Jan 27, 2021
Having the right equipment makes all the difference for creators. And the only way to produce the content you want is to get access to tools and resources that make it all possible.
Stock footage is one important tool for anyone in video production. From freelancers to ad agencies to YouTubers, having access to a good stock video library makes your job easier (and even cheaper).
But the obvious question is how to find the right stock video library, something that meets your needs and budget regardless of what type of video you need to make.
The benefits of using stock video
While almost every content creator uses music in some capacity, you might not be familiar stock video footage. But knowing how to use a resource only adds to its value.
Stock video fills a couple of roles in video production, so let’s take a minute to go over where you can use it.
One of the most popular uses is as a b-roll supplement. You might not always have every shot you need for a project. Maybe you don’t have the budget, or the time, or the flexibility for a specific shot.
Projects are always evolving, which makes it almost impossible to cover every angle at every location — no matter how thorough your shot list is.
Filmmakers also find stock video to be a great placeholder. If you’re working for a client or on a production team, there are times when you’ll need to get approval for an idea (preferably before you spend time in production). Having access to a good library of stock footage can cover all of your bases, no matter what types of videos you work on.
Stock footage can also be a great tool for storytelling. It’s all too common to start editing and realize you missed a shot, or to think of a transition or establishing shot you wish you had.
Well, a stock video library gives you an entire catalog of stuff that can fit that bill.
You can summarize the benefits of stock video in a single sentence: Your videos shouldn’t be restricted by where you live, what gear you have, or how thorough your pre-production planning is. And by choosing the right library, you’ll break past those limits and free yourself up to make even better content.
Choosing a stock video library
Every media library offers something different, so finding a good match requires a little bit of research. That’s especially true for stock video — stock music can be pretty versatile in how you use it, but video usually feels like an almost-finished product when you pick it.
On the one hand, that’s great. Finding stuff that you can download and drop right into your timeline can be the difference between a missed deadline and a happy client. But on the other hand, it means you might end up spending hours searching for the one shot that will work.
Like anything else in life, you can’t really afford to waste time. Especially not if it’s spent skimming through thousands of mediocre clips. (Even if they’re high quality, it’s hard to appreciate 200 shots of steaming coffee mugs when you need one drone shot of a neighborhood.)
So if you’re going to commit to a stock video library, you want to know that the options cover a variety of visual styles, distances, etc.
And you’re completely right to expect that. A stock video library should have shots that complement what you’re working on, whether it’s a corporate ad for a client or a travel vlog about your most recent adventure.
What to look for in a library
Most video libraries look the same, or at least seem the same at face value. That means finding a good match for your needs is as much about convenience as it is content.
Sure, you want a place that has videos you like. But if you can’t actually locate those clips when you need them, does it really matter that they exist somewhere?
Part of using a content marketplace is making sure it has the tools to help you succeed. Things like curated playlists can make a difference, whether you want video about a specific topic, or catered to a specific movement type, or collected from a specific creator.
The same thing goes for filters, like length of video or FPS. If you use filters to browse Spotify, Netflix, or Amazon, why wouldn’t you want that same tool to help you find the exact kind of video you already know you want?
We don’t all want to casually browse to discover new things, but that should be an option too. And even in that case, the videos should be high-quality. That makes your experience more like finding the perfect needle in a stack of needles, rather than the one good needle in that overused haystack.
Find your stock media hub
If you have ever used Soundstripe’s royalty free music or sound effects, you know that we’re obsessed with excellence. From Grammy-winning producers and Spotify-trending artists, we want to make sure that we’re curating the best media that will keep creators creating.
And we have those same (somewhat obsessive) guidelines for video.
Yes, our stock video library includes upwards of 70,000 clips, but every file is reviewed and curated by our team. That’s why we’re confident that Soundstripe can be your option for more than music — a single subscription actually can meet all of your production needs.
And if you don’t want to set up a subscription for royalty free music, sound effects, and stock video, that’s okay. We know that part of equipping creators to succeed is giving them options.
We understand that you might only need one or two media formats. (Maybe you only need music, for example, or sound effects and video but not music.) You can also license individual files from one, two, or all three items.
Soundstripe isn’t just your go-to place for radio-quality music. It’s a full library that gives you access to whatever you need to produce video content that actually matches your vision.
Further reading
Interested in reading more top resources and getting our best filmmaking tips and tricks? Here are a couple of our most popular articles from across the Soundstripe blog: