Are you looking to take your film or video project to the next level? Do you feel that your project lacks professionalism? Is your creative budget being stretched to unrealistic proportions? Maybe stock footage can help?

If you’ve never toyed with the idea of using stock video or simply are unaware of how it can help you, then now is the perfect time to dig a little deeper into the matter.

The increase in the amount of content produced and viewed by the general public has grown dramatically in recent years. This has been fueled by the growth of streaming services and social media usage.

Stock footage is the kind of tool that can help you produce a better quality of visual content, which will help you stand out from the crowd.

What is Stock Footage?

Stock video is footage that you can use within your own original filmed content in order to vastly improve the look and feel of your project or simply to make up for potential errors you may have made on your production or shoot.

Stock footage can help you make a small production seem big and help capture the attention of your viewers and, when used correctly, can be added seamlessly to your own footage in a way that is not only invisible to the viewer but greatly enhances your overall vision.

The use of stock footage is now so prevalent that even big Hollywood productions will occasionally opt to go down this avenue, such is the quality of the product now being offered.

How to Use Stock Footage

Stock footage can help get you the shots you can’t get yourself. For instance, imagine your project calls for filming in New York, only you are based in London and can’t afford to fly a crew over to the States. All you need to do is get some great scene-setting footage of the Big Apple, which will help to give the impression to your viewer that your entire production is filmed on location.

Another example could be the use of stock footage within the production of a commercial where your budget is tight. Perhaps you are filming an ad that requires an office scene, and you can’t afford to build the relevant set or pay to film in an actual office; you’d then just reach for some high-quality stock video and video templates to complete the process.

Other uses of stock footage are entirely due to issues that were not picked up during a shoot. Errors that have been made can be corrected or overlaid with new footage, transitions, and cutaways, to helpfully obfuscate the problems you suffered.

Sometimes your creative vision may be hamstrung by circumstances. Maybe you want great overhead shots of a scenic valley, maybe footage of a savannah resplendent with wild animals grazing. There is no need to run up massive expenses by filming the footage yourself; simply use what the best stock footage providers offer online.

On the subject of top online stock footage providers, here’s a run-down on what to look for when finding one that suits your needs.

What to Look For In a Stock Video Provider

When you shop around and look at what the various top stock video providers have to offer, you’ll quickly note the key areas where each of these tends to veer. For instance, some providers have truly mammoth video libraries of content, which is a big selling point for editors, producers, and directors of content.

Other brands may offer inexpensive access to smaller libraries or even offer a pay-per-clip rate. You might come across a brand that promises a great deal, but the quality of their videos is lacking.

It’s something of a tightrope when it comes to finding a service that truly suits all the key areas you might require.

The best providers tend to operate in the royalty-free sphere, meaning that the content you are looking through is available without the need for any additional licensing or copyright clearance. This is hugely important for those planning on using the stock footage downloaded for commercial usage.

An important note to make at this juncture relates to free stock video options. While it’s true you can sign-up with a service that offers free video content, do not expect the videos you download to be anywhere near to the quality of those you have to pay for.

Both the thought process behind the videos on offer and the actual video file’s quality will almost certainly be sub-standard. The content is likely to be derivative and generic and therefore not likely to impress your viewers or userbase.

ArtGrid Is the Undisputed King of Stock Footage Providers

Without a doubt, Artgrid is the biggest name in the stock footage field.

These guys are the leaders of the pack and have been for some time and with good reason.

The content offered by Artgrid is made by professionals for professionals, and that means that the addition of their stock footage will either complement a high-quality production or enhance a less competent project.

Their service is well priced and offers purpose-built packages that suit specific needs, meaning that whatever your reason for signing up with Artgrid, the rate offered is one that suits your needs.

You are offered unlimited downloads, which is certainly not an industry-standard; plans start from as low as $25 a month and come with a worldwide license. Different formats and resolutions are offered, and new clips are regularly added.

Their story-driven content is perfect for stock video needs. Those looking to make content entirely from stock footage (such as social media influencers or perhaps YouTube documentary-based podcasts) can go to town on what’s offered here.

Your subscription covers commercial usage, and an annual subscription comes with two months free. In other words, if the search for a great stock footage provider were something akin to looking for a new car, Artgrid would be a modestly priced Ferrari gleaming from the center of the showroom.

Source: Plato Data Intelligence