Your assertions about feature films is quite incorrect. Films (and TV) are shot all the time using real people in public spaces as backround. I had the pleasure of being the second unit cinematographer on a feature film that was shot in NYC in the mid 90's. All we did was travel NYC and shoot real people in the city-- Grand Central Station, Wall Street, the World Trade Center etc. Much of it made the final cut. No releases. The famous scene in Midnight Cowboy where Dustin Hoffman is nearly hit by a cab and yells "hey I'm walkin here" was really a cab that almost hit him...he stayed in character and they used the take. Anyone who lives in NYC probably has stories about Law & Order shooting here. I know I've walked through their live shoots many times-- Books are published all the time without releases as well.
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