FILMPAC was born as a perfect source of footage boutique for filmmakers. With the aim of providing every one of these pacs so many high-quality usable clips, FILMPAC function as a toolbox inspiring creativity with thousands of clips & videos. So, what makes Filmpac different & perfect for filmmakers?
- consistent 4K quality downloads (every clip is shot with the same camera)
- full previews of every clip available before purchase
- very affordable (“pacs” of 30+ clips are $99 & “collections” of 1,100+ clips are $499)
- $50 coupon & 5 free clips for signing up for their email newsletter
- natural performances
- good range of ethnic and life stage diversity
- each purchase supports a fellow filmmaker
- clips come colour graded and ungraded
off
Filmsupply could be considered as a very aesthetically creative stock video source as they have the most creative filmmakers, but a bit expensive. Their blog and their annual filmmaking conference are highly recommended.
- great website that is well organized
- full previews of every clip available before purchase
- visually stunning footage
- high production value
- unique clips that you can’t shoot yourself or purchase anywhere else
- each purchase supports our fellow filmmakers
Brady, the founder of Story Tape, has built a great team that is dedicated to developing their stock video library and making tutorials for you to share their experience in utilizing the footage.
Story Tape sets their entire catalogue available to you when you sign up for a monthly (or yearly) subscription. We definitely recommend checking them out to see these features:
- access to the entire collection starting as low as $29/mo
- great search/filters functionality on the website
- huge catalogue
- specifically designed with churches in mind
- consistent quality, everything is filmed with the same 4K camera
- clips come graded & ungraded
- high-quality aerial drone footage
At Stokhub, there are multiple contributors shooting with different equipment and different styles, so the quality and content are more varied. Their pricing is incredibly low and for only $300/yr you can get unlimited access to their entire catalogue.
- free previews of all clips before purchase
- lowest price out of all services @ $300/yr
- good resource for missions footage
- Prores & MP4 download options
Story & Heart emphasizes on “story-driven” footage and curation, their mood-based search engine surfaces clips based on the feelings you wish to convey.
Generally, the footage on Story & Heart tends to have a kind of “cinematic” feel.
6. Pexels
There are some truly spectacular videos available on Pexels – all under a Creative Commons 0 (ie public domain) license, which means you’re free to use them for personal or commercial projects without attribution.
- Professional quality video clips with no strings attached
- No attribution necessaryGood variety of clipsHigh quality footageNo 4K video
7. Videvo
Videvo offers thousands of free stock videos, motion graphics, music tracks and sound effects, all in one place.
- Stock footage, motion graphics, music and sound effects
- Simple, hassle free licensing
- New content added continuously
- Friendly team to help with any questions
Mazwai.com is a resource for free stock footage and moving images, created with one clear mission: to give creators around the world free access to beautiful stock footage, with simple licensing.
All of our footage is hand-picked to ensure the highest level of quality, and because we source content through direct relationships with artists, you can be sure that all of our content is safe to use.
How To Create Stock Video That Sells
Let’s be real. If someone sets out to make stock video footage, they’re probably not doing it just for fun. They’re doing it to make cash. But just how much cash they end up making largely depends on a few keys factors.
Well, lucky for all you future stock video virtuosos, we have all them right here!
Find A Niche
Ask any freelancer and they’ll tell you: the more specialized your craft, the more money you’ll make. This golden rule applies to all creative fields, including videography, so when you’re starting out, make sure you spend some time experimenting with different subjects and working out which one you’d like to adopt as your niche.
Ideally, you’ll want to be creating content on a consist and ongoing basis, so try to opt for something that incorporates the locations and tools to which you’ll have regular access. For example, if you live in a big city, maybe you could make sidewalk traffic or skyscraper footage your thing. Or perhaps own a drone—why not invest some time in honing your aerial shot skills?
Quality
Quality is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, factors that divide stock footage that sells from stock footage that sits there languishing on page 199 of 200 in the ‘Miscellaneous’ section. To ensure your content falls squarely into the former, there are three basic rules to follow:
Always shoot outdoors in natural light—or at least until you have a handle on how to light a set
Keep your resolution to a full HD minimum. Anything lower than 1920×1080 and you’ll have a hard time getting your work accepted by an agency
Don’t stay in automatic mode. Do a crash course on how to wield that camera of yours and, at bare minimum, make sure you’re familiar with how to use shutter speed, frame rate, ISO, aperture, and white balance to suit your subject
Include People In Your Footage
As a general rule, stock footage containing people sells better than stock footage containing inanimate objects. So where possible, get some actors or some uninhibited friends to star in your shoots. Also be sure to mix it up with a combination of shots where your actors’ faces are revealed, along with some shots where they’re cropped or concealed as some agencies have a preference for one or the other.
IMPORTANT: If your actors faces are easily recognizable, you’ll need to have them sign a release form to accompany any work you later submit to an agency.
Avoid Branding
Another thing stock agencies and buyers prefer is footage that’s free of any discernable branding. This means making sure your actors wear generic, logo-free clothing, and that any street or skyline shots you take exclude any ostentatiously branded billboards or signage.
Upload Upload Upload
Once you’re done shooting and editing, it’s time to upload your footage to a stock agency website. Since most agencies take days, if not weeks, to review and accept your content, it’s a good idea to submit your work to multiple different agencies at a time, ideally opting for agencies that don’t impose exclusive membership restrictions.
It’s also important to note that each agency remunerates its contributors differently so be sure to familiarize yourself with the different payment models and work out which ones works for you. If you’re just starting out, Motion Array is probably your best bet. Unlike the majority of other agencies which give contributors a percentage of their individual sales, Motion Array provides a profit share of the company’s total earnings each month to all of its contributors.
Flaunt Your Work
Once you have your work uploaded to a handful of marketplaces, it’s time to give it the exposure it deserves. Upload some samples or a sizzler reel to as many video hosting sites as humanly possible (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) along with all the information your prospective buyers need to find and purchase your footage.
Work Out What Sells
Once you’ve gotten a handle on the technical and business sides of stock video production, it’s time to start digging deeper and working out exactly what kinds of footage sells. While you might think you have a good idea of what buyers want, the truth is trends are changing all the time and even the most seasoned videographers can’t predict which items of their work will or won’t sell.
To get a sense of what’s hot and what’s not, regularly search the ‘Popular’ or ‘Top Seller’ pages of your go-to stock footage websites, looking specifically at what comes up under the keywords related to your niche. Better yet, if you have access to your own personal sales analytics (a feature offered by some marketplaces) keep a close eye on them to see which of your clips may be worth replicating or enhancing in the future.
Don’t Expect Overnight Success
We’ve all heard tales of superstar videographers who make $20K a month shooting stock footage. And while no one is saying this can’t be you, the reality is, it probably won’t be—not for the first couple of years any
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