This is an attribution license, which means you need toġ) give credit to the original creator of the work,ģ) specify whether you made any changes to the work. For simplicity and a worry-free experience, CC0 stock footage is the best type to use.įor simplicity and a worry-free experience, CC0 stock footage is the best type to use. You don’t have to credit the original creator if you use the work, and there are no restrictions on what you can do with it. It means “no rights reserved” – in other words, the content is in the public domain. CC0 is the most permissive license type that exists. Here’s a simple breakdown of the different types. There are a number of different Creative Commons licenses that stipulate what you can and can’t do with a piece of content. However, just seeing the words “Creative Commons” on a piece of content doesn’t mean you can use it however you want. So, what is it exactly? Creative Commons Licenses ExplainedĪ Creative Commons license is a type of copyright license that allows a piece of content to be distributed freely. It will also most likely carry a Creative Commons license. Fortunately, if you’re looking for free stock footage, most of what you find will be royalty-free. It’s generally a good idea to stay away from rights-managed content if you’re looking to keep things as simple and inexpensive as possible. However, rights-managed content can also be quite expensive. Rights-managed content is often more exclusive than royalty-free content, so you may be the only person using that footage or image. However, you’ll probably be restricted in where, how many times, and for what purpose you can use the content. These guidelines are laid down by the entity licensing the footage or image, so there are no hard-and-fast rules for what you will and won’t be allowed to do with the content. Rights-managed content comes with a far stricter set of guidelines. The content is considered yours after purchase or download, and you don’t have to pay royalties to the original creator.Īnybody can also download Royalty-free images, so other people and companies around the world may be using the same footage or images as you are. If you download or buy royalty-free footage or images, you can use them as many times as you want, in just about whatever way you want – there are few restrictions. Rights-Managed and Royalty-Free – What Do They Mean?ĭuring your search for free stock footage, you’ll probably come across the terms “rights-managed” and “royalty-free.” These mean significantly different things.
You can’t just grab any footage off the internet and use it in your own marketing – but even footage that’s been licensed for public use may come with a set of rules and regulations that you need to understand. Here are the main things you need to know before you start using stock footage in your own work. Of course, you can’t just grab any footage off the internet and use it in your own marketing – but even footage that’s been licensed for public use may come with a set of rules and regulations that you need to understand. Not all stock footage is created equal as far as legality goes. The Legal Stuff: What You Need to Know When Using Free Stock Footage If there are any gaps in your self-shot footage, stock footage can patch them without drawing attention to them. Stock footage is ideal for smoothing out transitions and moving your video’s storyline along.Even a few seconds of footage can get a viewer on the same page as you. Stock footage can be a useful shorthand for creating a mood, setting a scene, or conveying an idea.If you want to get footage of places you can’t visit yourself, stock footage is the way to go. For instance, thanks to other people’s uploads to the web, you can find clips of outer space and various well-known locations across the world without ever having to set foot there. If you want to get footage of places you can’t visit yourself, stock footage is the way to go.It takes just a few seconds to download a stock clip. Hiring a camera crew is costly, and doing all your own filming can eat up a lot of time. Using free stock video is cheaper and simpler than shooting your own, especially if you’re on a tight budget or production schedule.Here are just a few benefits you can gain from it. There are tons of situations in which video creators might need or want to use free stock footage. Make sure to check out One Video - 12 Styles: How to Customize Any Stock Video to Your Brand