Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Policy

Magdalene College is where our community lives, works and socialise.

The College grounds are private property, and while we recognise the benefits that permitting selected filming, photography and recording can bring, the College must balance these activities with their impact on our resident community and daily College life.

This policy applies to anyone who wishes to film, take photographs or record audio on Magdalene College property. It covers students and their families, Fellows, staff, conference customers including guests, contractors and all other visitors.

For clarity, this also covers the use of any device with a built‑in camera or recording function, including smart glasses and wearable cameras. Anyone who needs to request permission to use such a device as a reasonable adjustment linked to a disability or medical condition should contact the Academic Office (tutorial@magd.cam.ac.uk) if they are a student, or the HR Manager (hr@magd.cam.ac.uk) if they are a member of staff or a Fellow.

This policy does not apply to the College’s CCTV system, which is covered by a separate CCTV Code of Practice.

Questions about this policy should be directed to the Communications Manager.

For the purposes of this policy, the following terms will be used:

Filming, photography or recording means capturing moving or still images or audio on College property by any method and in any format, whether used now or developed in future. This includes cameras, mobile phones, drone-mounted cameras, webcams, voice recorders and any electronic transfer to another format or to the internet.

The terms film, filming, filmed and filmmaker will be used to refer to filming, photography and audio recording throughout this policy.

Filming that DOES NOT require permission

The College site and buildings are private property, and people should be able to go about their daily lives with a reasonable expectation that they are not being filmed. With that in mind, there is no need to request permission for filming that meets all of the following conditions:

• It will take place either in the parts of the College’s outside grounds that can be seen by the general public or in an individual’s private room or shared accommodation area.
• Only participants known to the filmmaker, and who understand where the film will be shared, will be recognisable in the film. If the film is likely to be shared more widely than first agreed, those involved will be contacted in advance and their permission confirmed again in writing.
• No one under the age of 18 will be recognisable in the film unless written permission has been obtained from their parent or guardian.
• There will be no disruption to College life.
• Only handheld, battery-powered equipment will be used.
• It will not be for commercial purposes. For this policy, commercial purposes include monetised YouTube channels and content linked to paid social media partnerships or affiliated advertising.
• It will not use the College’s name, branding or imagery in any way that implies College approval, endorsement or official authorisation.

In addition, filming carried out on a College property by the College Communications Team as part of their job role will not require permission.

Filming that DOES require permission

For filming that does not meet all of the conditions listed above, the Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Request Form must be completed and submitted online.

Submissions will be reviewed by the Communications Manager, who will consult relevant colleagues and pass the request on if needed.

The College has a Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Fees scale. Please read this document before submitting a permission request form.

Filming requests should be submitted as early as possible. With the exception of news media requests, at least 10 working days’ notice is required. Requests made at short notice may not be approved due to availability and the need to check with relevant College departments to prevent clashes with other events.

Permission is unlikely to be granted during examination periods or at times that coincide with key College activities and scheduled events.

Permission must be requested for each instance of filming by any individual, group or organisation. Permission will be granted for set dates and times to prevent conflict with other events or daily College activity.

When reviewing requests, care will be taken to consider the impact on the mission and reputation of the College and on the welfare of the College community. Requests may be refused without giving a reason.

If filming is likely to cause noticeable disruption, the College community will be told in advance when and where it will take place.

These conditions are not comprehensive. Further clauses may be applied on a case by case basis when permission is granted.

• Every person on College property has a reasonable expectation of privacy and should not be included in any filming without being:

  • asked in advance for their permission

    or

  • notified via perimeter notices that authorised filming will be taking place in specific areas

    and

  • given the choice to opt out of being filmed
• Unless explicitly agreed in writing in advance with the Communications Manager:
  • non-commercial filming projects may not use the College name, branding or imagery in any way that implies College endorsement of, or involvement with, a third party, product, service or activity
  • commercial projects may not use the College name, branding or imagery at all
• Filming permission applies only to the rooms or locations agreed in advance. It does not extend to any other part of the College estate.
• Agreed filming schedules and timings must not be changed without prior discussion and additional written permission.
• Filming must not contain any material of an explicit or unlawful nature.
• The use of facsimile weapons, special effects, pyrotechnics, loud sound or any effects that could cause alarm must not take place without prior agreement. Filming leads will need to provide a risk assessment for review and approval by the College’s Health and Safety Adviser before permission can be granted.
• Depending on the size of the request, filming leads may need to provide risk assessments and method statements for the College’s Health and Safety Adviser to review and approve before filming begins.
• Drone use must meet the criteria laid out in the section below on ‘Drones’.
• The College’s Health and Safety Policies require that anyone filming in College must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for that of others. They must ensure that:
  • walkways, fire exits and fire escape routes are kept clear of people and equipment at all times
  • electrical equipment brought on site is safe and PAT tested
  • electrical points are not overloaded
  • wires are firmly secured to prevent trip hazards in a way that does not damage College property, decoration or furnishings
• Anyone who brings in an external supplier to film on their behalf is responsible for making sure the supplier is aware of these guidelines and follows them.

Anyone filming at Magdalene must ensure that their own insurance policy covers the risk of damage to any equipment used on site. The College cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss to equipment, however it may occur. Equipment must not be left unattended.

Apart from non-commercial filming by current students, Fellows and staff members, insurance must be in place to cover the cost of any injury or damage caused to people or College property. Details of public liability insurance must be provided before filming can proceed by:

• the relevant institution, society or individual, whether commercial or non‑commercial, that has commissioned the film,

or

• the individual filmmaker, including current students, Fellows and staff members working on commercial projects,

or

• the professional contractor.

In addition to the relevant booking process, all external event organisers must complete the Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Form if they plan to film any part of their event.

Any media requests to attend or take part in events held in College must be emailed to the Conference Manager (conferences@magd.cam.ac.uk) at least ten working days in advance, unless shorter notice has been agreed beforehand. The Conference Manager will discuss the request with the Communications Manager to seek approval if appropriate.

If a room hire booking is made solely for filming, it will be treated as a commercial request unless it is clearly stated at the time of booking that it is not commercial.

Event organisers (including for weddings) are responsible for:

• giving attendees advance notice that filming will take place, ideally in writing
• displaying signs at event entrances stating that filming will be taking place, how footage will be used, and where it will be published.
• making an announcement about filming at the start of the event
• giving individuals the option to avoid appearing in any published footage, either by wearing an identifier such as a sticker, badge or lanyard, or by using an agreed area where filming will not take place

College commissioned filming, whether carried out by Communications staff or by external suppliers, will take place at College events such as matriculation, graduation and open days. Written notices will inform attendees that filming will take place, explain how the material will be used, state where it will be published and set out how individuals can avoid appearing in any published footage. The College has a legitimate interest in recording these events for promotional and archival activity, and for documenting important moments in College life. While every effort is made to avoid identifying individuals in public event footage, accidental inclusion cannot always be prevented.

The College may ask to be given film stills or copies of photographs to use on College communication channels and to place in our archives free of charge, with an agreed acknowledgement or credit provided in return. Copyright will remain with the originator.

The filmmaker will inform the Communications Manager when the film is due to be published.

Influencers in higher education often reach large audiences. The College does not endorse influencer channels, but we recognise the value of sharing personal experiences of College and University life. We aim to support this while also protecting the privacy and safety of individuals.

If you are an aspiring or established influencer, please:

• get in touch with the Communication Team who will be happy to find out more about your channel(s)
• submit a Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Request Form in advance if you wish to film any commercial work in College
• ensure that any published film recorded in College, including in your own room or in shared communal areas, contains only people who have given their express permission
• help keep everyone safe, avoid publishing information such as full names, precise details of your staircase or address, or any other details that could identify you or others
• take notice of the Advertising Standards Authority code for social influencers if you are taking payments for product placements/endorsements

All filming requests from media representatives and production companies, including student media organisations, must be sent to the Communications Manager.

The representative or company will be asked to complete a Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Request Form. The Communications Manager will review the form and pass it on if needed.

If a media representative is attending an external room hirer’s event:

• filming will only be permitted in the room(s) included in the booking

and

• requests to film in any other area of College must be made in advance in writing and approved by the Communications Manager.

All media representatives and crew must sign in at the Porters’ Lodge and be accompanied while in College. The chaperone may be a staff member or a Fellow, and this will be agreed in advance with the Communications Manager.

A filming fee and/or a room hire fee may be applicable.

Requests that provide a commercial benefit to any organisation, even if the organisation is academic or not for profit, will be treated as commercial and fees may apply. This includes requests to use any part of the College as a set for a film, interview, advertisement, photoshoot or podcast.

The Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Fees should be consulted before submitting the Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Permission Form. Room and space hire fees are negotiated separately with the Conference Office as appropriate.

All commercial requests should be made at least 10 working days in advance. Requests will only be considered when:

• a completed filming request form has been submitted
• dates and locations are available and will not disrupt College activities
• it has been confirmed that parking for any essential vehicles can be accommodated
• proof of public liability insurance valued at no less than £5 million has been provided
• where appropriate, a script or synopsis has been provided

Filming that takes place over several days, in multiple locations across the College site or outside standard office hours can cause greater disruption. More complex requests should be submitted at least four weeks (20 working days) in advance.

Filming may take place only on the day that a marriage ceremony is held in College. Locations must be chosen to reduce disruption and the schedule must be agreed in advance.

All permission request forms relating to filming during the ceremony or inside the Chapel will be passed by the Communications Manager to the Dean of Chapel, who will liaise with the Director of Music as needed. Additional fees may apply.

Wedding organisers are responsible for ensuring that attendees are given notice about any filming, including the use of perimeter notices.

The College does not accommodate engagement/anniversary shoots or any other wedding‑related filming for couples who are not holding their marriage ceremony or wedding reception in College.

Involvement in University projects can bring real benefits to the College. The scope of work carried out by the University’s official filmmakers, whether they are part of the Office for External Affairs and Communications or commissioned by it, often includes activity that does not require permission. Representatives from the University of Cambridge should contact the Communications Manager to discuss filming proposals.

Drones and other unmanned aerial systems may be used for aerial filming, survey work or research. All drone operators must follow the Civil Aviation Authority rules and regulations, especially those covering drone weight, height limits and visual line of sight.

The following section applies to drone flights that take off from or land on College property. Due to regulatory, safety and privacy considerations, these flights must have advance written permission. Any use that is not authorised will be reported to the relevant College Officers and appropriate action may follow.

Before a drone flight can be authorised, a Filming, Photography and Audio Recording Request Form must be submitted, as well as proof of:

• an indemnity insurance policy
• CAA Flier ID
• CAA Operator ID
• CAA permissions and training
• Cambridge International Airport agreement for flight(s)
• a Risk Assessment of the proposed operation

Before drone flight takes place, we also require written agreement in advance that:

• the intended flight paths the drone will follow, including launch and landing points, have been approved by the Communications Manager
• the drone will be operated at a respectful distance from buildings and windows.
• flights will remain above roof height, except during take off and landing and filming will not be directed into internal private spaces or private gardens unless this has been agreed in advance with the Communications Manager
• only people known to the drone operator, and who understand where the film will be shared, will be recognisable in the footage unless an exception has been agreed in advance with the Communications Manager
• the Communications Manager will be able to view drone footage or the final film to identify any issues. Flagged issues must be resolved before publication.
• final footage will be made available to the College for use in its own projects, with accreditation given

Use of any communal facilities (corridors, toilet facilities, changing facilities, and catering) must be agreed in advance and may only be used with express permission and may be subject to an additional charge.

The College may request copies of the final presentations (films, photos, etc.) for the College Archives. 

The information contained in this policy is not exhaustive; any hazards and residual risks must be appropriately controlled.