Discover how shooting high quality stock footage can boost your portfolio and expand your horizons, and learn what kind of content Shutterstock customers are looking for.
Creating and selling great stock footage should be a top priority for Shutterstock contributors who are interested in earning more money through stock. If you’re a photographer seeking a new opportunity to earn more money through your creative work, you should consider uploading your video clips to Shutterstock Footage.
To date, we’ve paid over $800 million to contributors around the world. And footage is one of the fastest growing visual markets in the world. It’s estimated that this year, video will make up 80 percent of all internet traffic. Videos are the next element for brands and business to start using in more marketing efforts to tell their stories. It’s not just images anymore.
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Still from clip via Supamotion
In the day of Instagram and instant photography, it’s simply not enough for people to showcase great image content through marketing. Customers on Shutterstock are using video to tell and sell stories that a single image simply can’t showcase.
That’s why we’re sharing these reasons why you should start shooting stock footage right now. Shutterstock’s stock library depends on high quality content from our worldwide network of contributors. It’s time to get shooting, get uploading, and stop leaving money on the table for other creatives to grab.
Stock footage opportunities are everywhere
You’ll hear it from creatives around the world: to get better content, you need to be shooting constantly. As you make the move from images to shooting stock footage, film everything. Start small, and dabble in landscape to learn how your camera shoots footage. Whether it’s wind blowing in the trees, a gentle ripple of a river current, or a close-up of a flower, practicing shooting the outdoors is a great way to learn how your camera processes video.
Still from clip via DedovStock
From that stage, move into shooting videos when you’re on a photo shoot. If you’re already shooting images of a model having coffee in a cafe, switch your settings to shoot a video of the same thing. A sip of a coffee in a beautiful cafe could be just what the next Shutterstock customer is looking to purchase. And an added bonus? You’ll already have the model releases on hand and ready for your images, so uploading to Shutterstock is easy.
Create a stock footage shoot from scratch
On Shutterstock, we are constantly looking for diverse stock footage content featuring people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and abilities. Create a stock footage shoot with a focus on diversity. Start by hiring some friends or family members that you have access to, are comfortable with you, and also comfortable on camera.
Still from clip via Andrei Porzhezhinskii
As you make the move to stock footage and learn how people move within your camera frame compared to stills, shooting with people you have a strong relationship with is a good way to keep a shoot light and easy. Stage some moments, and film some candid fun moments in-between. You can’t fake a candid moment, and capturing these in-between moments are sometimes the clips that work out the best. Where the models forget about the camera for a brief moment.
Still from clip via wavebreakmedia
These are the types of stock footage that meet the demands of Shutterstock customers. Video clips that sell moments that inspire.
Know what customers are searching for
Keep an eye on what’s trending in the visual content world, and know what is selling on Shutterstock. The Shot List is a great place to start. Each month, we gather themes based on keywords searched by customers in the year prior to tell you exactly what customers are going to be buying soon. This is a great opportunity to plan a shoot that has a high success rate of being purchased by customers.
Still from clip via Pro_Studio
Another place that gives you in-the-moment data on what customers are looking for, is the Shutterstock App for Contributors. Download it here for iOS and here for Android. We push in-app notifications in your geographical area or genre you shoot to tell you what customers are searching for. This data isn’t just made up. It’s made to show you the gaps that exist on Shutterstock and where your stock footage can succeed.
Note: Currently you cannot upload video clips on the Shutterstock app.
Ready to submit footage to Shutterstock? Here’s how
New to Shutterstock?
Visit submit.shutterstock.com to join. The process is simple. Enter your personal information, and get verified by our staff. Make sure you have a selection of footage (and/or images) to upload as soon as your account is approved. This is a great way to get into our Fresh Content blog post, which highlights new content we’re excited about to Shutterstock customers.
Still from clip via icsnaps
When you upload your footage clips, start adding keywords and descriptions for each clip. This is a great resource on the type of keywords you should be adding to your clips. Generally speaking, the more targeted and specific your keywords are, the higher the likelihood that the right customer will find them.
Are you an image contributor looking to start submitting video?
Simply log on to your Shutterstock portfolio by clicking here, and start uploading clips. Earning money by uploading stock footage clips is easy by using an FTP program. Once your footage clips are approved and published, your videos will show up here for customers to find and purchase.
Quick tips on shooting stock footage that sells
Capture attention quickly
Don’t assume that people will want a longer video. Quick clips are sometimes more valuable than longer-form video when it comes to stock content. For example, an aerial video of waves can be looped for as long or short as the customer needs.
Still from clip via Tokyo Motion
Create stories with multiple clips
A great way to earn more money through stock footage is to create stories with multiple clips. Clips that go well together have a higher likelihood of being purchased together for a customer. It’s much easier to purchase multiple clips from one contributor than to search for multiple clips from contributors with different styles.
Learn from the pros
Last year, we launched Shutterstock Select which features a collection of high-quality stock footage clips from advanced contributors around the world. Check out what’s selling on Select to know what you should shoot.
Still from Shutterstock Select clip via Gorodenkoff
Storyboard before you shoot
Have a shot list on hand before you arrive at a video shoot, so you know exactly what you need to capture. A shot list is a great resource to keep you on track and ensure that you use the shoot as an opportunity to get as much footage as possible.
We can’t wait to see the stock footage you create for Shutterstock. Make the most out of every opportunity you can, and start earning money doing what you love today.
Featured still from clip via Aila Images
Looking for more tips on creating stock content that sells? Check out these articles:
- 15 Tips on Shooting Lifestyle Stock Images That Sell
- Plan Your Next Photo Shoot for Stock in 10 Easy Steps
- Discover the Importance of Diversity in Stock
- 80 Free Transitions for Premiere Pro Video Editors