In short
- Decide who may be filmed, how they are shown and what is published before the crew arrives.
- Consent should be informed, freely given and easy to withdraw. Your safeguarding lead owns this, not the crew.
- Some people can be filmed from behind, by voice only, or not at all. Plan each option.
- Have your own qualified adviser review any legal claim or sensitive wording in the final film.
Decide three things before filming: how people will be shown, how they take part and what will be published. Then share those decisions with the crew in writing. This guide supports your own safeguarding work.
Why plan this before the day?
On the day, a camera makes quick choices. A wide shot shows a face, a microphone catches a name and a caption names a place. If the decisions have not been made in advance, the crew has to guess, and a guess can put someone at risk.
People in vulnerable circumstances may include children, people in crisis, people who have left unsafe situations, or those whose identity could affect their safety, privacy or dignity. Your organisation knows who they are. The crew does not.
Decision 1: How are people represented?
Start with the purpose of the film and the people it shows. Ask:
- Does the film show people as individuals with dignity, or only as a cause?
- Does it need their faces at all, or can it show the work, the volunteers and the place?
- Who has been asked what they would want the film to say about them?
Where possible, include the people affected in this conversation. Their input is part of safeguarding, not an extra. A film they would be proud to be part of is also the safest film to publish.
Decision 2: How do people take part?
Participation should be informed, freely given and easy to withdraw. Your safeguarding lead should own the process. A simple way to organise it is a who-may-be-shown table:
| Person or group | Filmed? | How shown | Who agreed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff and volunteers | Yes | Full face and voice | Each person |
| Adult participants who agreed | Yes | As agreed | Each person, in writing |
| Participants who did not agree | No | Kept out of frame | Notice on the day |
| Children | Only with the right guardian’s agreement | As agreed by guardian | Guardian and organisation |
| People who may be at risk if identified | Not identifiable | Back view, hands, or out of frame | Safeguarding lead |
The crew needs this table as a short list and a way to recognise who is who, such as coloured wristbands or a named contact. The event video brief builder can hold the scope, open questions and the instructions for the crew in one readable brief.
Decision 3: What is published, and where?
Filming is not publishing. Decide separately:
- Which version is public. Often a short film without sensitive scenes.
- Which version is for funders or members only. See planning event video for donor and stakeholder reporting for what a film can show and what needs separate evidence.
- What identifies a person beyond the face: voice, name, clothing, address, school or workplace.
- How long the film stays online and what happens if someone asks for removal.
The private and public video version planner helps you map each version. For wider questions, see our guide to permissions and responsible publication.
What should a qualified adviser review?
Ask your own safeguarding adviser or lawyer to review the consent form, the who-may-be-shown table and any claim in the final film that could be read as a fact, such as “all participants have recovered” or “this programme ends hardship”. Your adviser decides what the film can claim.
What can the crew do to help?
A good crew works quietly and follows your list. They can agree filming zones, avoid following people who have not agreed, record sound without picking up private conversations, and flag anything unclear to your named contact rather than deciding alone. We agree with you how footage is stored and who can see it.
For activity days, our guide to filming volunteer and community-service days covers dignity at the activity itself. For your event overall, see community event videography and the community, faith and nonprofit events guide.
For a legal question about your event, ask a qualified adviser.
Share what the event is, who will be there and which people must not be identifiable, and we will suggest coverage that fits your safeguarding rules. Add the date and venue.
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