Okay the thing about the issue of getting release forms is this: You need concent to use their likeness or their image, which basically means that if you want to use a person then you need to get their signiture because they will be recognisable, if you write a chracter that is based on some one that you know then you need to get their signiture confirming that they dont have a problem with you doing so.

Its mostly to state that they understand that you aint going to misrepresent them.

The thing about crowds is this, if its a big masssive crowd then how are you going to stop every single person there, let alone get them all to say yes and sign a contract! Most crowd scenes that you watch in films/tv are just shot and used as it isnt practicle to do as I said and stop every one. More ofton than not they will just go ahead and use the footage in the hope that no one regonises them selves and complains, resulting in the withdrawal of the footage.

A way around this problem is often to speed up the footage so that the people in shot pass by too quick for your audience to conciousley register the faces of the people entering and exiting shot.

Personally though, if I was you I would consult your local screen agency in order to get it clear in black and white wether or not it is some thing that you will be able to do?

Hope this helps you, Cleary.

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Sorry I forgot to add, if the faces of the people are blured then your audience cant associate a persons image with a particular person which means that you could go ahead and use the footage. How ever this might seem a bit confusing to your audience if theres a mass of blured people on screen.

If you ever watch a programme about the police which take you through the day to day event of police officers, and the crimes they attempt to tackle? Then you will see that a lot of people have the option of bluring their face, this is to protect the persons image, reputation and other legal rights. In order for them to screen the footage of the persons face they need to get that persons concent by way of release form which is what it says, the person releasing their rights to their image. Cleary.

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Most often in a film that isn't being shot on a shoestring budget, rather than face legalities and other problems down the road, crowds are generally filled with extras who are usually being paid a measly amount, or at least getting a free lunch out of it. In this case, the extras are signing up to be in the movie, and therefore no one can come back and claim they were filmed without permission. If you plan on filming a small crowd, it might be a good idea to use extras, so they are all signed off. And to answer your question... if the people in the crowd are unrecognizable... I doubt you'd need a release form.

'In the life that man creates for himself, he too, creates his demise... and his legacy.'