To specify the terms that an actor has agreed to in regard to compensation and releasing of material; the use of talent release forms come into play for those that are modeling, acting in film and video and are released by the producer, production company, photographers, or talent agencies. This form always includes the project’s title, recording location, producer’s name, or the name of the production company if that applies. It also contains the date and the signature of the talent involved.
If the talent is under the age of eighteen, their legal guardian will be required to sign and date in their place. A good example of something you may see on the form will be something along the lines of “I give the Producer the right to use my name, likeness and biographical material to publicize the program and services of the producer.” This line gives permission to release a little personal information. Talent can always protect their privacy or identity by using an alias in Philadelphia and other cities around the world.
The benefits of that kind of promotional power from having their name (real or alias) released with a production are huge and can help the talent further their career and help them build a better future for themselves. Though as with any document or contract, it is important to thoroughly read the release before you sign it.
In Philadelphia options will be listed on the release that specify whether the producer is releasing all or just part of the footage. It will also cover copies of photos and recordings along with how the video footage may be captured and distributed. Sometimes the “master tape” will be released with full rights to the producer and the talent should make sure that terms of trade and sharing of the material is in place if they would want to use that material later on in a portfolio.
The purposes of the material captured like illustrations; broadcast is defined in the talent form. You may see the phrase “Material can be used for distribution in any manner.” With an open-ended phrase as such, the talent should be comfortable with the way the release will be distributed or even work with the producer to set limits on that distribution before signing and dating the form.
