‘Quiet on Set’ Directors Think There Are ‘A Lot More Stories’ About Nickelodeon’s Toxic Workplace

Quiet on Set directors Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz wouldn't be surprised if more former child stars spoke out about their experience at Nickelodeon following the docuseries’ surprising revelations about the network's past toxic work environment.

"One of the goals of the series is to help spark a broader conversation around these issues. And I certainly know that there's a lot more people with a lot more stories out there," Schwartz exclusively told Us Weekly before the docuseries was released earlier this month. "And we would love to be able to keep telling those stories if more people want to speak and share."

According to Robertson, there were even details from the actors that took part in the Investigation Discovery special that didn't make the cut.

"We always hoped to create a work that was sweeping — that aimed to be definitive and complex. That said, even works that are sweeping and definitive and complex have to leave a material on the cutting room floor," she noted. "There were a lot of those that didn't make their way in."

‘Quiet on Set’ Docuseries Pulls Back the Curtain on Nickelodeon’s Past Toxic Work Environment

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV offered a platform for former child stars and crew members to open up about their negative experiences on the set of producer Dan Schneider's shows, including All That and The Amanda Show.

The on-camera interviews featured candid conversations with cast members such as Katrina Johnson, Giovonnie Samuels, Kyle Sullivan and Bryan Hearne. Drake Bell also broke his silence about being the minor involved in a sexual abuse case against dialogue coach Brian Peck, who was sentenced to 16-months in prison in 2004.

Before Quiet on Set aired on ID, Robertson and Schwartz recalled putting in the work to find people willing to discuss their time at Nickelodeon.

"That's where we really relied on basic journalistic skills. You'll take any tip and then you run it down. Is it true? Can you validate it? Can you not validate it?" Schwartz explained. "That was the practice that we tried to marry with some of the sort of speculation that had been out there. Ultimately what you have in Quiet on Set is this look at the power dynamics [and] at the way this culture has been made over decades in children's television."

Former Nickelodeon Stars Address Their Behind-the-Scenes Experience at the Network

It was important for the duo to center the docuseries around those affected by the environment at the network.

"One of the guiding philosophies for the project was that we were taking accounts and stories and experiences of people who previously had been sort of pushed into the shadows," Robertson added. "That understanding informed all of the choices that we were making as craftspeople — in addition to as journalists. It meant that when we were picking an interview, we tried to replicate spaces that were off center stage, to the side [or] behind the scenes. We really work to give the floor to those who haven't had it before."

In response to a question about releasing another installment of Quiet on Set after the overwhelming public support, Robertson told Us, "We think that there are many more stories, and certainly would treasure the opportunity to continue this reporting and storytelling."

After Quiet on Set's premiere, Nickelodeon addressed the claims made in the docuseries. “Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct," a statement to Us read.

The statement continued: "Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”

Stars of Nickelodeon’s ‘All That’: Where Are They Now? Kenan Thompson, Amanda Bynes and More

Schneider also reacted to the allegations made against him.

“Watching over the past two nights was very difficult,” he said in a YouTube video interview earlier this month with iCarly alum BooG!e. “Me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret, and I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”

Schneider said he had regrets about his behavior, adding, “I can tell you why it hurts really bad for me. I remember very clearly my early experiences [and] my first experiences in the entertainment business. I was green, I was scared, I was excited. It meant the world to me that I was getting those opportunities and I went in and I got lucky cause they were great. And the fact that I didn’t pay that forward to every employee that walked through my door, it hurts my heart cause I should have. I wish I could go back and fix that.”

All episodes of Quiet on Set are currently streaming on Max.