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This quick tip is for filmmakers, videographers, and photographers who make use of model releases. Even if you have verbal permission to film or photograph someone, it’s a really good idea to have the subject(s) sign a release. Normally, this means keeping printed releases with you. I always keep a bunch in my camera bag, but I don’t always have the bag handy, and sometimes I simply run out.

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can install the super handy app called mRelease. It will allow you to create, store, and email pdf copies of model, location, property, and crew releases. Your subject can sign the release on your iPhone/iPod Touch (a stylus comes in handy for that). If you’re using an iPhone, you can take a quick photo to embed in their release, which makes identifying people in your footage/photos a snap.

mRelease will set you back $2.99, and it’s nice addition to add to your film/video/photography toolkit to keep things organized.

This screencast was a question/request from a participant in a training I recently did in Yakima, WA. The question was how to create a still image with a play button that will start a video’s playback. That image is also known as a poster image. Using Flash and Actionscript 3.0, I’ll walk you through creating a poster image for a Flash video.

Files used in the video can be downloaded here: video poster files (6.11mb)

Click on the image to view the video. Flash 9 player or higher is required.

Creating a Flash video poster image