While not all model releases are exactly the same, they all cover pretty much the same thing. Basically a model release is a contract that allows the person taking your photos (and/or videos) to use them in any way they want. You are giving your permission, stating you were paid to take the pics (and/or videos) and you release the owner to use them however they so desire.

But that being said, what it doesn’t give them permission to do was pretend to be you.

Typically it says something like …

The Photographer and licensees or assignees may have unrestricted use of these for whatever purpose, including advertising, with any retouching or alteration without restriction.

So yeah, they can use the pictures or videos for whatever they want and even alter the image (ie: photoshop the hell out of it). That’s true. But even that still doesn’t allow them permission to pretend to be you.

Let’s look at this in a practical way … you are hired by a producer to do a scene. You show up, do your job and go home.

The producer takes the hard drive with your freshly shot scene and turns it into the studio that producer works for.

Now that website edits it and uploads it to their website. They take a couple of the pictures from the shoot and send them over to people like me who own websites and I use those photos to promote the movie.

You’ve been paid to make the movie, others (like myself) are now paid to promote it.

But even with the photos of you in hand, there are still limits of what I can and can’t do with them.

I can tweet and say look how hot this porn star looks in this new movie. But I can’t tweet pretending to be that porn star saying buy my latest movie. That’s crossing the ethical and legal line.

Even the model release makes note of that ….

Provided my name is not mentioned in connection with any other statement or wording which may be attributed to me personally,

In other words, you can do whatever the hell you want with the photos or videos of me, just don’t try and pretend to be me.

You can Google “sample model release” or something similar and get a zillion options to download but to make it easy for you, I have provided a Sample Model Release for you to download here. This way you can see what a real one actually looks like.

Now why am I bringing this up? Recently, I noticed a tweet by Shawna Lenee. It seems someone was promoting something that said … “Shawna Lenee’s FREE & EXCLUSIVE Video Presentation“.

They went on to say ….

2 Girls Teach Sex (2GTS) is an educational program created by Shawna Lenee.

About Shawna Lenee:
The creator of 2 Girls Teach Sex program is no stranger to sex – both with men and women! Born April 12th 1987, this hot porn starlet has been in the porn industry since she was 18, even being named “Unsung Starlet of the Year” in 2010. Shawna, along with porn starlets Monique, Jazy, Tori, Adriana & Gracie have years of sexual experience between them, and that’s what they teach in their latest sexual education video series.

As extremely sought after stars of the porn industry, the girls have picked up a huge load of tips and tricks that most guys don’t usually learn how to perform. It is this experience that makes Shawna and her friends ideal “love guides” for guys looking to outperform in the bedroom.

“Hey guys, this is the REAL Shawna Lenee. I am NOT the creator or founder of this company. I worked as a model for 2 DAYS, I believe. Was paid $1200, approx. I have nothing to do with the management or creation of ISN Network.

These guys made an email with Shawna in it, and send out weekly emails to guys pretending to be me.

This is a misleading product and everyone needs to contact this company for returns. They have impersonated me and have deceived my fans.

The emails are these guys, not us girls. Please ask me on Twitter if you have any questions. Thank You!“