Images, videos, sound effects, and music- they all add to the mood and color of every good story. They are like the spices that are added to a gourmet dish, so subtle you can't even tell they're there, yet without them the meal would be dull and incomplete.

Unattractive images or even just plain, ordinary ones can ruin any video production, no matter how good the script. Think of how much better the story would be if you had a good script and outstanding pictures and sound. Those are the elements, the "spice" one finds, in every successful, award-winning production.

But, if your crew and resources are limited, how do you get your hands on eye-catching pictures and sound? You use stock footage.

What is Stock Footage?

Stock footage is generic, royalty-free film or video footage, photographs, music and sound effects that are created for anyone who is involved in the creation of video or film projects. There are many agencies that own the copyrights to collections of stock and, for a fee, filmmakers can purchase the stock footage they need in a matter of minutes. Most stock companies do not demand royalties. Their stock footage comes from many different sources: the artists themselves, movies and television programs, news corporations and custom-made generic footage.

One of the reasons stock is so popular among video creators and filmmakers is cost. It is often less expensive to obtain stock footage than it is to hire a crew to shoot new material. The use of stock footage saves a director and producer time and money in the making of a great video production. There are literally thousands, if not millions, of stock footage photos, videos, diagrams and illustrations from companies all over the world to choose from, and they can be downloaded to your computer desktop in a matter of minutes. Many stock websites offer direct downloads of clips in various formats, both compressed and uncompressed, HD and SD.

The First Step

You start by registering on several stock websites. There are quite a few reputable ones out there where you can find not only stock video and film, but also stock photos, vectors, music and sound effects. Some require a registration fee, but others do not. This means that a person can review the stock footage before downloading it to their computer. Some stock sites will even allow you to download the stock you want to use so you can test it out in your production before you buy it. When you decide to buy, you pay for it and immediately download it to you computer. Within minutes you will have it in your non-linear editing program ready to cut into your project.

There are many stock websites out there. Among the more popular sites are Pond5, Footage Firm, Shutterstock, Premiumbeat, and NEO Sounds.