Got Police in footage, now what?

[Greg Ephraim]

not sure if this is the right thread to post this, buuuut
shot a music video (illegally I might add) in CA without permit, lots of bystanders, going to blur them out in the video, but there is a shot of cops watching the performance we had going on (they did not talk to camera), I keep getting conflicting views about whether its legal to have them in there (blurred) or not, and I'd rather not call the police station and ask them for advice from my illegal video, haha!

 

[Kyle Presley]

Why would that be illegal, especially with their faces blurred?

 

[Greg Ephraim]

hehe, thats what I want to find out, some sources say that if even the uniform is recognizable at all they can sue, and other sources say if they are in public and you are not interfering with a case (and their faces/badge/dept info are blurred) then its ok, wanted to see if anyone here had any info on this

 

[Pawel Achtel]

If they could film you, why wouldn't you be able to film them?

Mind you, I have NFI about the law in the US. :emote_hanged:

 

[Felix K.]

You mean the two extras in police uniforms you hired?

"No, your honor, the blurred faces were a stylistic device to symbolize the alienation of the people living in a big city like Piel Jutzi showed in his 1931 adaption of 'Berlin - Alexanderplatz'..."

 

[Greg Ephraim]

yes, very authentic uniforms and guns hehe

 

[Felix K.]

yes, very authentic uniforms and guns hehe

What can you say.... moviemaking is magic! :emote_popcorn:

 

[Noah Kadner]

*I'm not a lawyer, butttt. As long as the police were acting professionally and you blur faces/uniforms and there's nothing about the video that in anyway paints police in a bad light you probably won't get sued. But if there's any doubt- reshoot. It's a music video so it's pretty much whatever you make it.

Noah

 

[Greg Ephraim]

yeah it definitely doesn't portray them badly, but I just wanna be safe, I love the shot so much (it's just one shot) so maybe I'd be better off just 86'in it :/

 

[Alexis Hanawalt]

Also, FYI, there's nothing illegal about a film/video filmed without a permit. If they don't catch you and stop you while you're filming, your scott free.

 

[Tico Llaurador]

I believe that as long as there are no easily recognizable features and specially not the badge numbers, etc., you should be fine. In other words, if the assessment would likely be "it could be anyone in a police uniform" when viewed, then chances are nobody could present a sustainable claim against you. Just sayin'...

 

[NateWeaver]

I'm pretty sure this is just a civil issue. I have LOTS of rules I have to follow to keep legal happy for one large label I do a lot of work for, and I've NEVER seen a written directive not to photograph cops. I'm 98% sure it's just like any other person, just get a release (or blur, failing that).

 

[John Hunt]

blur faces and patches/logos that i.d. the police agency and you should be golden - if the agency can't be identified, they can't complain.