To do list this week

Edit the footage shot at the BIS into a DVD they can use and keep.

Arrange the remaining interviewees – in Glasgow, Jodrell bank, Bristol and London… I have some other people to contact (at Nasa and the British space programme), but I want to get the Jodrell bank footage shot and a snippet online first since it gives me more kudos for my potential interviewees.

Talk to CurrentTV and Electric Sky about the project and get them on-side if possible.
Meet up with Raoul at the Natural History Museum and find out if he can help me set up meetings about shooting stock footage (for the image library I work with) and about the possibilities of working with them on some projects… I’d really love to be working with the NHM.




Release forms
Somebody on the doculink yahoo group was asking about property release forms, so here’s the text of the property and interviewee release forms I use:

LETTER OF RELEASE

To: Christian Darkin

From: [●]

Date: [●]

Dear Sirs

“interstellar travel” (the “Project”)

I hereby confirm and agree that I have consented to contribute to the Project and that I am aware that my contribution will be recorded on tape or film for the purpose of inclusion in whole or in part.

I hereby agree that you may use (or refrain from using) and edit in any manner you may think fit, the recording of my contribution. You may use my contribution for any purpose in the Project and for any purpose in connection with the Project, as you may in your absolute discretion think fit. I agree that you may use my contribution throughout the world, including by using it in whole or in part in any publication, television broadcast or any other form of dissemination.

I waive all moral rights in my contribution to which I might be entitled in any country and assign to you all copyright in my contribution for the duration of the life of the copyright. In addition, I give all consents necessary for your use of my contribution for the purposes set out in this letter.

I also agree that you may use my voice, name, likeness and biographical information in relation to any use to which you may put my contribution and/or any information or views expressed therein in any advertising and publicity relating to you or the Project.

I warrant that nothing said or implied by me (or in any documents or photographs disclosed to you by me) shall infringe the copyright or any other rights of any third party or be defamatory or infringe the right of privacy of any third party and I agree to indemnify you and your licensees or assignees against any costs, claims, demands or expenses arising out of any breach or claimed breach of this warranty.

I shall not be entitled to any payment from any source arising out of or by reason of any use to which the contribution or any recording thereof may be put.

Yours faithfully,




………………………………………………………

Job title:


………………………………………………………



LOCATION AGREEMENT

To: [●]

Date: [●]

Dear Christian Darkin

BIS (the “Property”) - “Interstellar travel” (the “Project”)

We write to confirm our agreement that, in consideration of our arranging to film scenes and make recordings for the Project at the Property: -

1. You hereby grant to us and persons authorised by us (and warrant that you are entitled to grant to us) the [exclusive] [non-exclusive] right during the Period to enter upon the Property and to film, photograph and record all or any part of [the interior, the exterior and the contents of] the Property and for such purpose to bring onto and into the Property such persons and equipment as we may deem appropriate.

2. The “Period” shall mean (i) from [●] to [●] [and (ii) such other days or half days as we may mutually agree].

3. All rights in the films, photographs and recordings made and/or taken by us at the Property shall vest in us and we shall be entitled to assign, license and/or exploit the same by all means and in all media as we may at our absolute discretion elect. We shall be entitled to refer to the Property by its true name or by a fictitious name or not to refer to the Property by name and shall have no obligation to you to include any or all of such films, photographs, recordings or transmissions in the Project or to exploit the Project.

4. You hereby agree that you will not make any changes whatsoever to the Property or its fixtures and fittings both during the Period and for a further period of [six months] commencing immediately upon expiry of the Period.

5. We shall indemnify you against any damage that may be caused to the Property by the negligent act or omission of ourselves or our agents, employees or invitees.

6. This Agreement [shall be freely assignable by us and] shall be governed by the laws of England.

Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by signing and returning to us the enclosed duplicate of this letter.


Yours faithfully Accepted and agreed by:





..................................….. ..................................…...
for and on behalf of for and on behalf of
[●] [●]



Spent today cutting a DVD for the British Interplanetary Society – doing an edit for their records was my way of thanking them for their help since I can’t afford to pay my interviewees.
It’s also a good way to become familiar with my material and cut out the useless parts of the interviews. Hopefully editing the documentary will now be easier.

The result will be a little rough – i.e not really a professional broadcast piece, but it will give them a good record of their day. If I’d been covering it properly, I’d have wanted at least a couple of cameras and crucially better mics for the event itself.

Stock videos
Rendering for my stock videos is going painfuly slowly - I've had my 2nd PC rendering day and night for a week and it's done about 10 clips....