Other people’s faces, rights and the final project
Lesson 22 of 22 in the course “AI Video, No Flops”. Free, with animations and a quiz.
Someone’s face isn’t a prop
In autumn 2025 the world saw what happens when people’s faces are generated without asking. On 30 September Sora 2 launched, and videos of real people spread online, including deceased celebrities. On 16 October, at the request of his estate, OpenAI paused generating videos of Martin Luther King Jr. because of disrespectful clips. On 20 October actor Bryan Cranston, whose face and voice had appeared in Sora without consent, announced stronger protections together with the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union and OpenAI. The takeaway is simple: a person’s face and voice belong to them, even if a model can draw them.
Consent in writing
Sometimes you do need a real person in the video: a model friend, a blogger, the client themselves. Then you need written consent, not a “sure, why not” in a chat. It has six points. Who: name and signature. What: face, voice or both. Where: which platforms and formats, for example TikTok, the website and paid ads. Term: until what date it can be used. Pay: how much and for what. And withdrawal: how the person can take consent back. If the person is under 18, their parents sign too. This protects both sides: the person knows what they’re agreeing to, and the brand won’t get a claim six months later.
What sneaks into the frame
Even if Mira didn’t ask for anyone specific, the model can slip in extras on its own. A random passer-by can look suspiciously like a famous actor. A sign behind her can show another company’s logo, and background sneakers can carry a recognisable stripe of another brand. The model can echo a famous painting, character or film still. And there’s music, which is the next slide. So before posting, go through the video paused shot by shot with this list. Found a problem? Fix it with a region edit or a restyle from the previous level; there’s usually no need to regenerate the whole shot.
Music without strikes
Music is the most common reason ads get muted or removed. You can’t use a radio hit without a licence, even if everyone does it in regular videos: as we discussed in the sound lesson, TikTok business accounts only get the commercial music library. Be careful with AI music too: generators like Suno usually grant commercial rights only on paid plans, so check the terms. And don’t ask for “a voice like a famous singer’s”: that’s still someone else’s voice. Safe options: the platform’s commercial library, stock music with a commercial licence, AI music on a plan with commercial rights, or your own track.
Read the service terms
Every generator runs on its own terms of use, and they differ. Before a commercial project, ask them three questions. First: is commercial use allowed on my plan? Many services keep their free plan for personal projects only. Second: who owns the output, and does the service have the right to use my videos? Third: what’s banned. Almost everywhere you can’t generate real people without consent, and some also restrict brands and sensitive topics. That’s five minutes of reading that saves you from an account ban mid-campaign.
The final project
Time to put it all together. The final project is your own 15-second video for a vertical feed. Pick a product: yours, a friend’s or an invented brand. Come up with an idea with a hook in the first three seconds. Build the character folder: sheet, passport, references. Make a five-shot storyboard and a five-line brief for the agent. Run drafts within budget, pick the best, finish the finals and edit in 9:16. Before posting, run the checklist: hands, faces, logos, music, AI label. Post it, then follow up with a breakdown of the process. If you like, share the result: we genuinely want to see what you make.
You’ve come all the way
Look back. At the start of the course, AI video was a lottery for you: press a button and hope. Now you prompt like a director: shot, camera, light and sound. You give bodies weight, support and living motion, and transfer motion from real video. You keep one character face through the whole video and edit shots instead of gambling. You run an agent over MCP and budget for attempts, not shots. And you post honestly: with an AI label, no borrowed faces and no borrowed music. Tools will change every few months, but these principles will stay. Good luck with your first video!
Check yourself
- A follower asks for a video of a famous singer dancing in Mira’s sneakers. What should she say?
Correct answer: No: her face can’t be used without the singer’s written consent. A face and voice belong to the person. The Sora story in autumn 2025 showed where generating without asking ends up. - A model friend wrote in a chat: “Sure, use my face for the ad”. Is that enough?
Correct answer: No: written consent is needed covering platforms, term, pay and withdrawal. Without clear terms it’s unclear where, how long and for what the face is used. That’s a direct path to a dispute. - In a perfect shot, a billboard behind Mira shows a famous sports brand’s logo. What should she do?
Correct answer: Remove the logo with a region edit, keeping the rest of the shot. Another company’s trademark in an ad creates a risk of a claim. A region edit removes the problem and keeps the good shot. - For an ad from a TikTok business account, Mira wants a popular hit. What should she choose?
Correct answer: A track from the commercial library or with a commercial licence. An ad needs music with commercial rights. Otherwise the video gets muted or removed.