Understanding How Stock Footage Is Used With Your Favorite Film

This much film is needed for lots of reasons. First, filmmakers never know when they have enough, so they tend to shoot much more. It gives them lots of options to complete their artistic vision. Even after the film is completed, they like to keep all the extra around in case of the unplanned. Many movie channels also have sneak peeks at upcoming movies. This footage is used so the audience can see what is in store for a particular film without showing much of the actual film itself.

Since the birth of the DVD, stock footage video makes for nice special features. Bloopers are a great way to get to know the cast and footage can let the audience know how certain stunts or big moments were really done. It can give clues to the what it might be like to be on the set. Many fans of movies watch these special features religiously and would do anything to get their hands on all of the stock footage from a film.

Big historical moments can be considered archive footage, too, if they are video taped. Most of this is public domain or the property of the government. It makes it easy when someone wants to make a biopic; they then have all this real footage of their subject at their disposal. It adds credibility to the film because it shows the filmmaker did his or her research.

All iconic moments are subject to being archive footage - even scenes from other movies. In fact, one might say that classic movies are especially qualified to be stock footage. Some shows are comprised of people sitting around and discussing famous movies, making lists and countdowns, and showing clips. This allows the audience at home to see what they are talking about if the audience member hasn't seen that particular movie.

Not all footage is very interesting. It is most commonly seen in movies when characters are driving or walking somewhere. Someone in real life video taped out of the back or side windows of a car and then had the images put on film outside the actor's car, so it looks like they were really going somewhere, not just sitting in a studio.

It is certainly not as interesting as other types of stock footage, but it can be a clear indicator of the quality of film. If even the background shots are well thought out to go with the main action, it will all appear seamless and appropriate.

The HD stock footage can also become very useful for shows with low budgets. If a similar action happens a couple of times in a film, the film makers can get away with showing the same HD stock footage from an early part of the movie. Children's shows do this constantly since kids tend not to notice.