This means WAR!

Above is an example of what's known as a Wide Area Release.  When shooting in a public place, theater, or anywhere there will be a large group of people, you will need to use a wide area release.  These should be made into posters that are about three feet tall, posted at every entrance to the location, and you'll need to have the camera crew get shots of all the signs, showing where they are posted.

For more info on wide area releases, I contacted a friend who works as legal consult to reality productions, and she had this to say:

In public places they cover people passing by in the background.  If people are focused on or lingering in the background they need to be individually released.  For audiences, they generally cover everybody although we still try to individually clear people we focus on for long periods of time and definitely for anybody with whom we interact.  For employees, or others that don't have a choice to leave the area, they in general need to be released.

Standard Appearance Release

Bringing up the rear of this release parade is the most important of all, the appearance release.  This gives you permission to use a person's likeness and voice in your show and you should try to never shoot anyone who hasn't already signed one of these.  Anyone who's face appears onscreen must sign an appearance release or they will have to be blurred, including random people walking by in the background.  Also worth noting is that subjects MUST BE SOBER when signing the release for it to be valid, or else they can sue you even if you have the release.

Usually during a shoot on the street, PA's help wrangle folks away from the camera, or intercept the ones who already walked through a shot to get them to sign a release.  So, an average show has hundreds of appearance releases, especially if there are scenes that take place in public, at a club, etc.  They need to be kept track of for a clearance coordinator to watch the cut and make sure everyone is released.  Best thing to do is write a large bold number on the back of every release beforehand, starting with 001 and going up from there.  After each person signs their release, have them hold up the side that has the number on it and take a digital picture of them.  This way, the number can be matched to the release and thus the release can be matched to the person in the footage.  If you have an iPad, there is an app for this so people can sign on the screen and you can just take a picture with the iPad's camera.

Here is a standard appearance release:

Click here for standard appearance release as a Word .doc

Standard Materials Release

Much like locations, photos and visual elements you wish to use in your show must be released before airing.  This would include artwork in the background, maps, archival photos, album and magazine covers, etc.  And it especially goes for any photos you want to use full frame or things like Billboard music charts that you often see on shows.

If you don't have permission to use these images and you can't cut around them, you will have to blur them in post.  This can be a nightmare if, say, your characters are having an important conversation while standing in front of a decorative poster.  A good field producer will remove any troublesome decorations from a location before shooting there, and a great producer will even clear images through Getty or another image library and decorate locations with already cleared images.

In the case of any artwork, this must be signed by the creator or rights holder, regardless of who currently owns the physical piece.

Here is a standard materials release:

Click here to download Materials Release as a word doc

Standard Location Release form

Many people don't realize that, like any scripted show, reality TV shows can't shoot just anywhere.  You need explicit legal permission before anything airs, which really means you shouldn't bother shooting anywhere you don't have that permission already.  Even if you just want to show the exterior and then match it to a different interior, you still must have permission.  Below is a standard location release form that can be used to obtain permission to shoot at a location and use its image, and it must be signed by the location's owner.

Click here for location release as a word document