What kind of images are you looking for?

www.footagefirm.com has free clips, and stuff for sale.

Here's a place discovered recently. Haven't used them yet but look good and the testimonials rave: http://www.freestockfootage.com/. Of course, for quality, you can't beat Artbeats (expensive I know). Suggest you Google for Royalty Free Video Footage. Lots of links.
Randy

I was looking for something similar. I noticed most pay places were $599 for 10 30 second clips. I actually broke down (had a client that would pay for the content in return for using it for a trade show video) and puchased VideoTraxx from Digital Juice. They are usually $599, but I just happened to have caught a killer special for $295/volume (of over 3,000 clips each). I purchased two volumes (I actually ended up getting the 3rd volume later). They are a fantastic company to work with.

Not free, but 1/2 the price of regular video footage for 30 times the content was pretty good (now I have over 9,000 clips at my disposal).

Try some of these:

http://www.archive.org/details/prelinger
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/webtv_email/112412
http://www.footagefirm.com/freeclips.asp

Historical footage @ www.loc.gov

Woah, didn't expect that many replies so fast :) Thanks to all, and I'll go check out the ones I don't know about (most suggested).

Let me clarify something budget wise:

--- I have been living on a very limited disability income or about 14 years and whatever extra money I had went into building my computer, upgrading software, etc. -- so as to finally do my dream short film project. While artistically challenging and fulfilling, the point is also to regain my financial independence :)

Meaning, I'm not some company or studio. I'm just one man with one computer and an ambitious dream.

Point:

--- Any mention of referrals to clip libraries over $50 or so is useless, I just can't afford it. (I'm getting pretty good at faking it with still shots with various pans and effects, but a still is still a still.)

_______________________

Now, Jay_Gladwell asked what kind of footage I'm looking for:

--- Due to the breadth of my project, it's hard for me to nail that down but mainly people, places (worldwide variety, not just US), cities, nature, water/ocean, skies.

--- Ideally I would also like footage of main news events around the world in the last few years, but that's a tough one: Reuters, AP, UPI, etc. are way out of my budgetary league too.

The fair use clause in copyrights could apply to my project,in regards to news footage -- maybe. But I prefer to err on the side of caution and restraint, and so will probably have to pass.

Too bad, for there is some intensely stirring footage that would fit right into parts of the project.

I have some Hawaii footage (Diamond Head, Waikiki, Resort Beach, Sunset) that I'd be glad to share if you think it would fit. All shot with a PD-170 and fits on a DVD. If you are interested, e-mail me at stewart dot randy at gmail dot com.
Randy

Thanks, Randy, I'll contact you soon.

For footage of places you could try tourism authorities. Most of them will supply footage of their cities / countries for free along with a release for its use. You will have to specify what it's being used for, for obvious reasons.
However while it's free for use they'll probably expect you to cover their costs of making a copy and unfortunately it'll almost certainly be on / from a pro format so that could easily be $100.
Same goes for public broadcasters such as the BBC, CBC and ABC. Huge library of stuff for the asking apart form covering their costs to make a dub and again there's the rub I'm afraid.

Bob.

farss,

Thanks for helpful posting. And it got me thinking...

I am wondering if there would be a way to circumvent the costs of making hard copies in those two source arenas. Naturally ,once I would have contacted them, clarified what my project is about (I'm going to prepare such a page with "in progress conceptual clips" at my website in due time). ANd that they would agree.

This time and and cost reducing idea may be pie-in-the-sky but might as well put it out there:

--- A) Would compressed, yet decent quality file versions, i.e. mpeg file be usable instead uncompressed .avi? There are so many codecs of varying ranges, I don't really know which would measure up.

The reason I'm willing to consider this is that for most part, all footage of people and places will be embedded scenes that would not take up the entire screen, or if so, not for long.

Let me explain:

Some of the central dramatic threads of my short film will aerial/fly through shots to be done via using NASA World WInd and the Celestia software which provide stunning possibilities. Other sequences will be photorealistic 3D imagery of a wide variety (close up objects and scenes to the more panoramic type..

In essence, the viewer will be traveling around the planet from above and in various fly-throughs and common human situations, i.e. kitchen table with glass and plate to the Himalayas :).

Within certain parts, images and footage will appear and disappear. I.e. we're over the Middle East, and so stills and footage of people, places and events will shimmer in and out, (or however I choose to do it).

In short, mostl likely at least half of the news and other images/footage are "supporting cast" if you will. Meaning that Ione can "camouflage" the lower quality of some of these by virtue of the 3D Alpha tracking and particle emitters will be part of the overall flow of the film.

So maybe I could get away with more compressed footage for much of such footage.

__________________

--- B) If this would be an option, and such sources would have those more compressed versions, then maybe they would have a way for me to get their footage via the Net.

Maybe I'm dreaming, but...

In this digital age, there must be via-Net ways that such companies communicate with clients, videographers, journalists and staff. Embedded photojournalists and video crews use wireless modes to transmit their reporting.

I doubt they send uncompressed .avi over their Blackberries or satellite hookups :)

And yet in-the-field footage makes the evening news on prime television worldwide day in and day out. I'm sure that some of it is hard copy and air-expressed, but at the pace news is shown, I doubt that all of it is.

__________________

Part "A" is something on which you or others here could advise me. Part "B" would be up to me to ask such sources when I would contact them.

Thanks.

If I understand you correctly, you're looking for "news" footage.

News footage is as difficult to license and as expensive as footage from main stream motion pictures.

The truth is, you're gonna have a tough row to hoe.

I'm kind of doubting if the source I'm talking about would be able to help in the way you're asking.

Tourism boards are just that. They might pay an agency to shoot a commercial and have the footage from that on hand. Someone asks if they can use some of the footage and sure they'll help, they exist to get the part of the world in the publics eye but they're not production houses, they don't have any gear nor are they that savvy about technical stuff. They'll send a tape out and get a dub made and that's about it. If you can find their stuff in a format that you can use they'll give permission for you to use it most likely, that's what happened in my case. We'd made a dub for someone else and retained a DVCAM dub as well that I got permission to use.

Broadcasters, well many of them don't even have DV gear anywhere in the place, sure they can get dubs made but they'll have to outsource it at your cost. Again if you can find the material in a format that you can use then if it's from their 'public domain' footage they'll quite likely give permission for its use. Even public broadcasters today have bottom line costing, each department has to work within budgets, the donation of their footage to the public (who may well own it) still has to cover costs, if it doesn't then it cuts into their real business.

But here's another thought.

Get a specific list of what you need, maybe some of us here can get what you need or shoot it for you. I've certainly got access to good gear and 20 minutes of SD or HDV fits onto a DVD, cheap enough to post that anywhere in the world.

Aerial footage is a bit hard, costs a bundle to shoot but you might get lucky with guys doing aerial surveys, the footage isn't destined for commercial use so they'd probably be able to ask a client for a favor to release it, worth a go.

Realistically I think the biggest hurdle you face is the difference between getting things very cheaply and for free. I can get a lot of stuff for the asking, just pay for the tape stock but even that's not cheap.

Even for someone to provide a service of very cheap stock footage for next to nothing is still going to cost them money and they'd go broke very quickly. Businesses like YouTube are burning money probably faster than Bush is in Iraq. Once you put something out for free everyone starts downloading it and your bandwidth costs go through the roof.

Bob.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for taking the time and thought in your replies. It helps me see the wider picture of all of this. I'm still in the more or less planning and learning curve stages of creating this film and so I can get a bit scattered by trying to get to too much too fast. It's a sort of semi-neurotic gotta catch-up thing...

"I've been under the weight of these internal challenges for almost 25 years, now I'm starting to finally really move towards what I didn't even dream I was capable of doing, so.... Let's get moving!" (Case in point, I have 4 threads going on simultaneously here at the Vegas board alone :)

Well, not so fast, Batman. Walk, then fly.

In other words, I have to take some time and think about everything you have kindly shared, offered and enlightened me with. That said, to be honest, your offer of you and/or others shooting things is a bit intimidating for I really do not want to make people go out of their way. I'd rather stick to already made footage resources and possibilities.

As far as aerial shots, I am pretty sure I can pull off some nice stuff with World Wind and Celestia for the kinds of "wow" shots I need.

______________________________

Now, prior to your last reply, I took a peek at your profile here since you had been one of the most prolific and informed people to reply, and I can tell you've got some serious experience and pro equipment.

So may I suggest that we could perhaps communicate further via email as my focus gets a bit more organized?

If you are open to that -- but since I don't know what the policy is here about including email addresses in posts (the TOA don't say yes or no) -- I will err on the side of caution and not do so. However, I will include a link to my website's homepage:

--- At the bottom of it is a small table with "Contact/Feedback" logo. Click on the "Please click here" below it to email me.

--- Replace the auto-Subject line that will appear in your email application with some reference of your choice regarding our discussion here preceded by a few dashes, i.e. "----- RE: Our discussion about footage at Sony".

The reason for the "-----" is so I know it is a direct reply to something I asked for. I have very agressive anti-spam content filters via my own mailserver that dump almost everything coming in into my junk folder. So I have to check online first before I allow it to be delivered to my computer.

______________________________

Last, a note on my website:

It may not be to everyone's taste or perceptual choices even though it is of a gently soulful nature. (And that is what the mini-film will be essentially based on as briefly mentioned on the homepage.)

Some may find it too corny, fantasy or whatever, but it's been a part of my life journey. While not mentioned at the site yet, part of its roots was borne in that I have have had friends and lovers who had been sexually abused (some very violently) before meeting me. That can tend to deepen one's soul...

So I'm not going to apologize for the spirit of its suggested perspective though it may seem a bit mushy-out-there for some. I figure I might as well put my other talents to work with it, i.e. go multimedia with it.

A short book is also in the works, but I have shelved that part of it for now.

______________________________

Alright, enough rambling and thanks again for your help. Perhaps I'll hear from you offboard.


~ Philip

CompassionSensuality.Net
http://www.compassionsensuality.net/

Philip,
my email address is in my details, feel free to email me.
Those who include their email addresses on this site are in effect saying yes, anyone else from here is free to email them.

It's much safer than posting out email addresses here, too easy for the spam bots to find them.

Bob.

If you have cable or satellite dish, check out NASA channel or CSPAN for possible footage. Check their websites for details on their terms of use, but if you can slant your goal toward educational aspects, their footage/broadcasts may apply.

If you are in the USA, they are funded by our tax dollars, so you paid for part of it anyway.

Bob,

Thanks, I'll do that in due time. I'm really tired to think those things through and so it will be a day or so or more.

Fdave,

I've looked at the NASA copyrights thing pretty closely when I first got World WInd and as far as I understand it, all they really require is valid credits and of course not using the material wiithin offensive, pornographic, etc. works.

Well, I found one on my own, too.

Prices start from $15 for standard and they also have HD. As their catch phrase states, "Stock Footage for The People, by The People" it makes footage reasonably priced for amateurs, prosumers, others. Not the Getty and seemingly still in its more or less growing stages, but something to consider

They're always looking for those who wish to sell their stock, too. So for those of you who have some, check it out also. Maybe you can make some money...

Stock Revolution": http://www.revostock.com/Home-Empty.html

Also a great source for stock footage is www.pond5.com pretty cheap and downloadable instantly. from $10.00 even.