Am I allowed to put it in my reel?

[Sharif El Neklawy]

Hey all,

Hope I can get some good insight here.

I'm currently cutting together my reel and would like to add 3-4 shots from an independently produced web series I worked on. They are hoping to sell the show as a completed product of 6, 22min episodes.

They've always been concerned about any footage being posted or made public, as it may jeopardize their chances of selling it in the coming months or become a legal issue during the selling process.

Should they be concerned? Even if it is a real issue--does it matter if I have it in my reel if there's no mention of the show's name on my site/vimeo video?

Thanks guys

 

[Drew Baird]

That depends entirely on your agreement with them. Did you sign a contract that outlined use for your reel? I would ask them directly if they will permit it, and if not I would get a date in writing that you can display it. It is just part of this business that sometimes you don't get to put amazing shots in your reel for months or sometimes even years. There are several projects that I have not seen or heard back from after filming. Just understand that if they hired you they own the footage and it is important to respect that. I hope this helps.

 

[David Battistella]

In my opinion the best thing you could do is this.

write them a letter explaining exactly how, why and where it is being used. Offer to show it to them first before you make it "live".(curious to know how you have the shots).

if they say yes, great! If they say no, do not include the images.

Respect the process, that is what being a professional is. Is three or four shots worth breaking a relationship. You have to understand their point of view before you move ahead.

battistella

 

[Sharif El Neklawy]

Hey David and Drew, thanks for your answers. Much appreciated. I wasn't clear enough in my original post.

I am friends with the team who produced this. The question is more: does anyone have any experience with this? Are the producers right to have concerns? Or is it not even possible for 3-4 shots out of context, in a DP's reel, with no dialogue and no mention of the show to cause an issue later down the road?

 

[David Battistella]

If they are your friends it still requires professional conduct.

Who owns the footage? Did you film it for free? Did you say, "hey, I want this for my reel? ".

By by your answers it feels like you want someone to say, "hey, it's cool, they are your friends, what's three or four shots?"

Friends or or not, a professional would do what I stated in my earlier post.


Battistella

 

[Brian F Kobylarz]

The question is more: does anyone have any experience with this? Are the producers right to have concerns? Or is it not even possible for 3-4 shots out of context, in a DP's reel, with no dialogue and no mention of the show to cause an issue later down the road?

Yeah, they have reason to be concerned. Intellectual theft is rampant out there. If the wrong person gets exposed to the images, the concept may very well make it's way into someone else's project. That immediately devalues everything your team put into it - and the damage to the potential client - or marketing the idea - is shot.

There are good reasons to keep projects under development "under wraps" until the time is right.

 

[Patrick Grossien]

I believe you guys are misunderstanding each other. I'll try to jump in to make clear what Sharif is trying to say:

Will his revealing of the shots in his reel create a problem for the sales pitch of the series or harm the series or the producers in any other way?

 

[Patrick Grossien]

Hehehe. Ok Brian (sorry) was faster with his answer.
I second what he said!

 

[Sharif El Neklawy]

Yeah, they have reason to be concerned. Intellectual theft is rampant out there. If the wrong person gets exposed to the images, the concept may very well make it's way into someone else's project. That immediately devalues everything your team put into it - and the damage to the potential client - or marketing the idea - is shot.

There are good reasons to keep projects under development "under wraps" until the time is right.

Thanks for your input and for understanding my question I totally agree--a great reason to keep things "under wraps".

 

[Sharif El Neklawy]

Hehehe. Ok Brian (sorry) was faster with his answer.
I second what he said!

haha thanks for looking out patrick. I assume you meant Brian and not David, right?

 

[Patrick Grossien]

Exactly. Brian was already answering your question while I tried to "translate" it for everyone. Hehehe
And my answer would have sounded somewhat like Brian's.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Generally you don't put images into your reel until after the project has been released to the public, until then you are often working under an NDA anyway. If it never ends up being distributed and some time has passed, then it may be OK, but when in doubt, get permission.