Even though, 999 times out of 1,000, it may be no more than a tedious formality, you must therefore ensure that you have a written contract which sets out what the contributor is to do, when it is to be (or has been) done, and the fee that you are to pay, and includes an assignment of (or at least a licence to) the rights you need.

With interviewees and similar non-professional contributors, you should cover yourself by getting a signature on an interview clearance, a simple written acknowledgement by the person concerned that, having agreed to be interviewed, he or she has also agreed to give you control over the way in which that material is used in the programme. If you are not

paying an interviewee, you should make sure that the clearance is worded in such a way that it is not "void for lack of consideration" (see the introductory page to this section).

You may occasionally find that you want to engage an actor to do a voice-over, and that he/she or his/her agent wants the protection of an engagement under the appropriate Equity agreement. For more about these agreements, see under the icon "Industry Agreements: Actors" in this section, or click here.