Talent & Likeness Release
DRAFT, pending counsel review. This document is an internal draft prepared on 2026-04-26 by the engineering team. It has NOT been reviewed by external legal counsel. Do not rely on it for legal advice. Effective date is a placeholder pending sign-off. Apostle Pty Ltd makes no representation that this draft satisfies any specific jurisdictional requirement until counsel-reviewed.
Talent and Likeness Release (Template)
Revision date: 2026-04-26 (draft v0.1.0) Audience: Filmmakers collecting releases from on-screen and voiced talent Companion documents:
/legal/filmmaker-distribution-agreement/legal/ai-provenance-attestation
How to use this template
This template is provided to PYLON Creators ("Filmmakers") for collecting written likeness, name, voice, and performance releases from every identifiable real person who appears in or is referenced in a film submitted to PYLON.
A signed release per person is required before submission. The Filmmaker is the direct counterparty to the subject, the release is granted by the subject to the Filmmaker, with an onward grant to PYLON / Apostle Pty Ltd as the Filmmaker's distribution licensee.
If you are using AI to generate a likeness or clone a voice of an identifiable real person, the AI use must be expressly described in Schedule A of this release. Generic "all media now known or hereafter devised" language alone is not sufficient when the subject might reasonably object to AI-generated depiction.
For minors, see section 9. For deceased persons or persons under guardianship, see section 10.
Release agreement
This Release ("Release") is granted by:
Subject: [Subject Legal Name], of [Subject Address] (the "Subject"); to
Filmmaker: [Creator Legal Name], of [Creator Address] (the "Filmmaker"),
with the express right of onward sub-licence to:
- Distributor: Apostle Pty Ltd of Level 2/111 Harrington St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia, and any successor in interest of the PYLON streaming service operated at https://pylon.video ("PYLON" or the "Distributor").
1. The work
This Release covers the Subject's appearance, voice, name, and likeness in the audiovisual work described in Schedule A below (the "Work"), including the specific scenes, shots, voice usages, and AI-generated depictions identified there.
The Work may be edited, abridged, re-cut, dubbed, subtitled, captioned, re-mastered, and re-formatted for distribution on PYLON's streaming service and any related platform PYLON licenses or operates, all without further notice to or consent from the Subject.
2. Grant of rights
The Subject grants to the Filmmaker (with the right to sub-licence to PYLON) a perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty-free, sub-licensable licence to use, reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, transmit, stream, modify, edit, and create derivative works of:
- (a) the Subject's image, likeness, photograph, and physical appearance as captured in the Work;
- (b) the Subject's voice, dialogue, narration, and sound recordings as captured in the Work;
- (c) the Subject's name, professional name, stage name, and any identifying descriptor;
- (d) any biographical information the Subject has authorised the Filmmaker to incorporate;
in each case in connection with:
- the Work itself;
- marketing and promotional materials for the Work (trailers, key art, social-media clips ≤ 30 seconds);
- the PYLON service's editorial, programming, and merchandising surfaces;
- partner FAST channel distribution;
- ancillary uses consistent with PYLON's published policies.
The grant includes the right of PYLON to display credits, captions, and subtitles identifying the Subject in connection with the Work.
3. AI-generated depiction (if applicable)
Where the Filmmaker uses AI tools to generate, modify, or extend a depiction of the Subject (including face-swap, voice clone, de-aging, re-aging, age-progression, lip-sync to non-original audio, or synthetic-voice dialogue), the specific AI techniques used and their scope are described in Schedule A.
The Subject expressly consents to those AI uses described in Schedule A and acknowledges that:
- (a) the Filmmaker may iterate the AI techniques during production without further consent (e.g. switch model versions, refine parameters);
- (b) the Subject's likeness may persist in any model checkpoint, embedding, or LoRA created during production, which the Filmmaker shall delete on the termination of this Release for material breach by the Filmmaker (see section 7);
- (c) the AI-generated depictions remain the Subject's likeness for the purposes of this Release.
The Subject's consent does not extend to:
- AI uses not described in Schedule A;
- AI uses for political endorsement or political advertising;
- AI uses depicting the Subject committing a crime, engaged in sexual conduct, or in any defamatory context not present in the Work as approved at signature.
4. Compensation
The Subject acknowledges receipt of the compensation specified in Schedule A as full consideration for this Release. Where Schedule A specifies "zero / no compensation", the Subject acknowledges that the Subject has voluntarily granted this Release without compensation and is not entitled to any future compensation arising from the distribution of the Work.
This Release does not impose any obligation on the Filmmaker, PYLON, or any future licensee to pay any further compensation, royalty, residual, or share of revenue.
5. Term
This Release is perpetual, except that:
- (a) for minor Subjects, the Subject may exercise the limited withdrawal right in section 9.4;
- (b) the Release may be terminated for the Filmmaker's material breach under section 7; and
- (c) the Release is contingent on the Filmmaker's accurate description of the Work and the AI use in Schedule A, material misrepresentation invalidates the Release.
6. No moral-rights claim
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Subject waives any moral right to be identified as a performer in the Work, to object to derogatory treatment of the Subject's performance, or to prevent attribution to the Subject. Where moral rights are not waivable under the Subject's home jurisdiction (e.g. France, Germany), the Subject grants the broadest permissible consent to the Filmmaker's and PYLON's reasonable editorial decisions.
7. Termination for breach
The Subject may terminate this Release if the Filmmaker:
- (a) materially misrepresents the Work, the use of the Subject's likeness, or the AI techniques applied;
- (b) uses the Subject's likeness for a purpose explicitly excluded in section 3 (political ads, defamatory content, sexual content not approved); or
- (c) breaches the Subject's age-of-consent or related statutory protections under the Subject's home jurisdiction.
On termination, the Filmmaker shall:
- cease using the Subject's likeness in any further reproduction or distribution;
- request PYLON to remove the Work from active distribution;
- delete any AI checkpoint, embedding, or LoRA that incorporates the Subject's likeness;
- pay any agreed termination fee in Schedule A.
PYLON's obligation on a Filmmaker-side breach is to take down the Work from PYLON's controlled surfaces within 30 days of receiving written notice from the Subject.
8. Subject's representations
The Subject represents and warrants:
- (a) the Subject is the natural person identified above and is of sound mind;
- (b) the Subject has full power and authority to grant this Release;
- (c) granting this Release does not breach any prior agreement with any union, agency, exclusive performance contract, or third party.
The Subject indemnifies the Filmmaker and PYLON against any third-party claim arising from breach of (c) above.
8A. Pass-through to PYLON; Filmmaker bears liability
The Filmmaker passes through to PYLON the entirety of the rights, releases, and clearances granted by the Subject under this Release, on the same terms and for the same scope of use, for the purpose of PYLON distributing the Title.
In the event that any clearance, release, or right granted under this Release is later found to be defective, missing, revoked, narrower in scope than represented, or otherwise insufficient for PYLON's distribution of the Title, the Filmmaker (and not PYLON) bears full liability to PYLON, the Subject, and any third party. This allocation operates in addition to, and is enforced through, clauses 12, 14.1, and 14.1A of the Filmmaker Distribution Agreement.
9. Minor Subjects
9.1 Parental signature required
If the Subject is under 18 (or the local age of majority), the Release must be co-signed by:
- a parent with parental responsibility; or
- a court-appointed legal guardian.
The co-signing parent or guardian represents that they have legal authority to consent on the Subject's behalf.
9.2 Statutory protections
The Filmmaker shall comply with all applicable statutory protections for minors, including but not limited to:
- Australia: relevant state working-with-children laws and the Children's Television Standards as applicable;
- US: Coogan-style trust laws in the Subject's state (e.g. CA, NY) where the minor is paid;
- UK: the Children (Performances and Activities) Regulations 2014 and equivalent.
9.3 No sexualised depiction
Under no circumstances may a minor Subject be depicted in sexualised context. PYLON's editorial guardrail (clause 17 of the Filmmaker Distribution Agreement) prohibits any such content; this is an absolute floor.
9.4 Limited withdrawal right
A minor Subject who reaches the age of majority may, within 24 months of reaching majority, withdraw this Release with respect to any future use of the Work that has not yet occurred. The withdrawal:
- does not require the Filmmaker or PYLON to recall copies already distributed;
- does require PYLON to take the Work down from active distribution on receipt of valid written withdrawal;
- does not entitle the Subject to compensation for the Work's prior distribution.
10. Deceased persons or persons under guardianship
For a Subject who is deceased at the time of signature, the executor, administrator, or authorised representative of the Subject's estate may grant this Release in the same form, subject to the law governing publicity rights in the Subject's last domicile (e.g. NY post-mortem publicity right, California Civil Code §3344.1, comparable Australian common-law principles).
For a Subject under guardianship or unable to manage their own affairs, a court-appointed guardian may grant this Release on production of evidence of authority.
11. Privacy
The Filmmaker and PYLON shall handle the Subject's personal
information in accordance with their published privacy policies
(pylon.video/privacy). The Subject's contact information collected
in this Release is used solely for:
- managing this Release;
- responding to Subject inquiries;
- fulfilling any legal obligation to identify performers in the Work.
The Subject's contact information is not used for marketing without separate opt-in.
12. Governing law and dispute resolution
This Release is governed by:
- (a) the law of the Subject's country of residence (the "Subject's Home Law"); or
- (b) where the Subject's Home Law is not workable for cross-border enforcement, the laws of New South Wales, Australia, as a fallback (the Filmmaker and PYLON consent to the Subject's election).
Disputes under this Release may be brought:
- in the courts of the Subject's residence (where the Subject is the initiating party); or
- in the courts of New South Wales, Australia (where the Filmmaker or PYLON is the initiating party, subject to applicable consumer-protection forum requirements in the Subject's jurisdiction).
13. Independent advice
The Subject acknowledges that the Subject:
- has had the opportunity to read this Release;
- has had the opportunity to obtain independent legal advice; and
- has signed knowingly and voluntarily.
Where the Subject is a paid performer earning above where local law requires payment for the use of a likeness, the Filmmaker shall recommend in writing that the Subject obtain independent legal advice before signing.
14. Signature
Signed for the Subject (or guardian / representative):
Name (printed): __________________________________________
Date of birth: __________________________________________
(omit if Subject is over 18 and prefers not
to disclose)
Capacity: __________________________________________
(Self / Parent of minor / Court-appointed
guardian / Executor of estate)
Date: __________________________________________
Place of signing: __________________________________________
Signature: __________________________________________
For minor Subjects, co-signed by parent / guardian:
Parent / guardian name: ____________________________________
Relationship: ____________________________________
Date: ____________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________
Witness (recommended for AI-likeness uses):
Witness name: __________________________________________
Witness date: __________________________________________
Witness signature: __________________________________________
Schedule A, Specific scenes / shots / AI uses covered
Use this Schedule to describe the specific use of the Subject's likeness. Generic language is not sufficient for AI-generated depictions.
A.1 Description of the Work
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Working title | [Title] |
| Filmmaker | [Creator Legal Name] |
| Approximate run-time | [HH:MM] |
| Genre / tone | [free text] |
A.2 Subject's role in the Work
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| On-screen / off-screen / voice-only | [select] |
| Speaking part / non-speaking | [select] |
| Major / supporting / background | [select] |
| Approximate screen time | [HH:MM:SS] |
| Specific scenes covered | [free text, describe scenes] |
A.3 AI techniques applied to the Subject's likeness (if any)
If no AI techniques are applied, write "None, live-action performance only".
| AI technique | Applied? | Scope of application |
|---|---|---|
| Face-swap of Subject's face onto another performer | Y / N | [describe] |
| Face-swap of another person's face onto Subject | Y / N | [describe] |
| De-aging of Subject's face | Y / N | [describe] |
| Re-aging / age-progression of Subject's face | Y / N | [describe] |
| Voice cloning of Subject's voice | Y / N | [describe; specify whether a model checkpoint is created and how it will be retained / deleted] |
| Lip-sync of Subject to non-original dialogue | Y / N | [describe; specify the source dialogue] |
| Generative extension of Subject's performance (e.g. additional shots not filmed) | Y / N | [describe] |
| LoRA / fine-tune trained on Subject's image / voice | Y / N | [describe; specify retention] |
| Other | [describe] | [describe] |
A.4 Compensation
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cash compensation | [USD amount or "zero"] |
| Non-cash consideration (e.g. screen credit, copy of finished Work) | [describe] |
| Termination fee in case of Filmmaker breach (section 7) | [USD amount or "n/a"] |
A.5 Subject's contact (kept confidential)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| [for notice purposes only] | |
| Postal address | [for formal notice; may be filmmaker's PO box] |
Contact
- Filmmaker: [Creator Legal Name], [Filmmaker email]
- PYLON / Distributor:
[email protected]
Version history
| Version | Date | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1.0-draft | 2026-04-26 | engineering | Initial draft, pending counsel |