Stock footage is essentially a video that can be used in more than one production. It is beneficial to filmmakers because it can occasionally save them from having to shoot new or challenging material.

Currently, there are several popular websites that provide licensing services for stock images, video, and music. There’s a wealth of digital media available which can be licensed for all kinds of commercial use; iStock and Pond5 are among the most popular.

This week, one of our videographers took some time to shoot a variety of stock footage in public locations around the Toronto area. This served two purposes: it provided us with a few obscure shots that we needed for a current project, and we could also make these clips available for purchase online. You can buy some of the shots seen in this video, and many more on Key West Video’s Pond5 account.

When shooting stock footage it’s important to consider the fact that you don’t know where the clip will end up. Since you don’t know what shot will be cut beside it, static frames and close-ups help separate the subject from its environment. This makes it easier for a potential editor to blend a stock image into their other material as seamlessly as possible.

That being said, static doesn’t mean it can’t be interesting. Use of dynamic photographic techniques such as time-lapse and extreme shutter speeds can make seemingly mundane objects look far more interesting. For example, in our vlog post this week you’ll see a waterfall fade from a slow shutter speed into faster shutter speed, virtually eliminating the motion blur. 

If you are putting together any type of video production, don’t forget about #StockFootage resources. Stock footage can add that finishing touch to your project and it can be extremely economical. After all, why should you go shoot two polar bears wrestling in slow motion yourself when there is a perfectly good piece of footage for sale already?