APPEARANCE OF CHILDREN IN MOVIE AND PICTU RE PRODUCTION - LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES

Within the expanding areas of media production more and more children are engaged in respective film and photo production. German law strict ly bans all children under three form participating in media productio n. This is due to the general prohibition of child labour as fixed in German Youth Law. Nevertheless, as to achieve media products as reflec tions of real life, a participation of children seems to be essential. The control of such engagement of children in media production should include inspection of the living conditions of the respective childre n, especially parental education and the motives of the parents for se nding their children to the media. The attitudes of parents can even b e more harmful to children than the stress within film and photo produ ction.