In this MUO video, non-original footage is used, but it comes from diverse yet familiar sources including Samsung and Netflix. However, if you use stock footage that serves a valuable purpose and comes from reliable sources, and if you cite that footage correctly, it can bring in valuable insights and show your audience that you’ve done some work. If you rely on stock footage too heavily or don’t use enough sources, it can hurt your credibility.

Related: How to Edit YouTube Videos Like a Pro Pro: Using Stock Footage Can Improve Your Credibility

If all of your stock footage comes from the same place, it may have viewers wondering why they are watching your video rather than the video that you’re drawing from. Using too much stock footage can draw attention to the inability to source original footage. Con: Overusing Stock Footage Can Hurt Your Credibility By shooting in-house, we can ensure quality and uniqueness. While we could have sourced footage from Apple, it would have appeared in countless other videos too. In all other situations, there is stock footage.įor example, the above MUO video features a lot of beautiful all-original video of the iPhone 13 Mini. If you can safely and affordably shoot the footage yourself, it can help your content and help you to personally grow as a content creator. It can also be footage that it would be impossible for you to produce on your own, like footage of a historical event. Stock footage can be footage that it would be difficult, dangerous, or prohibitively expensive for you to produce on your own, like footage from remote locations. We know, this is in the definition but, depending on the kind of footage you need, it can mean different things. Pro: You Don't Need to Produce Footage Yourself None of these problems come with using your own original footage, after all. If you do find stock footage that fits your needs, you still have to make sure that it is licensed for use in the way that you want to use it and that you have attributed it properly.Īll of these items could be their own cons, but taken together, they form the meta-con: using stock footage is a pain. Because the stock footage wasn’t made for your project, it can be hard to find stock footage that is exactly what you want. Most stock footage sites require a subscription. Con: Using Stock Footage Is Expensive and Timely Without further ado, here are the pros and cons of using stock footage.

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