PRIVACY POLICY

 

Hatiwave Studios Ltd

Registered in England and Wales
Company Number: 17088199
Registered Office: Hatiwave Studios, 61 Bridge Street, Kington, HR5 3DJ, United Kingdom
Contact Email: ben@hatiwave.com
Website: www.hatiwave.com

Last updated: 23 September 2026

 

Hatiwave Studios Ltd (“Hatiwave”, “we”, “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly, fairly and securely.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and store it, who it may be shared with and the rights available to you.

For personal information collected directly through our website, enquiries, bookings and normal business activities, Hatiwave Studios Ltd is the data controller.

​

1. INFORMATION WE MAY COLLECT

Depending on how you interact with Hatiwave, we may collect and process information including:

Your name;

Email address;

Telephone number where provided;

Company, production company or organisation name;

Billing and invoicing details;

Project title, runtime and project information;

Film preview links and passwords supplied to us;

Production schedules and intended delivery dates;

Information about available production audio and project materials;

Music licensing information and associated documents;

Quotes, contracts, invoices and payment records;

Emails, revision notes and other project correspondence;

Files, footage, audio recordings, scripts and other materials supplied for a project;

Website usage information such as IP address, browser type, device information and cookie identifiers where collected by our website or service providers;

Any other personal information you choose to provide when contacting or working with us.

We aim to collect only information reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is being used.

 

2. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION

We may receive personal information directly from you when you:

Submit a project or contact form;

Email or otherwise contact Hatiwave;

Request a quote or sound assessment;

Enter into a service agreement with us;

Provide project materials;

Send feedback or revision requests;

Make or receive payments;

Grant portfolio or promotional permissions;

Communicate with us during or after a project.

We may also receive limited personal information from production companies, producers, directors, editors, educational institutions or other authorised representatives where they contact us on behalf of a production.

Limited information may also be collected automatically through our website and its hosting, security, analytics or cookie systems.

 

3. WHY WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We may use personal information to:

Respond to enquiries;

Review films and projects submitted for assessment;

Prepare quotations;

Discuss and agree project requirements;

Enter into and perform service agreements;

Provide post-production sound services;

Manage project files and communications;

Deliver review material and final files;

Process payments and maintain financial records;

Manage revisions, complaints and cancellations;

Confirm music licences and other project permissions where relevant;

Protect Hatiwave's legal and contractual rights;

Maintain appropriate business and accounting records;

Prevent fraud, misuse or security incidents;

Improve our website, services and business processes;

Contact Clients where reasonably necessary in connection with an enquiry, existing project, completed project or contractual matter;

Comply with legal, regulatory, tax or accounting obligations.

 

4. OUR LAWFUL BASES FOR USING PERSONAL INFORMATION

Hatiwave will only process personal information where there is an appropriate lawful basis.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

Contract — where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to provide services under an agreed contract.

Legal obligation — where we must retain or process information to comply with accounting, tax, company, regulatory or other legal requirements.

Legitimate interests — where processing is reasonably necessary for operating and protecting Hatiwave, administering projects, responding to enquiries, maintaining appropriate business records, protecting our rights, preventing misuse or improving our services, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

Consent — where we specifically ask you to consent to a particular use of your information.

Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

 

5. PROJECT MATERIAL CONTAINING OTHER PEOPLE'S INFORMATION

Film, audio and other production material supplied to Hatiwave may contain personal information relating to actors, crew members, contributors or other individuals.

The Client is responsible for ensuring they have an appropriate legal basis and any necessary permissions to supply those materials to Hatiwave for the agreed production purposes.

Where Hatiwave processes personal information contained within production materials solely in order to perform services on behalf of a Client, Hatiwave may act as a data processor and the Client may remain the relevant data controller.

Hatiwave will use such material only as reasonably necessary to perform the agreed services, manage the project, protect legitimate legal interests and comply with applicable law.

Where appropriate, additional data-processing terms may be agreed for individual projects.

 

6. SPECIAL CATEGORY OR SENSITIVE INFORMATION

Hatiwave does not ordinarily request sensitive personal information as part of a general enquiry.

However, film, audio, scripts or other production materials supplied for post-production may occasionally contain information that is sensitive in nature.

Where this occurs, Hatiwave will only process such material where necessary and legally permitted for the agreed production service and will take reasonable steps to limit access to those who require it for the project.

Clients should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information unrelated to the services being provided.

 

7. WHO WE MAY SHARE INFORMATION WITH

Hatiwave does not sell personal information.

Where reasonably necessary, information may be shared with trusted service providers or professional advisers that help us operate the business or complete a project.

These may include:

Website hosting and website-management providers;

Business email providers;

Cloud storage and file-transfer providers;

Electronic signature services;

Payment providers and banks;

Accountants and bookkeeping providers;

Legal or professional advisers;

Freelancers, composers, editors, mixers and specialist subcontractors engaged on a project;

IT, security and technical service providers;

Government authorities, regulators, courts or law-enforcement bodies where disclosure is legally required.

Our service providers may include Wix, IONOS, Dropbox and Dropbox Sign, WeTransfer and Google Drive, together with other providers used for individual business functions.

Where project material is shared with a freelancer or subcontractor, we will only provide the material reasonably required for them to perform their assigned work.

 

8. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Some cloud, website, email, file-storage or other service providers used by Hatiwave may store or process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, Hatiwave will rely upon appropriate legal safeguards or transfer mechanisms where required under applicable UK data-protection law.

Where appropriate, further information about relevant safeguards can be requested by contacting ben@hatiwave.com.

 

9. HOW LONG WE KEEP INFORMATION

Hatiwave will not retain identifiable personal information for longer than reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

Different information may therefore be retained for different periods.

As a general approach:

Unsuccessful enquiries and quotations may normally be retained for up to 12 months following the last meaningful communication, unless there is a legitimate reason or legal requirement to retain them for longer.

Active Client and project information will be retained for the duration of the project and for an appropriate period afterwards where required for project administration, contractual records, complaints, legal claims or Client support.

Contracts, invoices, payment records and accounting information may be retained for the period required by applicable company, tax, accounting and legal requirements.

Production and working project files will normally be retained for approximately 90 days following final delivery, in accordance with our Terms & Conditions, unless another retention arrangement has been agreed.

Portfolio material may be retained for longer where the Client has given permission for Hatiwave to use that material for portfolio or promotional purposes.

Hatiwave may delete or anonymise information earlier where it is no longer required.

 

10. PROJECT FILES & CLOUD STORAGE

Project files may be transferred, stored and backed up using reputable cloud or online storage services.

Access will be limited to Hatiwave and any authorised person who reasonably requires access to complete the project.

Clients remain responsible for retaining their own original production files and independent backups.

Hatiwave's retention of project files should not be treated as a permanent archive or backup service unless long-term archival has specifically been agreed.

 

11. INFORMATION SECURITY

Hatiwave takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information and project material against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure.

Measures may include password-protected accounts, access controls, reputable cloud services, software and device security, restricted project access and appropriate backup procedures.

No method of electronic storage or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Where Hatiwave becomes aware of a personal-data breach, we will assess and respond to it in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements.

 

12. PAYMENTS & FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Hatiwave may collect billing information and maintain records confirming payments made or received.

Where payment services, financial institutions or third-party payment processors are used, those organisations may process personal information independently under their own privacy policies.

Hatiwave does not intentionally request or retain unnecessary financial information such as full payment-card details.

 

13. EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS

Hatiwave does not operate a promotional email mailing list and does not send marketing emails.

Email addresses supplied through our website, project forms or direct correspondence are used for legitimate business communications relating to matters such as:

Enquiries;

Quotations;

Project assessments;

Contracts;

Active or completed projects;

Revisions;

Invoices and payments;

File delivery;

Licensing documentation;

Complaints, cancellations or other contractual matters.

Providing an email address to Hatiwave does not sign you up to promotional or advertising communications.

If Hatiwave introduces marketing communications in the future, this Privacy Policy and the relevant consent processes will be updated before such communications are used.

 

14. WEBSITE COOKIES & SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for purposes such as website functionality, security, remembering preferences, measuring website usage and improving performance.

Some technologies may be necessary for the website to function.

Other cookies or similar technologies may require consent depending on their purpose and the applicable rules.

Where required, choices will be provided through the website's cookie banner or privacy settings.

 

15. AUTOMATED DECISION-MAKING

Hatiwave does not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.

If this changes, this Privacy Policy will be updated where required.

 

16. YOUR DATA-PROTECTION RIGHTS

Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis being relied upon, you may have rights including:

The right to request access to personal information held about you;

The right to ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;

The right to request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances;

The right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;

The right to object to certain processing;

The right to receive or transfer certain personal information in a portable format where applicable;

The right to withdraw consent where processing relies upon consent;

Rights relating to qualifying automated decision-making where applicable.

These rights do not apply identically in every situation and may be subject to lawful exceptions.

Requests relating to your personal information should be sent to ben@hatiwave.com.

Hatiwave may request reasonable information to confirm your identity before fulfilling a request.

 

17. YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT

You may have the right to object to certain uses of your personal information where Hatiwave relies upon legitimate interests.

If you wish to object to processing, contact ben@hatiwave.com and explain the processing you are concerned about.

We will consider the request in accordance with applicable data-protection law.

 

18. DATA-PROTECTION COMPLAINTS

If you are concerned about how Hatiwave has collected, stored, shared or otherwise used your personal information, you may raise a complaint directly with us.

Complaints should be sent to:

Benjamin Hinds
Director
Hatiwave Studios Ltd

Registered Office: Hatiwave Studios, 61 Bridge Street, Kington, HR5 3DJ, United Kingdom
Email: ben@hatiwave.com

 

19. COMPLAINTS TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE

You have the right to raise concerns about the handling of your personal information with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent data-protection regulator.

You may contact the ICO directly if you believe your personal information has not been handled appropriately.

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

 

20. CHILDREN & UNDER-18 CLIENTS

Hatiwave's professional services are primarily intended to be booked by adults, production companies, educational institutions and other organisations.

Where a person under the age of 18 wishes to commission Hatiwave directly, we may request that the booking, contract and payment are handled or authorised by a parent, guardian, educational institution or other appropriate adult representative.

We do not knowingly seek unnecessary personal information from children.

 

21. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY OTHER PEOPLE

A producer, production company, director, educational institution or other representative may sometimes provide Hatiwave with personal information about another person in connection with a project.

Where you provide another person's personal information to Hatiwave, you are responsible for ensuring that you are entitled to provide that information and, where necessary, that the individual has been appropriately informed.

 

22. LEGAL CLAIMS & PROTECTION OF RIGHTS

Hatiwave may retain and use relevant personal information where reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, enforce contractual rights, respond to complaints, investigate suspected misuse or comply with legal obligations.

Information retained for these purposes will only be retained for as long as reasonably necessary.

 

23. LINKS & THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

The Hatiwave website may contain links to external websites, file-sharing services, social platforms or other third-party services.

Those organisations operate under their own privacy practices.

Hatiwave is not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third-party websites or services that a visitor chooses to access.

 

24. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

Hatiwave may update this Privacy Policy where our services, systems, providers, business practices or legal obligations change.

The current version will be published on our website together with the date on which it was last updated.

Material changes may be communicated directly where appropriate.

 

25. CONTACT US

For privacy questions, requests concerning your personal information or data-protection complaints, contact:

 

Hatiwave Studios Ltd
Company Number: 17088199
Registered Office: Hatiwave Studios, 61 Bridge Street, Kington, HR5 3DJ, United Kingdom
Contact Email: ben@hatiwave.com

​

​