In short
- Decide who may watch each version before the event, not after the editing.
- A public version works best with wide scenes, activities and staff, and few close-ups of identifiable children.
- The family-only version can hold complete performances, shared by a private link or a handover file.
- The school decides what is published. The videographer follows that written plan.
Treat the public version and the family-only version as two different films with two different audiences. Decide who may watch each one before the event, and the filming and editing become much simpler.
Why one film rarely suits everyone
A school event usually has three audiences. Families want to see their own child, often in full. The school wants a few clear scenes for its website or social pages. Staff may want a record for the school’s own files.
A single edit cannot serve all three well. A complete class performance is precious to parents, but it is too long and too identifiable for a public page. A short public film leaves out most children, which is the right choice for the public and the wrong one for families.
Which content goes where
Use this table as a starting point. The school adjusts it to its own policy.
| Content | Public version | Family-only version | Internal record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide shots of the hall, stage and decorations | Usually suitable | Yes | Yes |
| Speeches by the principal or guests | Often suitable, if the speaker agrees | Yes | Yes |
| Full class or group performances | Check first; use short, wide extracts if at all | Yes, complete | Yes |
| Close-ups of individual pupils | Only where the school has cleared that child | Yes | Optional |
| Prize presentations with names | Check what the school normally publishes | Yes | Yes |
| Moments that went wrong or upset a child | No | Only if the family would want it | Usually no |
| Children the school has marked as not to be filmed | Never | Never | Never |
The last row is the most important. A name list that reaches the videographer before the day protects the child and the school.
How to decide, step by step
- Name the audiences. Families, current pupils, prospective parents, the public, the school board or the district education office.
- Name the places each version will live. A private link, the school website, a parents’ group, a social media page.
- Write down who approves. One person with authority for this event, not a committee reply chain on the day.
- List the exceptions. Children who must not be filmed, and any staff or guests who asked not to be shown.
- Tell the videographer in writing. The brief should say which version each scene belongs to.
An illustrative example
This is an example, not a record of a real school. A primary school holds a year-end concert in the hall with eight class items. The school asks for:
- a family-only version with each class item complete, grouped by class so parents can find their child;
- a public version of a few minutes, built from wide stage shots, the principal’s speech and audience reactions from behind;
- no close-ups of pupils in the public version unless the school has cleared them.
During the shoot, the camera operator keeps a wide frame on stage and a second angle on the speaker. The editor builds the public version from those frames first, then cuts the complete class items for the family version. Because the plan was written before the day, nobody has to remove faces from a finished film afterwards.
What the school keeps responsible
We suggest options and follow the school’s plan. The school stays responsible for its consent forms, its photo and video policy, and its decision on what is published. The filming and publication responsibilities checklist lists the questions to settle between school, supplier and adviser, and the permissions guides cover the wider picture.
Parents who film their own child are a separate matter. See our guide on coordinating parent filming with official coverage. Where children stand and where the camera may go is covered in planning filming areas for a school event.
What we confirm for your event
- Separate public and family versions are edited from the same recording.
- A list of children who must not be filmed reaches the camera operator before the day.
- The family version is delivered in the way the school chooses, with the school controlling access.
- A scene the school wants changed after delivery is agreed as a revision.
- The quote shows the public and family versions as separate lines.
Where we can help
Read more about school event videography, or use the private and public video version planner to sort your own list first. For a legal question about children’s images, ask a qualified adviser.
If you already know what the school wants to post publicly and what only families should see, we can plan the filming and the separate versions around it. Send us the event, the date and the venue, and we will discuss what is possible.
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