Log what enters the workflow
For each script, image, recording, performance, model reference and music cue, record the owner or creator, source URL or file, permission basis, intended use, restrictions and date checked. Keep the prompt and edit history nearby, but do not confuse an activity log with permission. A public image can be viewable without being licensed for training, transformation, or a commercial film.
Design the ledger as a production artifact. Give each asset an ID that appears in the shot sheet and edit notes. When a reference is replaced, preserve the reason and remove it from new generations. The point is to let a producer locate every ingredient before the final export, not to reconstruct the chain under deadline pressure.
People and performances have their own terms
SAG-AFTRA's 2023 TV/Theatrical contract resources describe consent and compensation provisions for digital replicas of covered performers. The applicable contract and production context matter; the union page is not a universal rule for all performers or territories. Get a specific, reviewable agreement before generating or altering a likeness or voice. Keep scope of use, retention, revision and withdrawal terms with the consent record.
Document a voice even when it sounds synthetic. Who performed, who designed it, and whose identity might it evoke? A producer should decide these questions before the soundtrack becomes difficult to replace.
Authorship, metadata and release
In January 2025, the U.S. Copyright Office said AI assistance does not bar copyright protection for a larger human-created work, while protection of generated output depends on sufficient human expressive contribution. Mere prompting alone does not establish that contribution. Keep storyboards, selected edits, compositing decisions and other human authorship records; do not promise a registration outcome from a checklist.
C2PA's explainer says provenance can show an asset's history but cannot establish that its content is true. Adobe documents automatic Content Credentials for certain Firefly outputs. Inspect actual exports and the full chain, since metadata can be lost in some workflows. The final gate joins rights, accurate disclosure, credited people, and a finished film the team can stand behind.
Sources & context
- U.S. Copyright Office · AI report Part 2 (29 Jan 2025)
- SAG-AFTRA · 2023 TV/Theatrical contracts and AI FAQs (contract-specific)
- C2PA · provenance explainer
- Adobe · Content Credentials overview (current documentation)
Sources checked 16 September 2026. Consult production counsel and applicable agreements for a real release.