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A video release form is signed consent to appear on video. The person being filmed signs it, and the producer gains permission to use their image, voice and name. Producers, schools, businesses and creators ask for it before they film anyone for a video they plan to publish, above all one that advertises or sells something.
This page gives you a free video release form template, also called a video consent form or film release. Fill it out online with FormsPal or download the PDF. It belongs to our release of liability form collection.
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A video release form is a signed agreement in which a person lets a producer film them and use the footage, their voice and their name for the purpose the form describes. Get it signed before the camera rolls.
Get the consent in writing, not only as a spoken yes. The signed form shows what each participant agreed to, so a late objection does not force you to reshoot, cut scenes or drop a finished video. For an advertisement or other commercial use of someone's likeness, ask an attorney what written consent your use calls for, including a parent's or guardian's signature for a child.
Get a video release signed whenever a recognizable person appears in footage you plan to show outside the room. It matters most when the video advertises or sells something, and it is a good record for every other published video, for example:
| Document Name | Video Release Form |
| Other Names | Film Release, Video Production Release |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 5 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 7 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
A video consent form and a video release form are usually the same document: the consent part says the person agrees to be filmed, and the release part lets the producer use the footage afterward.
Some organizations split them. A consent-only form covers the filming itself, for example a lesson filmed for internal review. A release adds permission to edit, publish and share the footage. If you plan to show the video to anyone outside the project, choose a form that does both, like the FormsPal template on this page.
A consent form to be in a video works best when it names the project in plain words. The participant should be able to tell from the form alone where the video will appear.
A video consent and release form template saves you from drafting this wording from scratch. The FormsPal template already holds the consent and release text; you add the producer's name, and the participant reads, signs and dates it. If your project needs extra terms, such as payment or a limit on where the clip appears, write them on a separate page that both sides sign, and keep that page with the signed form.
A video release form names the producer and the participant, describes the project, sets out how the footage will be used, and closes with the participant's signature, printed name and date.
Think about future uses as well as the current project. Wording you leave out now is harder to add once filming ends. A complete release covers these points:
Before anyone signs a video release form, agree on the project, the purpose of the footage and any payment, so the wording surprises nobody when filming starts.
The FormsPal video release form template asks for the name of the company or person making the video, then for the participant's signature, printed name and date at the bottom of the page.
The steps below follow the FormsPal template this page hands out. Create the form online, or download the PDF and type your answers in the PDF editor. Each step matches one part of the form.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Video (Film) Release template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
In the first sentence under Video Consent and Release, type the name of the person or business that will make and use the videos. It goes in the blank after "I consent to and give". The rest of the page is fixed text for the person being recorded to read.
After reading the release, the person being recorded signs on the Signature line, prints their name and enters the date. The form also has a Witness column on the right with its own signature, printed name and date lines. The witness fills them in the same way.
Sign the video release before filming starts: explain the project, give each participant a completed form, let them read it in full, and collect the signature and date before the camera rolls.
Tell the participants what you are filming, why, and when the edit will be ready. Experienced talent knows the routine. Someone in front of a camera for the first time may hesitate to sign away the use of their image, so answer every question before you hand over the form.
Fill in the producer's name and any project details before the session. Point out the parts that matter most to the participant: payment, how long the footage can be used, and who can use it.
Give everyone time to read the form and ask questions. Collect a release from every person who will be recognizable in the video, so a single refusal does not stall the edit.
The participant signs, prints their name and adds the date. For a child, ask a parent or guardian to sign, and add their name and relationship to the child next to the signature.
Give each signer a copy and keep the original with the project's paperwork.
A video release form covers a person's image and voice in video footage; a photo release, talent release or location release fits better when the subject is still photos, a hired performer or someone's property.
| Form | What it covers | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Video release form | A person's image, voice and name in video footage | You film someone and plan to show the video |
| Photo release form | A person's image in still photos | The shoot produces photos only |
| Model release form | A model's image in photos for a client or campaign | You book a model for a photo shoot |
| Talent release form | A performer's appearance and performance | You hire actors, hosts or presenters |
| Location release form | Filming on a home, business or other property | You film on someone else's premises |
A general release of liability covers the risk of injury during an activity, not the use of footage. If participants also take part in something physical on set, such as a stunt or a sport, look at the waivers in our release of liability collection as well.
Check the participant's name, the project description, the payment terms and the signature line before you collect a video release form, then keep the signed copies where your team can find them.
It is a written agreement in which a person gives a producer permission to record them on video and use the footage. It names both sides and carries their signatures.
Get the video release form signed before filming begins, so nobody changes their mind after you have spent time and money on the shoot. If you filmed someone without a release and now want to publish the footage, ask them to sign a release before you use it.
That depends on what the release says. Some releases call the permission irrevocable; others let a participant leave the project before filming ends or limit how long the footage can be used. Read that part of the form with the participant before they sign, and talk to an attorney about a dispute over a signed release.
A parent or guardian signs for a participant who is a child. Write the adult's name and their relationship to the child beside the signature, and keep a copy for the family.
Ask every customer who gives a video testimonial to sign a video release form, because the clip will promote your business. The form shows the customer agreed to that use and tells them where the testimonial will appear.
Yes. The FormsPal builder works as a digital release form: answer the questions online, save your progress and finish on any device. You can also download the PDF, type your answers in a PDF editor and print it.
Keep the paperwork in one place so it is easy to find later:
General information, not legal or tax advice.
