Signing the register at DVinfo.net

Peter Rush · September 16th, 2012, 06:11 AM

Well I'm used to registrars not allowing the signing of the register to be filmed - I usually get around it by saying that I'll film from below the level of the table so the register itself is not in shot, but yesterday I had a reverend who would not let me film it at all - "it's against the law" he says even though I explained that the register itself would not be in shot!!!!

Unfortunately the photographer was pretty useless and only staged (loosely) one group for one shot around the register. normally the photog stages several groups and I get good footage - I wonder whether I should have staged some myself for the video - but I might have been seen on stepping on his toes! (I ended up staging some stuff for the video myself anyway as he was really poor)

Pete

Nicholas de Kock · September 16th, 2012, 06:51 AM

Sorry to hear. Weird law, luckily we don't have any stupid laws like that.

Chris Harding · September 16th, 2012, 08:27 AM

Hi Peter

That sounds crazy ... and it also sound like the Anglican Church!! Here we can film all documents and I actually zoom right into the register as the bride signs it!!

I would carry a book around with me if I was in the UK with a "dummy" certificate in it OR make up a neat "marriage certificate" on a nice sheet of fancy paper and get them to sign that afterwards as a fake shot.

Chris

Nigel Barker · September 17th, 2012, 02:09 AM

Normally it's the civil registrars who have an obsession forbidding filming the register signing & the vicars are cool about it. At last Saturday's wedding the vicar said much the same thing when he explained that he was happy for us to film the signing (he was blind though so wouldn't have known anyway:-).

It's an absolutely ludicrous rule with no basis in law. Sometimes they claim it's because the register is Crown Copyright. Sometimes they claim that it's because of Data Protection Legislation. Sometimes they claim it's because if they B&G are grinning for the camera they aren't paying attention to the signing & might make a mess of the register by waving the fountain pen about & dropping ink blots. Whatever reason is given they are just bullshit by an officious jobsworth. There is no point arguing the toss of course so normally we just nod & keep the cameras rolling without pointing them directly at the register.

It's a perennial problem with the photographer staging something peremptorily which is OK for his snaps but doesn't last long enough for our purposes while shooting video e.g. ring shot, first kiss, confetti shot, group shot. Normally I just bite my tongue but I am getting to the point where I really am going to have to insist on staging this stuff properly myself even if it pisses off the photographer who thinks that he/she is running the show.

September 16th, 2012, 06:11 AM	#1
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Signing the register Well I'm used to registrars not allowing the signing of the register to be filmed - I usually get around it by saying that I'll film from below the level of the table so the register itself is not in shot, but yesterday I had a reverend who would not let me film it at all - "it's against the law" he says even though I explained that the register itself would not be in shot!!!! Unfortunately the photographer was pretty useless and only staged (loosely) one group for one shot around the register. normally the photog stages several groups and I get good footage - I wonder whether I should have staged some myself for the video - but I might have been seen on stepping on his toes! (I ended up staging some stuff for the video myself anyway as he was really poor) Pete

September 16th, 2012, 06:51 AM	#2
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	Re: Signing the register Sorry to hear. Weird law, luckily we don't have any stupid laws like that.

September 16th, 2012, 08:27 AM	#3
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Signing the register Hi Peter That sounds crazy ... and it also sound like the Anglican Church!! Here we can film all documents and I actually zoom right into the register as the bride signs it!! I would carry a book around with me if I was in the UK with a "dummy" certificate in it OR make up a neat "marriage certificate" on a nice sheet of fancy paper and get them to sign that afterwards as a fake shot. Chris

September 17th, 2012, 02:09 AM	#4
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: Signing the register Normally it's the civil registrars who have an obsession forbidding filming the register signing & the vicars are cool about it. At last Saturday's wedding the vicar said much the same thing when he explained that he was happy for us to film the signing (he was blind though so wouldn't have known anyway:-). It's an absolutely ludicrous rule with no basis in law. Sometimes they claim it's because the register is Crown Copyright. Sometimes they claim that it's because of Data Protection Legislation. Sometimes they claim it's because if they B&G are grinning for the camera they aren't paying attention to the signing & might make a mess of the register by waving the fountain pen about & dropping ink blots. Whatever reason is given they are just bullshit by an officious jobsworth. There is no point arguing the toss of course so normally we just nod & keep the cameras rolling without pointing them directly at the register. It's a perennial problem with the photographer staging something peremptorily which is OK for his snaps but doesn't last long enough for our purposes while shooting video e.g. ring shot, first kiss, confetti shot, group shot. Normally I just bite my tongue but I am getting to the point where I really am going to have to insist on staging this stuff properly myself even if it pisses off the photographer who thinks that he/she is running the show.