I know of at least one contestant that has been waiting for Release Forms … well they’re here – finally.

I’ve uploaded 4 forms for your use. Which one you use depends on what or who is being filmed or used.

For people who appear in your production there are two forms.

• For adults you need to get them to sign the Standard Release Form.
• If you are filming minors (children or teenagers) you need to get their parents (or legal guardians) to sign the Minor Release Form.

More things appear in videos than just people … there’s places and sometimes there’s music or artworks or pictures. And often these are not things you have created or own, so to keep it all strictly legal and above board we asks that you get signed releases for these as well.

If you are shooting on a location that is somebody’s private property that is not your own you should get their permission in writing on the Location Release Form.

If you are including material created by another person or company (like an artwork, pictures or music) you should get their permission in writing using the Material Release Form.

You might think this is just paperwork that you can skip or do later – please don’t keep thinking that. Get the permission in writing before you shoot anything or anyone or you might find that permission may be hard to get later. If they refuse to sign afterwards you have to go and do it again with someone, place or thing later and that just adds work to your project. Worse – you might later on end up using some of that material you gathered that you didn’t get releases for. That might get you (and us) in trouble – that’s bad especially since this is a non-profit, community spirited project. So we will be asking to see these things in order to allow your entry in the contest.

Not sure if something needs a release? A simple rule to follow is: get one signed anyway.

Another positive thing that these forms add is they force you to think about details that you might not otherwise consider going into the project (or shoot). And you know what they say about details, don’t you? Those are the things that come back to bite you later if you do not take care of them up front.
One of those details is this: What is your movie / music piece called?

These forms are modified versions of forms found on the site kino-eye.com