I have a LOT of duck footage and it's helped me make money! Not through sales... the ducks are always available as models and happily work for a handful of food. They've helped me practise and perfect many techniques and types of shot. I know how to get the best out of my gear because I've invested time in filming and editing... ducks!! Thanks for the tips Will, your content is brilliant.
Thanks a lot! I think these are one of the best tips for selling stock footage. Many people just talking about technical aspect, but this is also really useful advice. Great work!
Tip: If you shoot animals -- shoot them doing something interesting like, eating, landing, taking flight ect... Action is the key here and the more rare and unusual the situation is the BETTER For example: a squirrel riding on a horse
Just found your vid's, and love how you use the "squirrels" for example of what people think they will be the 1st one to shoot it. SO great, haha, I can tell you want to say more, but you gotta be "good" haha Well done
Subscribed, great tips. I'm going to use my spare time to shoot tourist attraction based content and see if I can hire a model. Some building exteriors need a property release so is it best to go for editorial content if that comes up?
Would you be interested in sharing a basic generic Shot List for those of us who are new to stock footage? Love your videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
A question, William: when uploading multiple points of view of the same subject, does every clip need unique keywording? And what do agencies like Blackbox think of this so-called 'batch' uploading?
Hi Will, great tips! Thank you. Was wondering, as BlackBox suggests and encourages users who want a full curator to select someone that they know..or at least not randomly... is there any way I could select you from the Blackbox interface? In that case, what is your BB profile name? Cheers!!! (Starting out now with video, coming from photography, but have niche production content)
A good video would be on good places to sell stock footage. I would like to know a bit more about that. If you can give me some suggestions in the comments I would appreciate it. Thank you *** I just found your Blackbox video. Do you think that is still the best place or do you have some other suggestions and comments?
Luke Hogan good question, grade it a bit so it pops out to buyers on the agencies website. Don't grade it so hard though that the client can't use it. Check out my editing video. I go into it more there
Luke Hogan I find the buyers fall into a mixture and end client/producer. If you were to upload ungraded, I'd describe and keyword it as such "raw or ungraded shot of XYZ"
Okay. I was wondering if they wanted the ambient town noise I guess. I live my some land marks and I was think if filming around them. People walking by them, maybe I'll pan around the landmark bit. Still thinking about it. I notice that some TV shows or smaller documentaries and stuff, will use stock footage of a place when they mention the place specifically . Is there stock audio too? thanks a bunch
Alexandra there is a stock audio industry but you will need a very professional set up to compete in that industry, personally I wouldn't worry about audio and film the landmarks without it
Great tips William, in case we are an editor and we are looking to just edit stock footage and put up and have a share of revenue, where can we find shooters to collaborate on that? Maybe even someone overseas
Thanks for the tips. I've never made any stock footage, but now it's becoming of interest to me. And you've made quite an informative video. I would say I wish you had more visual content in your video, added some examples etc., but your narration is so captivating, so I'd say "nah"
seems like there is a lot of people promoting black box... by where they get a % of "directed' people via their you tube sites. My question is how much money can REALLY be made on stock footage vs normal weddings real estate advertising work etc.
black box affiliates do get 1% of the 15% commission charged by BB of referred members, the members themselves are charged nothing extra this way - Black Box is the one taking the % hit. I did a video on earnings/income I recommend you check it out for a very realistic idea of what you can make, currently im trending at 10% more than I normally do this year for stock sales bringing my return per clip up above that stated in said video
Does the fact that there is already stock footage of major landmarks near me make it a bad idea to shoot footage of them? Is there value in trying different angles, frame rates, exposures, that kind of thing?
Hi William, Maybe there's something weird with me but I can't seem to find your email As I would like to share and discuss an idea with you.... Thanks....
do you realize how hard it is to get even one money making shot? anything using people you need a talent release witch is a pane in the ass. on pond5 most of the things that sell are like politics , demonstrations , current news. i have found its not quantity but QWALITY. like he said at the start ,its those hard to get shots that few have access to are the ones that sell. my friends dad has been an underwater videographer for years and shark week he sells the most.
I have many selling clips but my portfolio is well into the thousands now, your right that quality plays a huge part in it but I think quantity is also something people should strive for
I have a LOT of duck footage and it's helped me make money! Not through sales... the ducks are always available as models and happily work for a handful of food. They've helped me practise and perfect many techniques and types of shot. I know how to get the best out of my gear because I've invested time in filming and editing... ducks!! Thanks for the tips Will, your content is brilliant.
Subject is king. Thanks for the advice of preparing a shot list of subjects before we go out and shoot!
Thanks a lot! I think these are one of the best tips for selling stock footage. Many people just talking about technical aspect, but this is also really useful advice. Great work!
Wow this is such an excellent video with some very helpful tips! Thanks for posting :)
Tip:
If you shoot animals -- shoot them doing something interesting like, eating, landing, taking flight ect...
Action is the key here and the more rare and unusual the situation is the BETTER
For example: a squirrel riding on a horse
thanks for great tips, subscribed
very informative video, great format. I've taken notes as this is an industry I want to explore
Awesome video! Very helpful.
Just found your vid's, and love how you use the "squirrels" for example of what people think they will be the 1st one to shoot it. SO great, haha, I can tell you want to say more, but you gotta be "good" haha
Well done
This was so helpful, thank you!!!
Subscribed, great tips. I'm going to use my spare time to shoot tourist attraction based content and see if I can hire a model. Some building exteriors need a property release so is it best to go for editorial content if that comes up?
great videos, subscribed! I´m a stock photographer and will start stock footage now. I´ll follow up on your channel. thanks for all the info!
Thanks for the tips man!
Wu Bu your most welcome
What do you think about aerial stock footage of nature particular to where you live? Rivers, waterfalls, hiking trails with people?
Thanks man you're awesome!
Aldariel appreciate it :)
Relax your hand man :D They distract. Great tutorial.
Very helpful video, thanks
Dark Horse glad it helped!
Liked and subbed
Would you be interested in sharing a basic generic Shot List for those of us who are new to stock footage? Love your videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Wendy Eriksson hi Wendy, great idea for a video thanks!
Please let me know if you have any tips when it comes to stock footage, would love to discuss ideas
Thank you! Good stuff
A question, William: when uploading multiple points of view of the same subject, does every clip need unique keywording? And what do agencies like Blackbox think of this so-called 'batch' uploading?
When do and don’t you need a model release ?
when you wish to sell the footage of that person as commercial
Hi Will, great tips! Thank you. Was wondering, as BlackBox suggests and encourages users who want a full curator to select someone that they know..or at least not randomly... is there any way I could select you from the Blackbox interface? In that case, what is your BB profile name? Cheers!!! (Starting out now with video, coming from photography, but have niche production content)
Where do I go to search for the most sellable stock footage?
Any suggestions?
A good video would be on good places to sell stock footage. I would like to know a bit more about that. If you can give me some suggestions in the comments I would appreciate it. Thank you *** I just found your Blackbox video. Do you think that is still the best place or do you have some other suggestions and comments?
when uploading a clip to black box would you always colour grade, or provide it as vlog footage so client can colour grade to there liking
Luke Hogan good question, grade it a bit so it pops out to buyers on the agencies website. Don't grade it so hard though that the client can't use it. Check out my editing video. I go into it more there
yeah that makes sense, a balance between me as an editor would want log and control but also want the footage to look fab for a buyer
Luke Hogan I find the buyers fall into a mixture and end client/producer. If you were to upload ungraded, I'd describe and keyword it as such "raw or ungraded shot of XYZ"
what audio equipment should i buy for filming simple stock? I'd probably want a shot gun mic instead of using the built in mic right?
Alexandra do not worry about audio so much when it comes to stock, if using BB then the audio will be wiped anyway. Most agencies don't take it
Okay. I was wondering if they wanted the ambient town noise I guess. I live my some land marks and I was think if filming around them. People walking by them, maybe I'll pan around the landmark bit. Still thinking about it. I notice that some TV shows or smaller documentaries and stuff, will use stock footage of a place when they mention the place specifically . Is there stock audio too? thanks a bunch
Alexandra there is a stock audio industry but you will need a very professional set up to compete in that industry, personally I wouldn't worry about audio and film the landmarks without it
great. I'll just keep working on learning video then :)
Great tips William, in case we are an editor and we are looking to just edit stock footage and put up and have a share of revenue, where can we find shooters to collaborate on that? Maybe even someone overseas
Neoray black box
Thanks for the tips. I've never made any stock footage, but now it's becoming of interest to me. And you've made quite an informative video. I would say I wish you had more visual content in your video, added some examples etc., but your narration is so captivating, so I'd say "nah"
JeneOMC hi, thanks for the feedback. I will look to incorporate more in the future :)
seems like there is a lot of people promoting black box... by where they get a % of "directed' people via their you tube sites. My question is how much money can REALLY be made on stock footage vs normal weddings real estate advertising work etc.
black box affiliates do get 1% of the 15% commission charged by BB of referred members, the members themselves are charged nothing extra this way - Black Box is the one taking the % hit. I did a video on earnings/income I recommend you check it out for a very realistic idea of what you can make, currently im trending at 10% more than I normally do this year for stock sales bringing my return per clip up above that stated in said video
What happened to 2018 videos buddy??!!
Does the fact that there is already stock footage of major landmarks near me make it a bad idea to shoot footage of them? Is there value in trying different angles, frame rates, exposures, that kind of thing?
Not a bad idea, look at that footage and think what they were missing that you can take advantage of. C:
Hi William, Maybe there's something weird with me but I can't seem to find your email As I would like to share and discuss an idea with you.... Thanks....
but don't you need permission to sell footage of landmarks and things like Government buildings?
do you realize how hard it is to get even one money making shot? anything using people you need a talent release witch is a pane in the ass. on pond5 most of the things that sell are like politics , demonstrations , current news. i have found its not quantity but QWALITY. like he said at the start ,its those hard to get shots that few have access to are the ones that sell. my friends dad has been an underwater videographer for years and shark week he sells the most.
I have many selling clips but my portfolio is well into the thousands now, your right that quality plays a huge part in it but I think quantity is also something people should strive for