This page is to shows understanding of professional practises to be considered and studied before we are to set out and film.
RISKS & ETHICS
Risk Assessments
Before filming anything, risk assessments will need to be filled out, underlying any posing risks that could be encountered. The crew and primaries safety is the priority when going out to film, we would also need to consider getting permission if filming in privately owned areas. In accordance to our idea of filming superheroes we need to take into consideration:
- If we are to re-create scenes where the primary stops robberies and muggers we would need to make sure the actors will be safe when choreographing an action scene.
- We need to make sure we plan breaks in filming so that the primaries and the crew do not become withdrawn or tired during filming.
- Release forms will need to be signed off for the people we are filming so that we can legally use them in film and enter the projects into festivals.
- If any scenes need permission from law authorities or city councils, we will phone or contact them prior to filming in due time for them to accept and reply to us.
Ethical Issues
It is essential in conducting a documentary that we are conforming with the ethical codes and conventions of the University. I have studied the ethics form of the University of Winchester and the main points to consider are:
- Respect towards the participant, we can not show anything said about them in a derogatory way to be entertaining or seen in a good light. To not produce anything that could affect them badly in anyway.
- Not to deceive the participant, so we are not making the subject think we are on their side and then through editing turn a completely biased opinion against them.
- Not to put the subject through any psychological stress, harm or anxiety. So if we are asking personal questions that could cause the subject to feel uncomfortable, we can not press them into giving any answers they do not feel comfortable giving.
- We also have to be careful with the fact that the subject may want to remain anonymous, our primary has already released information about himself to newspapers, but we can not exploit any information (address, DOB etc) if he does not permit us.
- We can not breach any codes of practise ethics within the organisation (if any).
- All subjects will have to sign release forms to give us permission to use them in film and enter it into festivals. All subjects have the right to reply to anything they see as an issue in our project.
OFCOM REGULATIONS -
"Fairness & Privacy: Contributors" - "Programme contributors must be told the nature of the programme to which they are being invited to contribute." - "Programmes often evolve during the production process, so ensure contributors are kept up to date with changes in the content and programme." - "Programmes must not be edited in a way which causes material unfairness to contributors." - "Contributors may agree to filming which amounts to a substantial infringement of their privacy. producers must be comfortable with and be able to justify editorially the level of intrusion that is being agreed to by the contributor". | "Privacy & Contributors" - "The extent to which contributors waive their rights to privacy when consenting to take part in programmes clearly depends on the nature of their contribution". (We have to make it clear to the contributor what we are intending to film and the extent of privacy that will be invaded during filming and we can not over step the boundary that we agree to with the contributor). - "There will be situations, particularly when shooting on location, where individuals will inadvertently be caught on camera". (This poses the questions about seeking explicit consent of those filmed as it infringes their privacy especially if we broadcast it, it all depends on the location of the shot and how they were seen and the action and nature of what was recorded on camera and if it will affect this person). |
COPYRIGHT (c)
Styles of work to which copyright applies to:
Literary - Song lyrics, manuscripts, manuals, computer programs, commercial documents, leaflets, newsletters and articles etc.
Dramatic - Plays, dance, etc.
Musical - Recordings and score.
Artistic - Photography, painting, sculptures, architecture, technical drawings/diagrams, maps, logos, etc.
Typographical arrangements of published editions - Magazines, periodicals, etc.
Sound recording - May be recordings of other copyright works e.g. musical and literary.
Films
Broadcasts and cable programs
Our work falls under both artistic, film and also under broadcasts and cable programs as our work is being broadcast. The acts restricted to copyright these will be as follows:
Artistic & Films - "Copy the work. Rent, lend or issue copies of the work to the public. Perform, broadcast or show the work to the public. Adapt the work. The length of this protection is 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last principal director/author/composer dies."
Broadcasting and cable programs - "Copy the work. Rent, lend or issue copies of the work to the public. Perform, broadcast or show the work to the public. Adapt the work. The length of the protection is 50 years from which the broadcast was made."
CONTACT
Getting in contact with primaries before we conduct our documentary is vital so that we can brief them through all the codes of professional practise so they are comfortable with the boundary of privacy they will be withholding. It is also useful to get to know the primary so they feel more comfortable being in front of the camera with people they know rather than a group of random camera men. This way we get a more natural perspective on their lives to make the project seem more realistic and it covers us from any privacy and legal issues. It is also helpful to meet up with the primaries before hand so that it is less likely for them to back out of the project once we have met in person and explained the brief to them.
We will also be keeping in constant contact through out the production process as stated above in the OFCOM regulations; "Programmes often evolve during the production process, so ensure contributors are kept up to date with changes in the content and programme." This is so that if there any changes in the narrative or if we choose not to use certain bits they will always be informed and so that we do not over step the boundary of their right to privacy by exploiting any information they give us that they do not want broadcast.
