Scenario:
City Council approves a Hotel/Condo complex immediately next to a sensitive SoCal coastal lagoon and across from a Audubon Nature Center. A broad base of locals, activists and environmentalists, including the Audubon people, unite and challenge the project at the Coastal Commission. Part of the process is to educate not only the coastal commission, but also the community the issues and importance of preserving this asset. To help, I've donated production time to create a short educational video.
While shooting activities of the Nature Center a group of children were there for a Nature Tour. This is one of the primary activities at the center. I shot the "tour" and when the group reassembled, explained the purpose of the video. A teacher leading the group asked if I'd drop off a blanket explanation/release to the school for the childrens's parents to sign. No problem, so I dropped it off using Audubon letterhead. A couple days later I found the school district sent a not particularly friendly letter to the Audubon and myself essentially saying we can't use any of the footage. Period. Evidently it was too political. The school district communications director was particularly curt and unwilling to discuss it. Even had their lawyer send a letter. My take is that we weren't using the children out of context, but as normal activities of the center. I was also sensitive to the issue by not shooting closeups. One of my other gripes is that the the district didn't even give the parents the option of choosing .... kind of a Big Brother, we know what's good for your kids attitude.
As doc producers though these situations arise continually. I'm never sure how far to go with them, probably cause I'm not sure of my legal boundaries. In this case we could go to a lawyer ,but hey, this is a no fee, local issue project. Any thoughts from others out there who experienced similar situations?
ric shellhammer
pegasus productions
City Council approves a Hotel/Condo complex immediately next to a sensitive SoCal coastal lagoon and across from a Audubon Nature Center. A broad base of locals, activists and environmentalists, including the Audubon people, unite and challenge the project at the Coastal Commission. Part of the process is to educate not only the coastal commission, but also the community the issues and importance of preserving this asset. To help, I've donated production time to create a short educational video.
While shooting activities of the Nature Center a group of children were there for a Nature Tour. This is one of the primary activities at the center. I shot the "tour" and when the group reassembled, explained the purpose of the video. A teacher leading the group asked if I'd drop off a blanket explanation/release to the school for the childrens's parents to sign. No problem, so I dropped it off using Audubon letterhead. A couple days later I found the school district sent a not particularly friendly letter to the Audubon and myself essentially saying we can't use any of the footage. Period. Evidently it was too political. The school district communications director was particularly curt and unwilling to discuss it. Even had their lawyer send a letter. My take is that we weren't using the children out of context, but as normal activities of the center. I was also sensitive to the issue by not shooting closeups. One of my other gripes is that the the district didn't even give the parents the option of choosing .... kind of a Big Brother, we know what's good for your kids attitude.
As doc producers though these situations arise continually. I'm never sure how far to go with them, probably cause I'm not sure of my legal boundaries. In this case we could go to a lawyer ,but hey, this is a no fee, local issue project. Any thoughts from others out there who experienced similar situations?
ric shellhammer
pegasus productions
