We received an anxious telephone call recently from an actress who had been cast in a non-union student film, and she wanted to know how she should "professionally" handle the issue of nudity. Good question. The bottom line is that, while nudity may be artistically justified, an actress-- particularly one who is working on a non-union project -- needs to be above all concerned about her safety.

The best way to assure a trouble free situation is to demand that there be other women on the set whenever scenes involving nudity are being shot. Even better, take a friend to the set with you. Though most directors handle the requirement of nudity sensitively and professionally, we have seen unfortunate exceptions.

The first red flag would be if the director intimates that nudity just comes with the turf, that all professional actresses are expected to do it. That's not so. The second red flag would be if the director paints himself as a broad-minded adult who is just looking to work with other broad-minded adults. A film is theoretically a work of art, not a love-in or a substitute for a weekend at Esalen.

A couple of years ago, a film maker in the South Bay started auditioning actresses for a movie that involved strippers. Guess what he wanted to see at the auditions? Guess which film never got made? We are not suggesting that nudity is a horror story to be rejected out of hand. However, we want to make it emphatically clear that it is okay -- and thoroughly PROFESSIONAL -- to approach the prospect of nudity with caution.

Whether it be at an audition or on the job, when directors start asking actors to disrobe, a whole new set of rules comes into play. Screen Actors Guild has specific guidelines to protect actors, but non-union performers are on their own.