Whether you are new to the world of stock footage, or a seasoned and successful stock footage researcher, now is a great time to take a closer look at the evolution of point-of-sale purchasing in the stock footage industry. The power of the click and pay online experience has substantially changed licensing and how those of us in the media production industry tend to communicate and relate to one another. However, just because the tools exist to speedily click, license, and download stock footage, it remains essential to develop relationships with your licensing representatives to ensure you're getting the best service and pricing available.
As a seemingly unlimited pool of new producers enter the film and video arena, their experience of looking for footage has become more dependent on Google and online searches than ever before. Click-to-license and download stock footage sales have become standard for those new to the industry as well as long term professionals. Distribution of stock footage today requires terabytes of storage, instant online preview and licensing, and snap-fast digital delivery. While this technology has improved the ease of locating and purchasing stock materials for all kinds of productions, this streamlined experience has significantly devolved the dialogue between licensee and licensor. In an industry that for decades has depended on the strength of personal relationships and tailored pricing to meet the needs of a wide range of productions, the advance of easy online stock footage acquisition has changed the way in which many producers approach stock footage licensing and pricing.
Many stock footage agencies have invested significant capital to develop instant online licensing for both rights managed and royalty free footage. So why would I recommend to contact a sales representative directly before placing your next order? The answer is simple: a good sales representative can assist with subject ideas, provide comprehensive research, help with format requirements and delivery options, and extend discount opportunities, saving you time and money in acquiring the best stock footage for your production.
Discount opportunities include bulk discounts, selecting the appropriate license terms for your production, making the best choice between royalty free, rights managed, and premium content, and inquiring about non-profit and preferred vendor discounts. A sales representative can often save you money by discussing your project prior to licensing online. Such full-service access to skilled professionals is an opportunity to expand your production team free-of-charge. So, the next time you are about to place an online order, ask yourself: How could I be doing my job better?
Donna Kaufman is Chief Strategy Officer of Footage Search, Inc. (
http://www.footagesearch.com
). Footage Search represents OceanFootage, NatureFootage, 3DFootage, AdventureFootage, and other premium stock footage collections.