How to shoot stock footage that gets accepted

How to shoot stock footage reviewers accept

Shutterstock says its reviewers look at technical execution (lighting, focus, noise), metadata, intellectual property, releases and policy rules such as similar content. Adobe's best practices page sums up what it wants in one line: video that is well lit, properly exposed, free of noise and stable unless the motion is intentional, without wobble or flash banding. Pond5 names accurate focus and exposure, proper camera settings and stable movement.

Most of these are decided on set. A soft focus, a blown sky or a rolling-shutter wobble cannot be fixed in the edit, and the agencies push back on heavy repairs: Shutterstock lists over-processing as a defect of its own.

Resolution, frame rate and shutter

On shutter, Shutterstock gives no number. It rejects visible ghosting from a low shutter speed and jerky motion from an improper one, and it accepts a clip shot at a high shutter speed when the motion stays fluid. Under artificial light, its advice is to choose frame rates and shutter speeds equal to the light pulse rate. Starting values by frame rate, and the camera convention behind them, are in the stock footage frame rates guide.

Avoid shooting fine stripes, screens and tight patterns where you can. Shutterstock rejects noticeable aliasing and moiré, and suggests changing the angle, moving closer or adjusting pan and tilt speed when you cannot avoid them.

Focus, exposure and white balance

Focus

• Shutterstock rejects video whose plane of focus keeps changing because of autofocus. If you use autofocus, set it to single-area rather than continuous.
• On people, put the focal point on the eyes. With a shallow depth of field, it must sit on the main subject.
• A rack focus is accepted when the transition is smooth, and a focus that follows the subject through the frame is fine.
• Find your lens's sharpest aperture with test shots; Shutterstock says it is generally two settings above the widest aperture.

Exposure

• Check the histogram for clipped highlights or shadows rather than trusting the screen.
• Avoid midday sun; use open shade, diffusion or bounce cards, or the hours after sunrise and before sunset.
• Shutterstock rejects clips with abrupt or excessive auto-exposure changes and inconsistent light, such as clouds crossing the sun mid-take. Lock exposure for the shot.
• Creative low-key or high-key light is allowed when it is deliberate and well done; describe the mood in the title.

White balance

Set a custom white balance or the preset that matches the light (daylight, shade, tungsten, fluorescent). Shutterstock allows auto white balance but warns not to trust it entirely, especially in mixed lighting, and rejects unintentional blue, orange or green casts. An intentional tint is fine when it suits the subject; say so in the title.

Camera movement

Shutterstock's rule: movement should be motivated by action in the frame, fluid and consistent. Adobe's overview adds that clean, subtle camera movements often outperform shaky handheld footage.

• Use a tripod, monopod or gimbal. Pond5 encourages a tripod or stabilizer as well.
• Pan and tilt slowly. Shutterstock warns that a fast pan can cause strobing that makes motion look jerky.
• Zoom sparingly and smoothly; Shutterstock rejects jarring, inconsistent zooms.
• Avoid fast motion that a rolling shutter bends. Adobe names skew, jello and flash banding.
• Handheld shake passes at Shutterstock only when it is a stylistic choice that suits the scene, such as a point-of-view shot.

Takes, length and variety

Plan variety on set rather than in the edit. Adobe asks you not to submit shots that differ only marginally or only through post-production effects, and Shutterstock rejects content too similar to clips already submitted. Change the angle, the lens, the action or the subject between takes so each clip has its own use. The rule in detail: similar content rejections.

Adobe asks for intentional actions and diverse subjects, locations and cultures, and lists its high-demand themes. They are collected in what stock footage sells.

What to keep out of the frame

• Logos and brands. Shutterstock does not accept trademarks in commercial content and points to wardrobes, buildings, vehicles, billboards and passers-by's clothing as the usual trouble spots. Adobe adds identifiable product packaging. Its post-production standard advises arranging the scene so you do not have to remove logos later.
• Artworks and some buildings. Adobe refuses copyrighted works such as street art and sculptures, ticketed sites without a property release, and recognizable modern architecture as the main subject without a release.
• Unreleased people. A recognizable person in a commercial clip needs a model release.
• Text, timestamps and transitions. Adobe lists visible transitions, logos and text among common video refusals.
• Distractions. Shutterstock flags reflections that show the crew or gear, dust or water on the lens, tilted horizons and untidy styling such as stains or messy props.

More on logos in logo and trademark rejections, and on releases in model releases for stock video.

Grading and export

The shoot decides most of the outcome, but a few edit rules can still undo a good clip.

• Grade LOG footage: Adobe refuses uncorrected LOG and recommends a basic Rec. 709 LUT.
• Keep processing light. Adobe warns against oversharpening, drastic contrast and oversaturation; Shutterstock against overuse of noise reduction and filters.
• No vignettes, titles or transitions unless they truly add to the shot.
• Remove audio unless it is clean, useful and free of voices without releases. Adobe's editing page says it does not accept video with audio.
• Export at the recorded size or smaller. Adobe asks for footage as shot or smaller; Shutterstock says not to up-res.

Before upload, the free video spec checker confirms the exported file's resolution, frame rate and length against each agency's list, and video quality issues explains each technical refusal.