When is an Actor Release Form Required for Film Production?

If you’re producing a video for commercial use, understanding how the talent or actor release forms work is an important part of the process. In fact, anyone in the film industry knows that release forms are an important aspect of the production process. It simply cannot be overlooked. However, there may be some fine lines as to when an actor release form is required. And when the filmmaker can potentially avoid this added step in the production process. But when?

What is an Actor Release Form?

Actor release forms represent legal agreements that are made between the filmmaker and the actor or talent involved in the production.

The release provides permission to the filmmaker to use footage of the actor in the film. Which could be shared in festivals, public showcases or otherwise distributed through various different platforms or verticals. 

Why is an Actor Release Form Important?

Without a signed actor release form from every actor that appears in a film, the filmmaker is taking a serious risk.

Any single actor from a film that is produced without a signed actor release form could potentially come forward and request that the film not be presented publicly or otherwise shared. 

For Major Films

This may not seem like much of a risk if you’re talking about a 30-second video you produced for social media to share with your clients…

But what about a feature movie that cost $2M to produce? And is ready to hit theaters? But for some reason there was a lead actor in the film that never did sign an actor release form.

Say the actor comes forward. They demand that the film not go to theaters or else they will sue. What will you do? Unfortunately, under this scenario, you face having to take the film down. Permanently.

Without signed actor release forms from every actor involved in the film? There are a hundred or more potential scenarios. Ones in which any actors might come forward and exercise their rights requesting a film not be shared, shown, sold, or otherwise presented publicly.

When is an Actor Release Form Required for Filmmaking?

Now that you know how incredibly important actor release forms are and that they should be signed by any and all talent that is involved in the production of your film, when should the actor release form be signed?

Are release forms required for all films? Is every actor supposed to sign an actor release form? Regardless of the amount of time they spend in a film or the circumstances surrounding film production?

Before Production Starts

Technically, actor release forms should be signed before the production of any film in which the talent is featured. It’s much easier to get a release form signed ahead of the entrance of the actor to the film set.

Rather than it will be to trace the actor down post-production to get their release. And you certainly don’t want to find yourself in that situation.

One in which an actor has not signed a release and chooses to exercise their legal rights as a result.

The Takeaway

Any film that is produced for commercial use, by a commercial filmmaker, or for anything other than friendly use should have signed actor release forms.

If you intend to ever share your film publicly or you intend to submit the film to festivals, online, or in any sort of distribution. You need an actor release form signed by any and all talent involved. Period.