When dealing with cheap stock video footage, you need to know and understand the licenses that come with them. It will not only help you create an incredible project, but will also save you from potential legal troubles in the future. Read carefully the licensing agreement and other usage stipulations so you will not have to incur additional costs and spend more than your allotted budget. Here are the licenses that usually come with your stock footage.
- Royalty-free License. Royalty-free license is the more user-friendly and generally cheaper license. It allows you to use the cheap stock video footage multiple times for multiple purposes, without paying for royalties. You will be charged on a one-time basis, depending on the type of format you require. Although royalty-free license is cheaper than other types of license, it does not necessarily equate to lower video quality.In fact, you can get a cheap stock video footage in high definition (HD) with a royalty-free license. There are also other formats and video quality available for a lower price. The key is finding the one that best fits your own video.
- Rights-Managed License. Rights-managed licensed footage is closely managed by the contributor. This means that the owner reserves all the rights to the cheap stock video footage even after procurement. The price of a stock footage with an RM license varies depending on a number of factors, such as duration of usage, intended use of the content, and purpose of production. This stock is sold individually and has top of the line quality and exclusivity.
Since a rights-managed license gives you exclusive rights, you will have an advantage over your competitors. This comes in very handy if you do not want them to use the same cheap stock video footage in their creative projects.
- Editorial-Use Only License. Editorial-use only license limits the use of a cheap stock video footage as part of a new, documentary and other editorial pieces. It usually costs lesser than the royalty-free and rights-managed license with strict restrictions on usage. Limitations are applied to size, placement and duration of use of the stock footage. There may also be some limitations on the amount of modification done to the clip after production.
Getting the right license for your cheap stock video footage is important. If you do not want to face legal charges in the future, make sure that you abide to the guidelines stipulated in the license agreement. Keep in mind that legal suits may deter the true benefits of using stock video footage – to save time and money. Determine the purpose of your video and purchase the right license to avoid legal troubles and ensure the success of your creative project.