Raw Footage

Raw footage is everything the camera and sound recording capture on a shoot day before editing: every repetition, every aborted attempt, test shots for the lighting, and the seconds before and after the command. It is generally many times more than what is ultimately published.

Why So Much More Is Recorded Than Shown

Every scene is filmed in multiple takes and from different perspectives. There are also cutaways, atmosphere shots, and material created only as a precaution. The camera often keeps running while instructions are given or positions are corrected. These moments also end up in the raw footage.

For you, this means that the memory cards contain recordings showing you in situations that were never intended for the public, such as discussing arrangements, laughing about a mistake, or taking a break. These images are often more private than the finished scene. Conversations involving real names can also end up on the audio track.

Storage and Access

After the shoot, the material is transferred to hard drives or servers and usually backed up several times. The production, post-production, and, depending on the structure, other service providers have access. With every copy, the number of places where your recordings are stored increases.

A reputable production keeps a traceable record of who receives material and binds all participants through a confidentiality clause. If unpublished material later appears online, this is referred to as a leak. The article Leaks and Blackmail explains what to do in that situation.

What the Contract Says About Raw Footage

Many contracts regulate only the finished version, while leaving the raw footage unmentioned. This is a gap. If the usage rights refer to “all recordings,” the production may also exploit unedited passages, for example as bonus material, behind-the-scenes content, or in later compilations.

It is advisable to include a clause stating that only approved scenes may be published and that unused material must be deleted after a specified period. Whether a production is willing to do this depends on its business model. Archives of raw footage have their own value for productions because new versions can later be created from them. The article Deletion and Revocation explains how deletion requests after the shoot are handled.

What You Should Pay Attention To

• Aborted scenes: If you stop a recording, ask what will happen to the portion already recorded and have the answer given to you in writing.
• Camera running during breaks: Ask for the recording to be stopped when no filming is taking place. This is a normal and justified request.
• Secondary use: Check whether the contract expressly permits compilations made from raw footage.
• Sharing: Ask whether material will be sent to third parties for editing and how those parties will be bound by obligations.

Raw footage is not a by-product but the complete recording of your workday. Treat the rules governing it with the same care as your fee.