I am thinking of making a demo of my magic.

The idea being that my friend will film me doing magic to people.

My concern is to do with getting the permission from the people in the video to be allowed to put the videos on my public website and give away to other people (i.e. potential clients and friends).

Do I need to get their permission for publishing the demo video on a public website or distributing it to other people?

I will be filming in England in the UK.

I would appreciate your help on this.

Fraser Parker

Well I'm not really to sure on all the legal stuff, but I personally would type out a simple contract saying something like:

'I ........... give permission for the video footage shoot on ......... to be used by (your name) in hs promotional work.
Signed..............'

I think it's best to get something on paper. But I'm sure someone on here will give better advice than me.

Darius

If you use a specific person then it's best to get a written contract like the one above... but add "to be used in any future promotional works" so that it covers you if you use it later or in something else.
If you are in a public place then people passing by don't need to sign unless you signal them out to say something or get them close to the camera to get a reaction.

Greg

Here is an example that you can edit a bit to meet your needs... and put spaces below it for people to print their name then sign next to it and put the date they are signing:

I hereby give and grant to you the right to use my name and/or the right to photograph my physical likeness in any manner you desire and /or the right to reproduce my voice and other sound effects made by me, and I hereby consent to the use of my name and/or said photographs, likenesses and any reproductions thereof and/or the recordings and reproductions of my voice and other sound effects, by you, your licensees, successors, and assigns, in or in connection with the production, exhibition, distribution, advertising and exploitation and/or other use of any of your photoplays and/or otherwise.
I am fully aware that there is no pay or compensation associated with this project.

Thank you...

I think I will do some research into this, such as legal issues to do with the rights with your footage.

An off topic suggestion.

stop doing magic 'to' people and start doing magic 'for' people.

doing magic to people sonds like you are torturing them (which might be the case).

Bryan

BryanDreyfus Thank you for your suggestion.

I think the name of what you're looking for is a "release form".

I used to do photography and filming for a living during a short span of my life. The first thing you learn, is that you need signed content release forms. And make copies and keep them in seperate locations. It is a must to cover yourself and your work. If you lose the form(s), your work is worthless because you can't legally use it. And the person signing the release forms must be of legal age to commit to contracts in order for it to be legal. So check ID both for who they say they are, and their age.

Now, this may be going overboard for the content you're creating, but it never hurts to play it safe.

There used to be plenty of content release forms drawn up by lawyers that you can use for free on the internet. Just find one, and modify the contract to suit your needs.

Sincerely,
Wayne Stevenson
The SpookClub

You need a release form for them to sign, stating the above information. Basically, if there is someone that is straight on to the camera in shot, they need to sign it. If they are walking past, that's fine, but if someone stops for a second in front of the camera, get someone ready, because they need to sign, otherwise you need to blur out their face.

Sean

I filmed a TV series in 1995 and a person was included in the final edit without having obtained written permission. The person dragged us through a hefty legal battle and settled out of court. Get a release form and include a sign stating that you are filming

Yes I strongly agree with wayno he is 100% correct. Plus, why not it's not that much more work anyway.

Not knowing what UK law is, I can only comment on what I've done in the US.

I've often just had the person give consent on the front end of the video. That way it's on tape. And they can't deny whether "that's their signature" or not.

Robert