Production Glossary
Stock Footage
Stock footage is recorded video and film footage that is used in film or TV. This footage is sometimes shot specifically for a project or it can be deleted footage that was not originally included in the final product. An individual piece of stock footage is often referred to as a “library shot” or a “stock shot”. Oftentimes stock footage is older footage from other productions that can be used in a new production. Simple scenes such as a city or nature landscape, animals in their habitat, and footage of historical events are available to film and television makers for use in their film or show.Stock footage is offered by two types of suppliers: royalty free or rights-managed. Companies selling or supplying stock footage originated in the mid-1980s. The largest providers of stock footage are now Getty Images and Corbis. A leading producer of stock footage is actually the US government. Any footage shot by NASA, the military and its numerous other agencies are public domain.
Movie and television are the biggest consumers of stock footage. The financial benefit to use footage that already exists far outweighs shooting entirely new scenes. In the case of transition sequences and background shots for blue and green screen, the plethora of stock footage available allows film makers to stay within their budgets.
