The Polaris Approach to Film & TV Production Protection

The on-set experience has irrevocably changed in the age of social media. In addition to the logistical challenges of any shoot, stars, producers, directors, and crewmembers must navigate rabid fans, paparazzi, threats of violence, and other on-set incidents, which, if left unattended, could devastate the production and its team. 

Polaris offers a range of services to ensure a risk-ready set, including sophisticated intelligence monitoring, accessible project management, reliable physical security, secure travel protection, and thorough compliance and workplace misconduct reporting. Polaris’ team, moreover, has years of experience managing similarly high-profile events and locales. For more on our services, please read on. 

Sophisticated Intel Support

Fanbases can grow protective of a star’s image and perception – often to a degree of obsession. Rabid fans can develop one (1)-sided – and often proprietary and toxic – fixations on public figures. Misguided parasocial relationships can be “dangerous,” and may even escalate into stalking. To anticipate and mitigate these risks, Polaris can deploy sophisticated intel monitors to assess chatter impacting the Client across social/open media and the Deep/Dark Web. 

Dedicated Risk Manager

The Polaris model offers clients an integrated, direct approach to risk management, assigning a dedicated risk manager to each set that then reports to production and/or business personnel. The risk manager executes incident reports of notable events on set and ensures that any remedial actions are implemented, or recommended up the chain of command; this translates to a more practical and engaged understanding of the production’s risk profile. 

On-Set Security

Polaris is a trusted provider of protective services, with a proven track-record in high-risk, high-profile productions. Our Agents are attentive and alert, ensuring comprehensive coverage and timely emergency response; in the event of any threat to the cast, crew or on-set executives, Polaris Agents have the practical skills and strategies needed to navigate any crisis. Agents may be armed or unarmed, according to the Client’s needs and local laws. 

Secure Transport

Your risks extend beyond set, especially as viral contagions put stars and public figures – frequent targets of crowds and unwanted contact – at greater risk. To mitigate these off-set risks, Polaris offers discreet, best-in-class vehicles, driven by security-trained drivers – either armed or unarmed, depending on the Client’s needs. These Polaris Agents ensure that key personnel are protected when navigating congested populations or paparazzi. 

Anonymous Compliance Reporting

Polaris offers anonymous reporting services in partnership with Ethics Suite. We mediate between employees and employers, helping to promote compliant, accountable workplaces. Ethics Suite’s services – especially when used in conjunction with Polaris’ own investigative capabilities – help clients identify, investigate and resolve alleged misconduct, fraud, theft and more. Whistleblowers are assured safety and anonymity, facilitating just treatment.

Polaris CEO Steve Ward’s Approach to Film/TV Services

Polaris’ dedication to the Client starts at our highest level, with CEO Steve Ward. Steve helps clients address global risks and company-specific vulnerabilities. Steve founded Polaris to provide what he believed these companies lacked: holistic and scalable solutions built for specific risks and clients. 

Having previously covered dozens of red-carpet events, film premieres, productions and large-scale festivals like Sundance, Steve has significant insight into the security workings of entertainment events. Steve sat down to answer some frequently asked questions about Polaris’ coverage, and, more specifically, Polaris’ approach to TV/Film Production Protection. 

Should you have any questions not answered here, please reach out to info@polarisrsk.com. 

What do you see as the most urgent on-set risks today?

“I think that – especially post-Pandemic – we can expect to see an uptick in violent threats and targeting from obsessive individuals. Recent economic, social, and political hardships have affected the entire world, but they show themselves differently in different people. When a person is predisposed to violence, for example, these stressing circumstances can push them to act on their worst impulses.”

Public figures face countless threats online. How do these threats affect Polaris’ coverage?

“Polaris has considerable experience tracking and assessing online threats. The experts on our Intelligence Team can customize a social media monitoring program to capture threats against specific stars or executives, or even against the production as a whole. We then analyze these threats to determine the Client’s level of risk, identifying the poster, their location and any criminal history. If necessary, we will issue alerts to our on-set team identifying the harassers, for easier identification and tighter access control.”

Out of all of the capable security providers available, why Polaris?
“We like to call it the “Polaris Difference.” This refers to our scalability – our ability to meet the specific needs of specific Clients – as well as our adaptability. Some of the larger firms are slow to make the micro-adjustments that can lead to better Client coverage, and some of the smaller, boutique firms have trouble scaling as risks rise. Polaris represents a middle ground: small enough to stay nimble, but still capable of rising to larger challenges. 

Read the PDF: 8.-The-Polaris-Approach-to-Film-TV-Production-Protection.pdf