Every commercial image with a recognisable face in it needs a signed release behind it, and every class, workshop, or event where someone can trip over a light stand needs a waiver. Both documents are short, both are needed at exactly the moment nobody has time for paperwork, and both get skipped — until a client's legal team asks for the release file two years later and it isn't there.
A model release grants permission to use someone's likeness; a liability waiver covers physical risk at the shoot or event. Both are short forms that repeat the same photographer, project, and usage details every time. Prefill those, then collect the subject's details and signature on their own phone through a link that needs no account.
What is the difference between a model release and a liability waiver?
They cover different risks and neither substitutes for the other. A media or model release is about likeness: it records that the person consented to their image being used, and defines how widely — editorial only, commercial use, territory, duration. A liability waiver is about physical risk: it acknowledges the hazards of being on set, in a studio, or at an event. A commercial shoot with equipment, movement, and members of the public usually wants both.
Which parts of a release are the same on every shoot?
Nearly all of it. The photographer or studio's legal name, contact details, and standard usage terms are fixed. The project name, shoot date, and location change per job but are the same across every person on that job. Only the subject's name, contact details, date of birth or guardian details, and signature are genuinely per-person.
That structure is what makes prefilling worthwhile: fill the fixed and per-job fields once, then send the same document to eight people, each of whom completes four fields on their phone.
How do I collect signed releases on set without printing anything?
Print-and-clipboard fails on location for obvious reasons — the paper gets damp, signatures are illegible, someone's page is missing at the end of the day, and nothing is searchable afterwards. Sending a share link instead means the subject opens it on their own phone, checks the details you already filled in, adds theirs, draws a signature with a finger, and submits. You get a finished PDF back per person, filed against the project, before anyone has left the location.
Where a whole cast is known ahead of time, a batch fill produces the individually-addressed releases in one run rather than one at a time — up to 5 per batch on the $19/month Solo plan, up to 20 on Pro.
What should a release actually specify?
Vagueness is the failure mode. The fields that decide whether a release is useful two years later are: the scope of use (editorial, commercial, advertising), the media it covers, the territory, the duration, whether the usage is exclusive, and whether any compensation was given. Minors need a parent or guardian's signature, and that guardian's relationship should be recorded on the form. This is general information about document workflow, not legal advice — releases interact with publicity, privacy, and in Europe data-protection law, so have your standard wording reviewed by a lawyer once and then reuse it.
How does this fit with the rest of a freelance workflow?
A release is one document in a chain that starts before the shoot and ends at the invoice: enquiry, intake, quote, contract, shoot-day releases, delivery, payment. The same client and project details thread through all of them, which is exactly the pattern described in client intake forms for freelancers and agencies. Saved once, they stop being retyped at every stage.
Where should signed releases be stored?
Somewhere retrievable by project and by person, because that is how they will be asked for. Keeping them as searchable PDFs attached to the client or project record — rather than as photos of paper in a camera roll — is the difference between a two-minute lookup and an afternoon. Releases contain personal data, so storage matters: encrypted at rest, sub-processors disclosed, and not used to train AI models, all of which is documented on Filly's security page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own release wording rather than a template?
Yes. Upload your existing PDF or Word release and it becomes a reusable form, including flat PDFs with no fillable fields.
Does the model need an account to sign?
No. The share link opens in any mobile browser and the signer completes and signs without registering.
Is a finger-drawn signature acceptable on a release?
Electronic signatures are broadly recognised under the US ESIGN Act and EU eIDAS, but acceptability depends on the document and jurisdiction. Check with a qualified lawyer for anything high-value.
How do I handle a minor on set?
The release must be signed by a parent or legal guardian, with their relationship to the minor recorded. Keep the guardian's contact details on the same document.
What does it cost to run releases this way?
The free plan covers 10 forms, 5 clients, and 10 fills a month with no credit card, plus a first e-sign share at no cost. Paid plans start at $19/month for unlimited clients and batch fill.