Q? ~ "incidental" recordings of individuals.
 

A question, if I may with regard to video taping of individuals in public places. I was under the impression that "incidental" recordings of individuals in public places were perfectly acceptable (e.g. I'm recording a building and someone walks into frame, consequently being consigned to posterity.), but recording specific individuals required their consent/release for public display. Is this correct? Take the "faces in the crowd" video for example "http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=79651&highlight=color+test". Were does this fall? The objects of the video were the faces of the people, yet no specific individual was the focal point. Would this video legally require photo releases of every individual taped?
Thanks for the insight.

Moved here from Canon XH.

It depends on the program. If you are shooting a feature or a short film that you intend to make money on or show in festivals you have to get every recognizable person's release. That is, if they are shown enough that you could distinguish who they are if you know them, then they have to be released. If its just their back or a blurred face, then its okay not to release them. Docs are different, I don't really know the rules for docs and news.