The term royalty-free refers to the lack of a copyright license fee required to use the images or videos, but that doesn’t mean you can use them without limitations.
Before you start shooting your stock footage, it’s important to know exactly what those limitations are and how to work within them so you don’t accidentally infringe on someone else’s copyright and lose your footage down the line.
Use this step-by-step guide to get royalty-free videos in just three easy steps!
How do you find royalty-free videos?
When you’re looking for royalty-free videos, there are a few places to look. The Internet Archive is a great place to start—they have an ever-growing selection of Creative Commons videos, so you can use them for your business or even personal projects.
Remember that there are restrictions on what kinds of usage free covers; make sure to read their website and follow all directions before using any Creative Commons material.
YouTube also has a lot of videos available under its Creative Commons with Attribution license—just search YouTube for [Creative Commons License] + [phrase describing your topic].
But remember that YouTube will claim copyright over these videos, so always credit where you got it from.
You can also try searching on Vimeo, Daily Motion, and other video sharing sites; if they have a creative commons license attached to them, you should be able to use it however you want.
Keep in mind that there’s not necessarily a way to search for Creative Commons material on these sites specifically—you’ll need to look through their whole video selection and read each description carefully.
Make sure that all of your usage restrictions are followed, especially when using copyrighted music!
Why do you need it?
If you’re planning on creating an explainer video, you have a few options. You can create one yourself, which is time-consuming and requires a lot of skill; or you can outsource it to someone else.
While outsourcing is usually a much cheaper option, it can be time-consuming and difficult to manage; plus, you don’t always get quality results.
That’s why most people decide to make their videos—it takes more time but generally produces better quality videos.
If you want to learn how to make your explainer video without breaking your budget or stressing out over deadlines, here are some tips that will help.
The first step is to decide what type of video you need. Explainers come in a variety of styles and lengths; they can be as short as 15 seconds or as long as 60 seconds or more.
You may have a script already written, or you may want to create one before moving forward. If you do have a script, now’s a good time to get it down on paper—you’ll use it again in later steps.
Where can you find them?
Before you can use a video, you need to find one that works for your needs. There are three main sources of videos you can use.
You can create your own using a dedicated program like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker. Or you can record something using a webcam and then edit it down in an application like Windows Live Movie Maker (don’t laugh–it’s free and incredibly simple to use).
The third option is purchasing a stock video from sites like iStockPhoto and Getty Images (note that these will be copyrighted so make sure they’re safe for commercial usage).
While paid footage might cost you more upfront, it doesn’t have royalties attached to it as royalty-free footage does.
But no matter which route you choose, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, be sure that what you’re using is safe for commercial use.
If not, it’s probably fair use–but even so, it’s good practice to get written consent from whoever owns that content before using it as part of your marketing campaign.
You don’t want anyone coming after you down the road with a lawsuit because you used their video without permission or compensation!
How much will they cost?
When you’re shopping for stock footage, you have to factor two fees into your budget—one upfront and one residual.
The upfront fee is what you pay for downloading a clip. This can range from free (for clips that haven’t been downloaded many times) to around $500 per download.
The residual refers to how much of a percentage of sales from your project with that clip will go back to you—usually between 15% and 25%.
So, if someone buys your video with a stock shot included, they’ll pay $2,000 total ($1,000 for your video and $1,000 for the clip)—and only 15% of that amount (or $300) goes back to you as part of their royalty agreement.
What if I need something specific?
If you need specific footage that is not available through a stock photo service, it may be time to work with a video production company.
This can be a great way to get what you need at an affordable price. To find video content providers in your area, look for industry-specific keywords on Google or check with local businesses and organizations.
Asking friends and family who they use or have used in the past is also a good idea (you’ll probably get some recommendations).
Before making any decisions, visit companies’ websites and ask for references from previous clients; make sure you review these references before making your final decision.
It’s also important to define exactly what you are looking for so there are no surprises down the road when your contract comes due.
How long does it take to receive them?
When you’re just starting, it can be hard to know how long certain things will take. Royalty-free videos are no different.
It takes anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks to get them approved by video-sharing sites and royalty-free video databases.
There isn’t any one answer for how long it will take because each situation is unique and depends on various factors, including your genre and what websites you are using as sources for your content.
Do you have any tips for using them?
Check out Fiverr to see what type of royalty-free video clips you can find. They have a lot, so there’s no excuse for your video to be boring! You can also try filming your videos.
This might take a little more time, but it’s worth it if you have something unique that you want people to see and hear.
Just remember that exclusive rights mean other people aren’t allowed to use these videos in their projects—even if they pay for them!
This only applies to media ownership and distribution rights, not personal use or private viewing.