Legal consent form signed by talent allowing use of their image and voice — executed pre- or post-shoot. Protects production from later disputes over rights.
You're sitting in an interview, the camera is rolling, and your interviewee tells the best story of the day — then, three weeks later, you receive an email: they don't want their image in the film. Without an interview release, you're helpless here. The contract is your legal protection and regulates what happens with the person's image and voice.
On set, the person signs a simple document before or immediately after the recording, which stipulates: the production may use the material — on TV, in cinemas, online, at festivals, it doesn't matter. The contract waives further payments, additional permissions, or later objections. This sounds harsh, but it's standard. Without this clarity, you could earn every cent and still be sued for usage rights. This is crucial for documentaries — where people are often the only source.
In practice: keep the contract short and readable. No one wants to sign a legal novel before the camera rolls. An A5 page is enough: name, date, project, intended use, signature. For prominent individuals or sensitive topics, it gets more complicated — then real lawyers get involved, fee arrangements, the right to object to editing. But for a documentary with ordinary people? Keep it simple.
It gets critical with minors — you need their parents or guardians as signatories. For real-time recordings (festival documentary, news format), some even sign retrospectively — it's riskier, but it happens. The best strategy: pack the contract into the recording kit, briefly show it before each interview, explain it, get it signed. No big fuss. Most people are relieved that you're handling it professionally. Without it, you're playing Russian roulette with your material.