8mm Forum: Privacy act, how it works in related to Brüno (2009) with Ron Paul as part of scene

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Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on February 01, 2012, 09:15 AM:

Hi all,

I knew there are plenty of media practitioners here, whether a full timer or free lancer. I noted Douglas Meltzer, Hans van der Sloot, Claus Harding, Brad Miller or some others.

I just watched (a weird) movie titled "Brüno".

There are some scenes showing public figures that can harm they reputation. The most notable one is Ron Paul.

The scene can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7RnlPQCKBQ

My very question, how can this scene was shown to public without the concern of people shot in that film, in this regard Ron Paul?

What I previously understood that even a candid camera show need a concern letter from people who were fooled (pranked), otherwise scene is deleted or face will be blurred.

I don't care who Ron Paul is so I am not going to a political debate. I just want to know if there is a policy change about this.

ps: the above scene were actually made with several public figures that include John Bolton (US Ambassadors). Those scenes were put in behind the scene.

Please enlighten me.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 01, 2012, 10:24 AM:

As I understand it there is a different standard of privacy for public figures such as politicians. Since their activities impact a great many people and they need to be held accountable, Freedom of the Press requires they be allowed reasonable access.

If a relative nobody like myself (and content to stay that way...) was caught on camera, the journalists would need to get my signed release to use the footage. That's why we are called "private citizens".

You start to get into gray areas where you are talking entertainment celebrities or where the work is less journalism and more entertainment (mockumentaries, for example), but gray areas are for the courts and the lawyers.

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