There's no doubt that producing high-quality video content takes a significant amount of time and money. You'll need a camera, microphone, and lighting equipment. Then there's the time commitment, from idea generation to recording and editing the content. It's a lot to keep track of!
As a result, many businesses prefer to buy stock footage online. It saves them the time, money, and hassle of completing this activity on their own. But what exactly is stock footage? And how can it be used? This guide will teach you everything you need to know to get started with stock video.
In this article
Part 1: What Really Is A Stock Or Free Video?
A stock or free video is a video clip generated and made accessible for use in other people's projects by a content provider or a stock video website. These videos can be utilized in various projects, including films, television shows, commercials, and social media posts.
Stock videos are often made to license or sell them to other content makers for use in their projects. Some stock video websites provide many stock videos that may be licensed for a fee, but others offer free stock videos that can be used without charge. Free stock videos are frequently made available under a Creative Commons license, which allows for the content's free use as long as specific credit criteria are followed.
In general, stock and free videos are generated to offer a resource for content creators to use in their projects rather than have to create their content from the beginning. These videos might be helpful for filmmakers, video editors, and other content creators trying to add visual appeal to their work.
Part 2: Considerations Before Getting A Stock Video
With so many stock footage alternatives accessible these days, finding the proper video clips for your project might be challenging. Here are a few things to check for before purchasing any stock video to assist you in making the best decision possible:
1. Stock Footage Permission
As you begin browsing a provider's accessible stock footage, you'll notice various licensing options. They are vital to reading since they specify how a specific video clip can and cannot be used. Royalty-Free, Rights Managed, and Editorial Use are the most frequent licenses. Your stock supply must be reputable.
A Royalty-Free license often permits you to acquire and utilize stock footage for a one-time cost. This clip can then be reused indefinitely across various projects. There are also no restrictions on how the clip is used. This option provides the most versatility because the acquired footage can be used multiple times, guaranteeing that the investment pays for itself.
A Rights Managed license usually grants you a limited time to utilize the purchased clip. This indicates that the clip can only be used in a single project and for a limited time. In some circumstances, the clip can only be utilized in specific geographical areas. Upon purchase, you will be requested to give all of this information.
The Editorial Use license is the final option. This license restricts the types of projects in which the stock footage can be utilized. For example, content with an Editorial Use license is frequently used in documentaries or the news. It must not be utilized for commercial reasons. Other restrictions exist on size, image location, length of use, and geographic dispersion.
Some firms do not enable Editorial Usage footage to be trimmed, or color changed, while Storyblocks does not. To learn more about video licensing, visit our stock content licensing blog.
2. Video Quality
Another factor to consider is the video footage's quality because there is always more than one option. And nowadays, viewers will only accept high-quality films. You shouldn't either. When you locate a clip you like, browse the possibilities and select the one most suited to your project. In many cases, the finest quality stock video will cost extra, so carefully examine whether you need 4K film or if HD will suffice.
3. Choose the Best Stock Footage Supplier
You'll be using stock footage for a number of projects in the future. Signing up for a membership with your preferred provider is a good idea. You'll save money in the process this way. Yet, while comparing suppliers, what should you look for?
Look through their footage library to ensure you have lots of video clips to choose from. Examine the license options to see if their movies are appropriate for the purpose you intend to use them for. And, of course, look over their pricing options to ensure you can purchase a membership that fits your budget.
4. Consistency
The third factor in evaluating is if the stock video is consistent with the rest of the film you'll be using. For example, the entire look and feel, as well as the quality, should be consistent. You should also ensure that the video footage you chose is appropriate for the message you're trying to convey. If you're presenting a piece of great news, a sad and depressing video won't work.
Part 3: Top Websites To Download Hd Quality Videos
Here is the top website to download HD-quality videos:
Website 1: Pexels
Pexels began as a free stock photo website, but it has now expanded to include an extensive library of free stock movies.
Its free stock video material collection is licensed under Creative Commons Zero (CC0). As a result, you are free to use and edit the videos for personal or commercial purposes without crediting the author.
Most of the movies are under a minute long, and Pexels provides a vast range of footage in various niches.
The time-lapse videos are awe-inspiring, and there are other excellent clips from GoPro users! Pexels also has a large selection of "mockup" stock videos.
Many of these clips involve mobile devices with green screens, like the one shown below. They let you replace the green screen with a method known as chroma keying.
The free stock video quality is mixed.
While several 4K films are on the site, most of the excellent content is supplied as MP4 video in HD.
Website 2: Videvo
Videvo offers free high-resolution stock footage and motion graphics generated by its community. Its comprehensive catalogue includes a large number of HD stock videos as well as a modest number of 4K footage.
The quality of free stock video clips on Videvo varies: some are clearly taken without a tripod, while others are not. Some clips are given in MP4 format, while others are delivered in QuickTime format. Like with many other free stock video and photo websites, many thumbnails are advertisements for other sites that charge for stock footage, such as Shutterstock.
Website 3: Pixabay
Pixabay's generous community of creators has shared over 2.7 million royalty-free video clips and photographs. What's the best part? There is no risk of inadvertently breaching copyright by failing to check or comprehend the license of your chosen clip.
This is because all of Pixabay's free stock videos are licensed under Creative Commons Zero (CC0). This means you don't need permission to use or modify the clips, and you're not even required to give credit to the artist. But, it is still excellent practice—and good karma—to acknowledge the creator whenever feasible.
Pixabay's massive collection of free stock videos is structured as MP4s and is typically under a minute long. You can also download clips at your preferred resolution for commercial and non-commercial usage in digital and print mediums. In addition, the library has motion graphics, HD footage, and 4K films. There are free stock films for every circumstance or need imaginable, from nature and space to people at events or in commercial settings.
Website 4: Splitshire
Splitshire is a website developed by web designer Daniel Nanescu who wanted a place to share his stock films and photographs for personal and commercial usage. The clips on this stock video site are very professional and heavily focused on nature and the outdoors.
The most significant advantage of using Splitshire's free stock films is the distinct style and consistency that is difficult to find elsewhere. For example, creating a video from many Splitshire clips would result in a coherent look.
Website 5: Clipstill
Clipstill is a website offering a one-of-a-kind cinematography collection, which is still photos with subtle, repeating movement in one region. The website debuted in 2014 and has since grown in popularity among creatives looking for visually appealing content for their work.
Clipstill provides a diverse selection of cinematography in a variety of genres, including nature, people, urban, and food, among others. Users can also make bespoke cinematography by uploading their films and selecting the region to animate on the website. Clipstill sells all of its content, and the website provides individual downloads and membership plans for regular customers.
Website 6: Vidsplay
Vidsplay is a website that provides a library of free stock videos for usage in both personal and business projects. Since its inception in 2014, the website has become a popular resource for video editors, filmmakers, and content creators looking for high-quality footage.
Vidsplay provides a diverse selection of videos in various areas, including nature, technology, people, and travel. All Vidsplay videos are in HD and released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License, which requires an acknowledgement from the original creator. The website is easy to use and includes a search box to help readers quickly identify the type of content they are looking for.
Website 7: Dareful
Dareful (previously Stock Footage 4 Free) is a website that offers high-quality free 4K stock footage that you can use however you see fit. Joel Holland, the developer of the popular stock image and video portal Storyblocks, shot all of the content on the site.
Nevertheless, the site prioritizes quality over number, with an incredible array of high-quality looping backgrounds and landscape clips.
The categories and search box make it simple to locate the perfect clip. Aerial, fireworks, mountains, lakes, beaches, summer, and other types are available.
To download a video from Dareful, you must first establish an account. This is possible with your email address. You can also access the site's resources by signing up using Facebook. Each movie on Dareful has a lengthy explanation.
But, because the clips are distributed under a Creative Commons license, you must provide acknowledgement whenever you utilize a stock video from our website (CC 4.0).
Website 8: Shutterstock
Shutterstock is the internet's most well-known premium stock video and photo resource. The website contains over 11 million royalty-free 4K and HD stock videos. Its user interface is well-designed, making finding what you're looking for simple. You may also search by resolution and frame rate.
Although Shutterstock's stock films are expensive, the site's absence of advertisements, simple layout, and amount of professional footage makes it an excellent alternative for larger businesses. Shutterstock also has an extensive collection of royalty-free photos and audio clips.
Website 9: Videezy
Videezy is another free stock video website that offers an extensive range of HD and 4K definition footage. Also, this website is fantastic for aerial drone footage.
Again, the quality could be better, although there are numerous professional clips. The site's clips are all in MP4 format, and the resolution is listed underneath each video.
While not all of Videezy's videos are free, an extensive selection of free stock video clips can be used for personal or business purposes. The premium video also features a green "Pro" tag on their thumbnails, making it easier to distinguish them apart.
Website 10: Storyblocks
Storyblocks provides a massive library of fantastic stock videos that you can access for a monthly charge. Use the user-friendly interface to narrow your search and select the ideal stock video. There is footage, as well as backgrounds and after-effects. There are also many stock videos in 4K and HD resolution.
There's a lot of time-lapses, aerial footage, and film of various environments and situations. And all of Storyblock free videos are of quality and professional. You may use these stock videos for any purpose but not distribute the clip as a single file.
Part 4: Website Comparison
You can find videos on all of the websites mentioned above. There are a few of them which charge for the stock videos, and the rest websites are entirely free to download.
Pixabay, Pexels, and Videvo are the best website for video clips. Try these websites out and download the best videos for your use. These websites can help you get relevant content.
Part 5: How To Deal With A Corrupt Video File?
If your video gets corrupted for any reason, there is a way to fix it. You use video recovery tools to improve your corrupted files. It is recommended to use Wondershare Repairit. It is a good tool that can fix your files efficiently and swiftly. Let's see how Wondershare Repairit works.
Repair damaged videos with all levels of corruption, such as video not playing, video no sound, playback errors, header corruption, flickering video, missing video codec, etc.
Conclusion
These are a few websites that can help you download videos free. Try these websites to download stock videos for free. If the video you download gets damaged or corrupted, try fixing it with Wondershare Repairit. It is a tool that can help you recover damaged files. Use the tool to improve your corrupted videos.