10 Shots you Must have

For more information on shooting/selling stock footage check out my other posts:
GETTING STARTED
KEYWORDING
WHAT SELLS?
PUSHING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

In general, shooting stock footage has no rules, you can shoot what you want, when you want, how you want and make a good stream of passive income to help supplement your day-job earnings. However, there are some topics/shots that a stock footage portfolio is incomplete without. There are probably many more important shots, but here is my list of 10 shots. My hope is that this list will get you thinking about the variety in your portfolio. If you would like to view my example, click on the thumbnails to see my clip. Without further delay, here's the list.

Real dust particles flicker slow

1) - Unique Moving Background - a good motion background has big demand. There are tons out there so be unique.

Carnival Slide POV

2) - Something Rare - There is a great stock footage shot that only you can get because of your proximity, knowledge or access. Less competition is good.

Skyscraper tower over fisheye

3) - Business Related - One of the top uses for stock is business presentation or corporate vids. Topic is saturated, but shoot something anyways. Good demand.

Candle Seamless Loop

4) - Health and Wellness Related - Another top... topic. Easy setups, good stills out there to emulate.

Los Angeles Night Traffic

5) - Your nearest major city - Make a day of shooting your "downtown." Lots to shoot. Think establishing shots, tourism, corporate, businessmen, night life, urban jungle.

Analog TV Screens

6) - Set up a scene at home - utilize lights, props, furniture, pets, heirlooms, antiques. You don't need a sound stage to set up a worthy scene. Just a little free time/creativity.

Motocross Jump

7) - Something you know really well - You are an expert at something. Shoot that in an authentic way. It will give your shot an advantage over posers who have less informed shots of your job/sport/hobby.

Toddler watermelon laugh

8) - A friend or family member emoting - People are hot. People showing emotions even hotter. If you can't hire an actor/sound stage then shoot someone you know. Usually they'll do it for free and sign the waivers.

Spooky Halloween Jack O Lantern

9) - A seasonal/occasion shot - Valentines Day, Birthday, Wedding, etc. - Tons of possibility here, the time for sales is narrow, but high volume.

unroll toilet paper frantic

10) - Something just for fun - shoot a wacky, off the wall subject really well, even if you think no one would buy it. You will have fun and I have been amazed what shots sell.

Whether you're starting out, or you're a seasoned vet, hopefully this list of "Must Have" shots will spur some fresh ideas that will help you improve your portfolio, and increase your ability to create passive income.
Happy Shooting, HDCineman

What should I shoot?

For more information on shooting/selling stock footage check out my other posts:
GETTING STARTED
KEYWORDING
WHAT SELLS?

What stock footage should I shoot?
The short answer is, shoot anything you want! That is what is so great about shooting stock footage, anything that you find interesting has the potential to make you some money.

IMPROMPTU INSPIRATIONS
In my experience the most successful shots have come almost by chance, I see something in day-to-day life that inspires me to capture the moment. I always have my camera with me and I always keep my eyes open for unique shooting opportunities. Unique in one of two ways, either something rare (not a lot of people can shoot it) or something unique in its aesthetics (looks really cool). All of a sudden something strikes me as unique so I pull over to the side of the road, or stop what I was doing and get my camera out.

Once I identify something I want to shoot I take some time with it. As long as its not a unicorn or leprechaun (in which case I'll whip the camera out and hit record) I will sit for a few minutes and think of the best way to shoot. Here's my mini checklist:
- what is the main subject?
- would the shot be better as a wide or close-up? Or both?
- what lens/focal length should I use?
- walk around a bit, what is the best angle to shoot from?
- is the shot "stock friendly?" (will I need to blur logos, get releases, etc.)
- are there multiple angles I could shoot and have different stock footage clips?
- would it be worth doing a time-lapse shot?
- is the lighting good or would it be way better at a different time?
- will I be able to stabilize the camera properly? (with tripod,on the ground, on a rock, etc.)
- is this shot worth shooting?
- are there other subjects here that I should shoot?

Sometimes I go through the list and realize that the shot would suck. So I don't shoot it, I move on.

CONCEPTUAL TARGETED ACQUISITIONS
Other times I will go out to shoot something specific. I usually set up shots in my home studio or go out with a topic in mind to a location I know I can get the shots. During these types of shoots I can decide ahead of time what my shots should look like, when I should shoot, what equipment I will need to shoot with, etc.

Example
Let's say I want to capture "relaxing at the beach." I have a unique opportunity to shoot this topic because I live near some of the most beautiful beaches in the world (Manhattan Beach, Huntington Beach, Santa Monica). I wouldn't say the beach is rare, but it isn't accessible to most stock footage producers like a freeway, or a kitchen might be.

I know around sunset I will be able to shoot some great silhouette shots that obscure people's faces and I know there are all kinds of subjects to shoot down at the beach along the topic of "relaxing at the beach" here are a couple of shots I have from the beach.

SHOOT ON DEMAND
Sometimes you can drum up some ideas for what to shoot by researching what topics are in demand.  So, how do you find out what topics are in demand?

Google it. One way to get some leads on what stock footage will be popular and translate to sales is to look for the "Top Searched Terms" on Google.  If you can generate footage that relates to the top Google searches then your footage is likely to get a lot more traffic which will translate to more sales per clip.

I found a list of "Top 5 most popular topics searched on Google" from a site called SEO Desk that have given me some ideas on topics to shoot.  The 5 topics from that list are:

1) Technology
2) World Events
3) Celebrities
4) Sports & National Events
5) Regional Results

Many of the obvious shots that would relate to these topics may not make good stock footage, however, if you are creative in the way you use this list and other information from the web you can come up with some successful stock shots and increase your sales.

These are some of the ways I go about coming up with ideas on what to shoot as stock footage.  Hopefully by sharing my thoughts you will have some new tools in your idea toolbox for the next time you go out shooting stock footage.

Happy Shooting!
HDCineman

Quick Tip - Search for your clips!

For more information on shooting/selling stock footage check out my other posts:
GETTING STARTED
KEYWORDING
WHAT SELLS?

Shooting stock footage is a great way to have some supplemental income, but shooting the stock footage is only half the battle. A huge part of your stock footage business has to be dedicated to selling your footage. If you work to improve the visibility of your footage to potential buyers your stock footage income will increase dramatically. There are some very simple things you can do to improve your stock footage visibility.

Searching for your clips is a great way to make sure you have effective keywords, and to make sure that potential buyers will be able to find your clip.

Lets say for example you have and account with iStockphoto.com, you have uploaded a looping shot of 3 candles burning in a black void. Finally the clip has been accepted so you try searching the term candles to find your clip. Obviously if a buyer types in candles, the chances are they won't find your clip because there are a million shots of candles on iStockphoto.com. Try typing in something more specific and see if you can find the clip.

If I try typing in "Dark Looping Candles" then I am able to find my clip on the second page. Ideally you want to create keywords and search terms that will find your clip near the top of the first page. Which is sometimes easier said than done, nevertheless, searching for your clip is a great way to ensure that you are using effective keywords, and may help you come up with some keywords you hadn't thought of before. Most importantly, it ensures that a potential buyer will be able to find your clip. If you are able to type in a potential search term and find your clip then it is just a matter of time before the money finds you.

Happy Shooting!
HDCineman