How to Choose Best Stock Footage?

You want to make a short film but do not have enough video clippings to complete the project. You should then opt for loyalty free stock video footage. Read this article to find out how stock footage is of great help and how to choose them, in order to get the desired result.

Stock footage are the archived footage clippings of people, food, sports, technology, animals, landscapes, historical events, wars, business and much more. They are used in making documentaries, films, news, commercials, etc. There are lots of benefits that one can get by using them.

Firstly, the cost of production gets reduced because it is much easier to get stock video footage instead of shooting all the scenes. This means that shooting the entire script is not needed. Secondly, it reduces the carbon footprint. Thirdly because it is possible to get the video clippings, the test editing can be done with them to determine whether they fit the bill or not. This can be done even before purchasing the stock footage.

However, there is a great variety in the levels of expertise and professionalism that is widely available in footage clippings. Therefore, it becomes necessary to keep certain things in mind before opting for stock footage:

* Composition - The composition of footage is the most crucial factor. It means the manner in which the visual subject is created and placed within the frame. Visually engaging composition is regarded as one of the elementary parts of stock video footage.

* Motion - Another important element is the motion of the camera and the subject. Essentially, most impulsive and alluring motion takes place when the camera moves in some way. Using quality motion footage can surely enhance the overall appeal of the final video.

* Lighting - Proper lighting enhances the overall look of a stock footage clipping. The lighting can be from a natural light source, artificially generated or by combining both. It is critical to choose stock footage that has the best lighting.

* Authenticity - Authentic video footage nicely integrates into the final video and makes it believable. The more the authenticity in the footage, more will be the effect on the final version of the film or documentary. Authenticity is all about naturalness and realism.

* Resolution - Today, there are a lot of different delivery resolutions and formats for stock footage clips. Thus, it becomes necessary to choose the video footage that would nicely gel into the final project.

* Focal Length - Use of different focal lengths give out different emotional feelings to a shot and thus have a intense effect on the total quality and look of the stock footage clipping. Therefore, it recommended opting for footage according to the requirements.

* Compression & Delivery - Different companies offer different compression codec while delivering stock footage files. It becomes important to understand the type of codec and compression of the stock footage. Understanding of the codec and compression will help to get the exact format needed for the video project.

Whether someone is looking for wildlife, historical, landscape or even soccer & football footage, these tips will certainly help the person to make a sound decision while choosing for a stock footage. With better footage, the chances of getting the desired result increases.

This stock footage is available widely over the Internet and most importantly, this stock footage is loyalty free, making them a popular choice for many film makers. They are certainly the most cost-effective way of making high-quality video content and also the best way to save a lot of time.

This article has been written by an expert working with Mr. Footage, an online distributor of stock footage.