When we think about stock footage, there are often quite a few negative images that come to mind, but companies like Shutterstock are trying to change the game and make true cinematic footage available at your fingertips:

One of the big things Derick mentions in the video is the fact that Shutterstock allows you to retain full rights of your footage, so you can use it anywhere and in any way you see fit. This means you can license your footage on more than one platform, and maximize your chances of turning it into solid income. This also means you're free to use any of your own footage in your own work even if it's already available on Shutterstock. 

Something you might not expect to hear from a stock footage company is advice on how you should be approaching new gear. It's important to not try to use every single piece of new gear in your work just because it's new. Cameras and camera support are just tools, and learning how to use each one in time is a far better approach than getting lots of fancy gear together on one shoot that you aren't very familiar with.

I also particularly like his advice about renting something like a RED for a weekend if you can and familiarize yourself. While some of these things might be out of your price range, it allows you to get to know these tools well before you really need them. Better yet, make friends with rental houses or those who work at rental houses and they may let you take some gear out for an afternoon just to mess around with it.

And here's a little snippet of their 4K offerings, which they introduced at NAB last year:

More Than Just Stock Footage

Shutterstock is also not just for footage anymore. About a year ago they announced Shutterstock Music, which provides thousands of royalty-free music tracks, and with the acquisition of PremiumBeat, they've expanded their roster of audio tracks even further:

And more recently, with the acquisition of Rex Features, a "multi-decade archive of iconic images and video, and a live feed of tightly edited celebrity, entertainment, sports, and news imagery," there is even more stock material to choose from for all sorts of needs:

If you're interested in submitting your own stock footage to the site, head on over to their submit page here. And if you just want to check out what's new and need a clip or a music track, check out their main site here.

Source: Shutterstock