Securing “Official” Production Photos

 

Everyone’s heard the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

And, it’s true. A photo can instantly convey a complex idea, meaning or essence of its subject. That’s why it’s important to snap some pictures on-set while shooting your projects. These behind-the-scenes images showcase you in action…and fans love them.

 

However, it’s not always possible to take photos…especially on high profile projects. If you’ve been hired for a TV show or studio film recently, you might have encountered a policy that bans you from bringing a camera to set.

 

Why? Well, there are many reasons, but probably the biggest is simply that the production team wants to have control over the promotion of that project. They want to select which images will present their project to the public. And, they don’t want any secrets being leaked out…unless they’re the ones doing it.

 

The marketing team or publicity department for every major production always selects specific images from the project that they deem “approved” for promotional purposes. They often have a photographer on-set during shooting to capture images or they pull stills directly from the footage. These are the approved images that are shared with the press to help get fans excited about an upcoming episode or new release.

 

If you’re the star of a project, then no doubt you’ll be included in these images. If you have a strong supporting or Guest Starring role in a project…there’s also a chance that you could end up in a publicity photo especially if you saw a photographer on-set while you were shooting your scenes.

 

So how do you know if you’re included? You ask. Don’t be afraid to contact the publicity team of a production to ask if you’re in any of the “official” photos. Ask if you can get a copy of them…even if it’s after the episode airs. These are images that you can always share socially, send to press, add to IMDb, post on your website and more.

 

One more bit of advice…even if you’re not allowed to take photos on-set, try and find a way to snap a few photos that relate to the project. This could be a quick pic of you in your dressing room, relaxing at lunch break, during a costume fitting, in front of the studio or some other location that shows you ‘in the game’.

 

If you’re planning to post them before the project premieres, just be careful that they don’t give away any specific details that could get you into trouble. Being a little vague about exactly what you’re working on can become a teaser for your fans…and before you know it they’ll be wondering “what project are you working on now?”

 

 

THANKS!