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Visual Arts and Photography

Film and Photography Assessments - what you need to know

If students are filming or taking photos as part of an assessment, it's important that they are aware of some of the issues around copyright and privacy.

Filming or photographing the outside and inside a building:

Filming the outside of a building does not require permission, however any filming or photography that takes place inside a building requires permission from the building owner, manager or an authorised staff member.  This includes filming inside university buildings. If students wish to film in the Library, they should contact the library beforehand: libinfo@deakin.edu.au

Filming or photographing Artworks:

Whilst filming artworks that are on permanent public display doesn't require permission, filming artworks in a gallery or elsewhere does.  Students are protected under the provisions of Fair Dealing for Research or Study if they are just submitting their film for assessment purposes, but if they ever want to make their film publicly available or publish it online, they will need permission from the copyright owner of the artwork.  If students are filming in a public space and artworks - such as advertising are accidentally captured but are not featured, the intended focus or part of the deliberate framing for the shot, permission should not be required.

Filming or photographing people:

There are privacy issues around filming or photographing people and capturing their likeness.  It is important that anyone that is filmed or photographed agrees to their likeness being captured.  People are always encouraged to have written permission where practical (as written permissions can be provided at a later date if proof that consent was given is required) however a verbal agreement is also acceptable.  Those that are being filmed should be informed that they will be filmed, what the intention is for the finished film or project and any possible projects, screenings or other potential uses that the film maker or photographer may wish to use the content for and must be given the option to agree (give consent) or disagree (request not to be filmed).  Consent forms are not required when filming in a public space and incidentally capturing people in the background, however anyone that is deliberately featured should provide consent.  

Remember that children require the consent of a guardian or parent before they can be filmed.