OT: Documentary production

Laurence wrote on 7/16/2005, 5:25 AM

I am getting ready to put together a full length documentary. Are questions related to documentary production such as interview releases and the laws governing recording phone calls too off topic to post on this forum? Is there a better forum to discuss this type of thing? I like the quality of discussion here (aside from the occasional flame war or political mud bath) but could easily take the conversation somewhere more appropriate if neccessary.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 7/16/2005, 5:27 AM

I don't think you'll have any issue with the question here, however there are docco forums at the DMN and DVInfo.net.

filmy wrote on 7/16/2005, 1:34 PM

Release forms for interviews are more or less the same as they would be for actors.

Phone calls are another issue. As far as I know it is the law, in the United States anway, the you need to tell the party being recorded that you are recording them and this, in theory, has to be done at the start of the conversation. The same concept as the recording you get that say "Call may be recorded for quality...." If you wanted to cover all bases have them sign off on a hard copy of a release before the actual phone interview. At one time you had to have audible tones (beeps) if you were recording. Actually I think you have to have one or the other - if you tell the person they are being recorded you don't need the tone, if you are being "sneaky" you need to have the beeps.

P.S - Updated FCC page - Recording Calls

or donwload the PDF here

BrianStanding wrote on 7/18/2005, 5:58 AM

Note that the FCC rules govern only "interstate" telephone conversations. Phone calls within a single U.S. state are governed by the laws of that state, which vary widely. For example, Wisconsin has a "one-party consent" law -- only one of the two parties involved in a telephone conversation (yourself, for example) has to be aware they are being recorded. Other states have "two-party consent" or even "no consent."

God only knows what rules are in place for international telephone conversations. Are there treaties to this effect somewhere?