What legal rights do I have?

appa

appa

Active member
I am the subject of a documentary film that has recently been entered into the Trinity Film Festival. The producer has not contacted once about this and I have only heard about it from other sources. I feel as if I deserve recognition, however, that time has passed and now I'm simply wondering what legal rights I have in this issue. Without my consent, can he legally show this film (behind my back, mind you). Do I have legal standing to completely terminate the film? The story depicted is completely my own, true events from my life. The film was first shown at my school's film festival and has now taken on a life of its own. I feel exploited by the producer and I want to make a smart approach with the stand that I take.

If you know my identity, I request your discretion in this matter until it is resolved.

Thanks NS!
 
did you sign an agreement when they initially were filming you? what was included in this agreement?
 
some relevant reading for you:

http://www.lehmannstrobel.com/files/pdfs/acquiring-story-rights.pdf

http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.805/articles/privacy/Privacy_brand_warr2.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_laws_of_the_United_States

I'm assuming you are in the US.

I know that when I took a filmmaking class (in high school, so it doesn't really count), we had the opportunity to get our feature length movies broadcast on TV, and in small film festivals. We were told that in order to do that, we needed waivers signed by anyone who appeared in our movies, even if they weren't actors. So if they filmed you without your consent, I think that there's a good chance you can lawyer up and stop them from showing/distributing it any more.

good luck
 
wanted to make it at the time. filmer has used it for personal gain (without telling me about film festivals, awards, etc.) leaving me feeling exploited. The film is about an extremely personal life event. nothing was ever signed.
 
one million dollars?

dr-evil.jpg
 
do you know the producer personally? and i sill think its weird he was able to make a documentary about you, without you knowing. how did you end up finding out?
 
i do know him personally. i was a junior and he was a senior at the same high school. like i said, i wanted to make the film at first but my feelings have changed and he's not conducting himself pertaining to the film in a manner i find respectable or acceptable.
 
Sorry... Mobile. Is your name mentioned in this movie or? Would help if we knew in what sense you were acctually in this movie. I'm thinking if you aren't shown, and your name isn't in the film, then you would have no rights.
 
i know a way you can get him to shut his shit down for good you just have to tell me what the movie was about now im far too curious
 
Honestly, just talk to the filmmaker. I don't know why you have to resort to lawful intervention at this point.
Also, link to said film please.

 
Big fuckin deal. I know that sounds bad, but you really have no rights to somebody else's intellectual property. Because you didn't film the footage, you have no say what he does with it. Unless he either A) Filmed you in a location generally considered to be private (such as your house or a bathroom) without your knowledge or consent, B) Filmed you with a camera that records audio without your knowledge or consent and you live in a state which requires mutual consent for audio recording, or C) You signed some agreement prior to the making of the documentary which gave you specific rights over the production and distribution of the documentary, you have no legal right to challenge him. Sorry that that's the way it goes but if it was that personal of an event and you were gonna make this big of a stink about it you shouldn't have let him film you in the first place.
 
Sounds to me like the first paragraph from this link pretty much pertains exactly to this situation. Production companies are paying big bucks for story rights nowadays.

Disney bought the story rights for that one guy who sold his whole life and bought an island. So I would definitely say you have some legal options OP
 
Dammit, I just read over that first part and it sounded pretty dick. Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come off that way.
 
He retains the rights to his life story, or events from his life though. That is, unless he signs them away/sells them. Any person who wants to create/display a depiction of his life (film/book/whatever) needs to acquire rights to the story, through licensing or purchasing them.
 
yeah dude...you have nothing on this kid...you wanted to do a film and you did but now your mind changed...that wouldn't hold up in court for a second.....if you don't have any proper documentation and such and you just verbally agreed to be in this kids video and your mind changed you'll get laughed at in a court case.

next time be prepared.
 
having my story being exploited for the producer's personal gain, like going to film festivals without notifying my family or me.
 
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