Talent Photo Approvals

SAG-AFTRA kill rights aren't optional, and neither is the paperwork. ReelStorage turns talent photo approvals from an email nightmare into a tracked, auditable workflow that takes minutes instead of days.

How the approval flow works

1. Tag and classify photos

Start by tagging photos with the relevant talent. The system distinguishes between solo shots (talent appears alone) and group photos (talent with others), because most contracts treat these differently.

2. Create an access code

Generate a pattern-based code like "SPIDER-A7B2" that's easy to read over the phone but hard to guess. Set your approval requirements: what percentage of solo photos must be approved, what percentage of group photos, and an optional expiration date.

3. Two-email delivery

Talent (or their representative) receives two separate emails. One contains the access code, the other contains a numeric passcode. Both are required to log in. This split follows MPAA content security best practices, so even if one email gets forwarded or intercepted, the photos stay protected.

4. Mobile-friendly review

Talent opens the review link on any device. On mobile, they swipe right to approve and left to reject (with haptic feedback). On desktop, they click. No account creation, no app download, no friction.

5. Progress tracking

As talent works through their photos, you see real-time progress. Solo and group percentages update live. If they're at 68% approved on solo shots and the requirement is 70%, you'll know exactly where things stand.

6. Finalization

When the approval percentages meet your requirements, the finalize button unlocks. Talent confirms their decisions, gets logged out automatically, and their selections are locked. You receive an email with the full breakdown.

Kill rights compliance

Production contracts typically give talent the right to "kill" (reject) a certain number of their photos before publication. Getting this wrong creates legal exposure.

ReelStorage handles the mechanics:

• Separate solo/group tracking: Most contracts distinguish between these categories
• Percentage validation: The system won't let talent finalize until requirements are met
• Audit trail: Every approve, reject, and status change is logged with timestamps
• Studio override: If something needs to change after finalization, authorized studio members can re-open access (and that action gets logged too)

Security

• Pattern-based access codes: Human-readable codes using unambiguous characters
• Separate passcodes: 4-6 digit codes delivered in a second email
• Session tracking: IP and user agent logged for every access
• Automatic expiration: Set time limits on access codes
• Rate limiting: Protection against brute force attempts

Studio controls

You keep final authority. Even after talent finalizes:

• Re-enable access for additional changes via studio override
• Track every override with timestamps and user attribution
• Export the complete audit log for production records or legal review

Who this is for

Unit publicists managing approvals across a full season. Talent representatives who need a clean, mobile-friendly review experience. Production coordinators who are tired of tracking kill rights in spreadsheets and email threads.