If you’re on a tight budget and have a bit of creative eye, using free stock video footage will benefit you. Whether you’re shooting for commercial purposes or personal projects, this route is the most affordable and convenient because hiring a camera crew comes with a hefty price tag. And if you want quick, easy, quality free stock video footage that you can use after a few clicks, we’re glad to share these seven websites. We’ll also tell you why you need stock video footage for your videos and if using the free ones is worth it.
Why You Need Stock Video Footage for Your Videos
Stock video footage is crucial to your videos for better storytelling flow. These are called “b-rolls” and refer to “secondary shots” that contribute to impactful transitions throughout the video.
While these are essential to your video, you can use stock video footage to save time and money. Instead of bringing the camera crew to another area to shoot the b-rolls, you can quickly choose and download them from these websites.
Stock video footage can cover the empty scenes in your video that precede the following scenes. It can be a wide-angle take of the city’s skyline, a bird’s eye view of the mountain, or someone walking in the park.
You get many benefits from buying or downloading free stock video footage. Here are some:
- Quick and simple. You no longer have to hire another camera crew to film these b-rolls. You only have to select the footage and buy it from the website or download it directly.
- Convenient. It’s more suitable for a filmmaker like you who has to juggle various aspects of the project. You don’t have to stop filming the main scenes due to the lacking b-rolls.
- Quality. Most of the free stock video clips on websites are professionally made. Rest assured that you’ll get quality videos that will fit even in your bigger projects seamlessly.
- Affordable. While some require a fee for downloading videos, some websites also offer these videos for free. This is the best option for beginner filmmakers who are on a budget.
7 Websites to Get Free Stock Video Footage
The internet is the best place to find free video stock footage. However, you’ll have to sift through several websites to ensure quality and affordability. Here are the top seven websites you can start with.
1. Storyblocks
This platform offers more than a million royalty-free music, photos, templates, and videos. Plus, Storyblocks claims that their editor is user-friendly too. They are considered the world’s “first stock media subscription” that brings you audio, images, and video at your fingertips. They make it easy for creatives to access affordable videos, all thanks to Joel Holland.
Holland was surprised by the b-roll footage cost in Seattle once while working on a project. He worked as an independent filmmaker and realized buying plane tickets was cheaper than shooting b-rolls! He also did the math and realized it was quicker to shoot b-rolls and edit them himself. So he started listing out the b-rolls on eBay and the rest, they say, is history.
2. Pixabay
Aside from beautiful images, Pixabay offers free video stock footage for commercial or personal projects. The platform provides a clean interface where you only need to type the kind of video you want, and options are shown in seconds. You can use Pixabay content without alterations, provided that you don’t sell EXACT copies of it.
You also shouldn’t redistribute it as digital wallpapers or as NFTs. Although not required, Pixabay creators would appreciate “donations” so contributors keep creating amazing videos.
3. Videvo
Videvo is another best place to get free stock video footage, which requires attribution to the clip’s author. When downloading the free clips, you need to credit the contributor. But if you don’t want to provide attribution, you can always upgrade to the Video Pro or Video Plus subscriptions to get a royalty-free license.
4. Coverr
Since its founding in 2015, Coverr has carried thousands of free videos downloaded over five million times. It started as a video production marketplace in 2012 and soon became a free video subscription service.
All content on Coverr can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes. You don’t have to ask permission from the contributor or give credit to the owner or Coverr.
5. Mixkit
Mixkit is part of the Envato network, also a marketplace for creatives. Downloading videos on Mixkit comes with various license restrictions. If you’re downloading free videos, you can only use the videos in these areas:
- YouTube videos
- Online marketing ads
- Music videos
- Commercial projects
- Social media video posts
- Educational purposes
- Filmmaking
You may download, modify, distribute and broadcast the videos with non-exclusive rights. Although not required, attribution would be appreciated.
6. Videezy
Videezy offers quality videos with worry-free licensing for commercial and personal use. These royalty-free videos are free to use and download. Attribution is also required by adding Vecteezy in the final credits, final copy, final design, and copying and pasting a specific code.
7. Motion Array
From abstract overlays, backgrounds to urban clips and nature, Motion Array offers a wide variety of free stock video footage. The best part about using this platform is you can test the clip with your project by downloading the preview. The free videos come with royalty-free licenses.
Is Using Free Stock Video Footage Worth It?
Using free stock video footage is worth it if you’re a new filmmaker or experienced filmmaker who is still establishing their name in the industry. This will save you time, money, and effort in the long run. Plus, you don’t have to worry about not having the right b-roll for your videos because there is no shortage of websites you can choose from.
Moreover, quickly choosing these free b-rolls will save the day if you’re on a tight budget and deadline. As a responsible filmmaker, remember to always read the corresponding licenses that come with the clips to prevent any copyright issues.
