the filming process, it is hoped to stimulate discussion as to what boundaries, if any, should be crossed when trying to inform and educate the public.