DVD of Christmas performance

[Pud2]

Can anyone recommend a company that films nativity etc and produces DVDs to raise money for the PTA.

I am based in the Thames Valley and our theatre group used DZ Photography in Newbury. We make no money from it and the DVDs are £15.
You need to ensure that you have all the correct releases signed by all the parents before you go ahead. It is honestly not a great money spinner.
Individual professional photos are much better, no issue of people having photos of other people's children. Can still go ahead even if some parents say no and mark up so profit is much better.

That's really useful to know. Thank you. Does I not mak a profit because of the cost of doing it? If all parents don't agree does that mean you can't do it?

Agree photos are better.

Yes Pud if all parents don't agree you can't go ahead unless you can pixel faces out.

As is discussed currently on another thread on Mumsnet you might have kids in care, adopted, fled domestic violence where you cannot risk the dvd being put online or even shared without serious risk and it's unfair for those children to miss out on plays for the sake of a video.

Just to clarify, who says that parents have to sign release forms? Is it the companies that make the DVDs or is their some sort of data protection law?

I believe that if the photo or video is taken by Gran or Dad for personal use then it's not against the data protection act.

If it is taken by school for the walls, system etc then it's not against the data protection act.

As soon as it involves a third party or publication in the media, for profit, school prospectus etc then it can become a data protection issue.

I. E dc school has photos without my permission on the system and wall.

But

When they wanted to use them in the prospectus I was asked for permission, as was I for social media and such as it is promoting the school.

When dc1 was filmed at a free Disney event happening which was in a public area (where technically anyone can take photos of anyone) I was asked for permission for her to feature in the promo.

Regardless of that any school or pta that goes ahead with including a child in a video for the sake of money no matter the risk is bonkers and incredibly selfish.

On the other thread there was a lady with an adopted child who had to move not only schools but areas due to a similar incident.

There are also safeguarding laws in relation to children in local authority care which need to be stuck to.

For this reason if nothing else you shouldn't do it.

From the other thread.

'LAC and ex LAC children is one extremely good reason!!
They are not allowed to be put on social media, filmed or even in the paper etc without consent.
My son is an ex LAC child and last year the new starters had their picture taken without any notifications and put in the local paper-my child included... I didn't find out until I read the paper and saw my son beaming at me.... His birth mother found out where he was and tried to abduct him-very cleverly done and very well thought out with several other people involved with the attempt so preplanned. Police heavily involved, several arrests and my looking over my shoulder even now a year later with contemplating moving towns etc but not what any child or parent should have to go through. Ps Yes the school did feel my wrath!!`

OP

If the PTA want to film it, then they would need to agree rules with the school. At minimum that would need to cover how the children without photo / social media permission would be obscured in the final version.

At my DDs primary there were children like mine who would have definite non permission. But there were also quite a lot whose parents had never returned the films, for whom permission would have to be assumed to be denied too.

As an ex PTA committee member of a single form entry school, I'm also not convinced that enough parents would pay for the cost of an external company, though maybe you are in a wealthier area.
However doing it in house sounds like a nightmare to me.

never returned the forms

As you selling a DVD for profit you will need to have signed releases from every single parent to be able to do this.
In my Local authority you would also need an organisation production licence as the children would be performing someone's profit. But my local authority is very strict about licences and this may not apply every where.

For a myriad of reasons I am another parent who doesn’t give permission.

When my DD was at primary, the Head Teacher used to film the dress rehearsal so that there was no audience filling up half the screen. He also took photos which were pinned up on a board, and parents could choose which, if any, they wanted to buy.
I assume that any child whose parents hadn't given consent weren't in the DVD, and weren't photographed. I am not sure what they would 've done if such a child had a lead role.