Amateur documentary... waiver forms needed?

[sjmsiv]

California-

I am making a very amateur documentary for my school. The subject is substance abuse, and I'm filming friends and interviewing some recovering addicts. The movie consists of shots of people using as well as talking about their use. I was wondering if I needed permission from their parents to put their faces in the video, seeing as they are minors. And if so, i was wondering if i could just blur their faces and if that would take care of the face issue.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

California-

I am making a very amateur documentary for my school. The subject is substance abuse, and I'm filming friends and interviewing some recovering addicts. The movie consists of shots of people using as well as talking about their use. I was wondering if I needed permission from their parents to put their faces in the video, seeing as they are minors. And if so, i was wondering if i could just blur their faces and if that would take care of the face issue.

My response:

"Dear parents:

I'd like to film your minor daughter/son druggie while smoking dope, shooting heroin, sniffing coke, and free-basing. Would you mind if I filmed them and used your child in a drug film to show hundreds of other students for years to come? If it's okay with you, please sign the permission slip below."

Yeah, that's going to happen.

IAAL

 

[sjmsiv]

That's why I'm asking, if i blurred their faces, could I still be held accountable, because as the above person says, parents are not going to approve. And for the record, this is a short film being shown to twenty students.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

That's why I'm asking, if i blurred their faces, could I still be held accountable, because as the above person says, parents are not going to approve. And for the record, this is a short film being shown to twenty students.

My response:

Well, if you could "mask" their faces somehow, then you wouldn't need permission, would you. Duh!!!

IAAL

 

[You Are Guilty]

On a side note, you might want to re-think the video-taping of people engaging in illegal acts. The police and ADAs tend to enjoy using those sorts of things as evidence. Even with blurred faces, guess who the police are going to come to to ask who the "blurs" are?

How about using a couple of Barbie dolls and sewing needles with a "reenactment" subtitle across the screen?

 

[rmet4nzkx]

Yes you would need permission, most parents are not going to give it, furthermore, blurring their faces is not enough unless this were in a public place, there are other ways to identify them besides their faces. This would apply to only the verbal portions tlaking about drug use. If you film them, actually doing drugs, then you would be aiding and abetting, etc.. Don't think for a minute your 1st amendment rights will apply. Find another subject for your school project.