This from the uk film council - UK Film Council - Filming in public spaces

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Advice about permission and Rights clearances

If you film an actor inside a store or restaurant – you need written permission to use the location and also to show the chain's name or trademark.

If you film outside a store or restaurant you do not need permission to show its name or trademark – however, if the location chosen is used to communicate a negative message in your film (for example, a film about 'poisoned restaurant food') you may risk legal proceedings.

You do not need to ask passers-by for permission to feature their faces in a film. Under UK law, the copyright of film shot in a public place resides with the filmmaker.

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Job done.

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Lowering the tone of video since 2004.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
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Very nearly Mark - Quote - "If you want to film on public land you will need permission from the appropriate local authority or council"

Hands up anyone who has ever asked the council for permission to film?

In theory the Police could stop you filming if you cannot produce that permission..... I guess.....

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Yea - did wonder about that - my guess is that cos the info is from the film council they are assuming you will have a full crew - then you can fall foul of all this scopa nonsense and in certain circumstances a full crew can create obstructon / crowds - hence local authourity involvement.

It's a vexing subject but i maintain my position that as filmamkers we must never be intimaidated by pricks, prudes and paranoids. Some of mt best ever shots have been the result of run - film - run . If someone doesnt want you to film then you really probably should be....

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Lowering the tone of video since 2004.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

A lot depends on the attitude of those captured in the camera, if their image is recognisable they have foundation for objection. The Data Protection Act is reasonably clear on what can and can't be done, but it really is a quagmire in practical terms.

I did simple videos of our youngest kids school Christmas show for two years in a row, they were very popular. Then the head teacher changed and the new one prevented any cameras at all there. Most people just ignored her and I stayed away, the resultant complaints about her attitude and the lost opportunity were overwhelming, and she had to screw her neck in, so fortunately common sense can prevail over such tosh.

The CCTV cam thing is got around by signage. Ever seen the 'CCTV Cameras in operation' signs? They are not just a warning to would-be crooks, they are a warning to the innocent that they are being filmed as well. My wife's business van has a rear view camera with recording facility, a sign is needed there too, but at least jerks don't drive too close for very long!

I too would just get on with it, it's usually pretty obvious when there's somone using a vdeo setup, react if someone complains, penny to a pound nobody will say anything, but it's your decision, no one can advocate breaching the rubbery laws that exist about this.

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Just logging in for a quickie...

Mark W has got it right. There is no offense to film anyone in a public place. The only exceptions are in the precincts of a court or premises covered by the Official Secrets Act. So, nobody can stop you filming children as long as they're in a public place and not "indecent". On private premises... well the same applies as in the long thread about the law and filming.

http://www.videoforums.co.uk/pre-pro...p-filming.html

It's not the filming which is the problem but what you do with the images. For example if you publish the identity of a juvenile victim of a sexual assault you can go to prison for up to five years! In the same way if you imply anything about the subject, you leave yourself open to expensive legal claims. The only offences of possesing "illegal" images of children concern sexual images and, if any of you've got any such images then I suggest you leave this forum for good and drink a strong mixture of household bleach and paracetamol.

So, if in doubt, film it and then, afterwards, take the time to find out how you can legally use the images.

However, the use of the images is another matter and it can get quite complicated, made even more so by the restrictions which various broadcasters put on what they will use. I must stress that a lot of this is just "company policy" and NOT legislation. You do not always have to have a signed "release form", a verbal agreement on camera can suffice, it's just that a lot of broadcasters insist on having it in writing as well.

Filming kids is the biggest pain in the bum, usually because some paedo, in an effort to divert attention away from himself, will try the "you can't film kids" bollox. I usually counter with "I can't see anything even remotely sexual about this situation, you obviously can, in which case I suggest you get therapy".
However, I do have a union card, guild membership and press pass in my pocket which tends to piss on their parade if officialdom gets involved.

Now, back to work... see you in a week.

I have. And obtained it.

It helped that the project was the work of my local camcorder club which belongs to an Arts Council run by the borough council. It helped futher that the councillor of whom I requested permission was an honorary member (though not an active one)

It was filmed in a local council run park. We did get a few odd looks from passers by as one scene involved us filming an 80 year old man on a park stripping down to his underpants (on a cold October morning as it happens - he truly suffered for his art)

Soon after we'd finished shooting and wandered off to checkout another nearby location, we noticed a police car pull into the car park, two coppers get out, take a good look around the area where we'd been shooting and with a shrug of their shoulders they were off again - clearly we'd been reported.

Had we still been filming, having had the prior agreement of the council would, I'm sure, have added a certain amount of legitimacy to our being there.

(And in a strange parallel to this thread, the film we were making was a comedy about CCTV - specificaly "Talking" CCTV and what might happen if the operators decide to have a bit of fun.)

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Tim

Well done you. How painful was the process?

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Last year I told a security guard that my camera was in fact a heavily disguised rocket launcher - he stopped bugging me then.

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Lowering the tone of video since 2004.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.

One emailed request and one emailed reply.
As my previous post suggests, it's who you know that counts And I'm sure belonging to a bona fide organisation associated with (and partly funded by) the council puts them in a tricky position if they want to refuse.

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Tim

I generally find 'the authourities' suprisingly helpful. I have a yearning at present to make a film with guns - I get these odd yearnings - and have 2 scritpts nearly done.

I asked the police about waving guns about in our local corner shop and they put me through to a person who deals with this stuff. First hey assumed zaskar films was some uber big production outfit and I tht I may have to bluff but even when I blurted out it was not a pro thing they were cool - so long as I was inside the shop all they wanted was to be told where and when.

It seems a trivial matter sure - but given the climate of paranoia I was expecting forms / police checks / funnt handshakes ect.

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Lowering the tone of video since 2004.

www.zaskarfilms.com You tube channel 'zaskarfilms'
JVC DV5001e (big cam), Sony PC6E (tiny cam), Vinten pro5, PAG light, SM58, Sony ECM50, Sony C-76, 0.5x convertors for sony, Rode video mic, Vegas 7.