Stock footage glossary: the terms contributors meet

A stock footage glossary for contributors: the words you meet in agency help pages, upload forms and rejection emails, each defined in a sentence or two. Where a term has its own guide on this site, the definition links to it.

By RushPilotUpdated 11 October 2026Rules checked against official sources on 11 October 2026

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Licenses and rights

Royalty-free (RF): A license the buyer pays for once, then uses within its terms without paying per use. You keep the copyright. Shutterstock’s policy says your content is licensed to it on a non-exclusive, royalty-free basis.
Commercial use: Use that sells or promotes something, such as an advert or a company video. Commercial clips need releases for recognizable people and private property, and no visible brands.
Editorial use: Use to inform, as in news or documentaries. Editorial clips can show brands and people without releases but cannot be used commercially. Shutterstock and Pond5 accept editorial video; Adobe does not accept traditional editorial content. See editorial stock footage.
Illustrative editorial: Adobe’s term for staged content that illustrates a news topic. At Adobe it covers photos, illustrations and vectors only, not video.
Model release: A form signed by a recognizable person that allows commercial use of their likeness. Adobe counts a person as identifiable by face, voice, tattoos, clothing or surroundings, and wants one release per person. See model releases for stock video.
Property release: A form signed by the owner of private property, or of a recognizable object or interior, shown in a commercial clip.
Trademark: A protected name, logo or design, such as a brand on a laptop or a sign. Agencies refuse visible trademarks in commercial clips and brand names in their metadata. See logo and trademark rejections.
Exclusive and non-exclusive: Non-exclusive means you can sell the same clip on several agencies; Shutterstock and Adobe Stock work only this way. Exclusive means one agency gets it in return for a higher share: Pond5 at 40% (Shutterstock still allowed), iStock at 25% to 45% for a whole file type.
AI-generated content: Footage made with generative AI models. Adobe Stock accepts it with a label; Shutterstock, Pond5 and Getty Images refuse it. See the AI video policies.
Data licensing: Licensing your clips and their metadata as datasets to train machine learning models, with no right to publish them. Shutterstock and Pond5 pay around 20% and let you opt out. See AI training licenses.

Royalties and payments

Royalty, or revenue share: The percentage of each license paid to you. For video: 15% to 40% at Shutterstock, 35% at Adobe Stock, 30% or 40% at Pond5, 20% to 45% at iStock. See how much stock footage earns.
Earnings level: Shutterstock’s six steps, from 15% to 40%, set by how many video licenses you sold in the calendar year. The count restarts on January 1.
Download target: iStock’s equivalent for exclusive contributors: 420 downloads lifts video from 25% to 30%, and 45,675 reaches 45%.
Net price: The base Adobe applies its 35% to: the U.S. purchase price of the license after any discount.
Shutterstock Unlimited: A program for invited contributors that shares 50% of each subscriber’s net revenue among the contributors whose content that subscriber downloaded. It does not count toward your level.
Contributor Fund: Shutterstock’s pool for data licensing payments, paid periodically at a 20% average royalty rate.
Firefly Contributor bonus: Adobe’s discretionary yearly payment to contributors whose content was considered for training its Firefly models. The 2026 bonus was paid on September 17, 2026.
Payout threshold: The balance you need before an agency pays out. Pond5 pays on the 15th of each month from $25; Adobe’s minimum is $25.
Tax form (W-8BEN, W-9): The U.S. form an agency needs before it pays you: W-9 for U.S. persons, W-8BEN for individuals outside the U.S. Shutterstock disables uploads if no form is filed within 90 days of the first reminder. See the Shutterstock tax form guide.

Shooting and image

B-roll: Supporting shots an editor cuts between main scenes. Most stock footage is B-roll. See selling B-roll footage.
Frame rate (fps): Frames recorded per second. 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps pass at Shutterstock, Adobe Stock and Pond5; 48 fps passes at Shutterstock and Pond5 only. See stock footage frame rates.
Resolution: The frame size in pixels, width by height. Shutterstock and Adobe Stock publish closed lists of sizes; Pond5 accepts most sizes and prefers HD and 4K.
4K and UHD: UHD is 3840x2160; DCI 4K is 4096x2160. Both are on the Shutterstock and Adobe Stock lists. See 4K or HD for stock footage.
Aspect ratio: The shape of the frame: 16:9 for most video, 9:16 for vertical, 1:1 for square. Adobe accepts most widescreen ratios such as 2.39:1.
Vertical video: Footage framed 9:16, such as 1080x1920. Adobe asks for native vertical shooting and the words “vertical” and “video” in the metadata. See vertical stock video.
Letterbox and pillarbox: Black bars above and below (letterbox) or on the sides (pillarbox) of the image. Shutterstock rejects them; crop to an accepted size instead.
Upscaling: Exporting at a larger size than you recorded, such as HD to UHD. Adobe rejects upscaled video and Shutterstock asks you not to up-res. See upscaled video.
LOG: A flat, low-contrast camera profile that keeps more detail for grading. Adobe asks for a simple grade on LOG footage before upload.
Rec. 709: The standard color space for HD video. Shutterstock prefers it, and Adobe suggests a basic Rec. 709 LUT as a starting grade for LOG footage.
Noise and artifacts: Grain or blocky patterns in the image, from low light or heavy compression. Both sit on Shutterstock’s quality standards. See video quality rejections.
Flicker: Brightness that pulses from frame to frame, often in time-lapse or under some artificial lights. Shutterstock lists it among its frame rate and shutter speed problems.
Time-lapse: A clip built from stills taken at intervals and played at normal speed. Adobe bans videos made from still images, with time-lapse and stop motion as the exceptions. See selling time-lapse footage.
360 VR: Video that covers every direction, in a 2:1 frame. Pond5 takes it at 45 to 119 seconds, with no audio.

Files and codecs

Codec: The method that compresses the video inside a file, such as ProRes or H.264. See stock footage codecs.
Container: The file format that holds the video, such as .mov or .mp4. Shutterstock takes .mov and .mp4; Adobe adds MPG.
ProRes: Apple’s high-quality editing codec, accepted by all three agencies. Files are large: watch the 3,900 MB cap at Adobe and 3 to 6 GB at Pond5.
H.264: A compact delivery codec, recommended or accepted by Shutterstock, Adobe Stock and Pond5.
H.265 (HEVC): A newer, more efficient codec. Accepted but not recommended at Shutterstock, accepted at Pond5, not listed by Adobe.
Motion JPEG: An older codec that compresses each frame as a JPEG. Adobe accepts it; Pond5 refuses it.
Alpha channel: Transparency data stored with the image, for graphics laid over other footage. Pond5 wants it in Animation, PNG or ProRes 4444.
RAW and R3D: Unprocessed camera data. Pond5 takes R3D files zipped with a matching .mov preview, up to 6 GB.
Bitrate: How much data each second of video uses. Higher bitrate means better detail and bigger files, which is why file size caps matter.
Handles: Extra seconds at the start and end of a clip that give the editor room to cut. Adobe suggests 1 to 5 seconds.
Loop: A clip whose last frame flows into its first without a visible jump. Shutterstock accepts clips under 5 seconds only if they loop or show a complete transition.

Metadata and uploads

Metadata: The text attached to a clip: title, description, keywords, category, and flags such as editorial.
Title: A short line describing the clip. Adobe wants it under 70 characters, Pond5 40 to 80. See titles and descriptions.
Description: A full sentence about the clip. On Shutterstock it doubles as the title; keep it under 150 characters.
Keywords: Words buyers search for: 7 to 50 at Shutterstock, 5 to 49 at Adobe Stock, up to 50 at Pond5. See how to keyword stock footage and the keyword examples.
Keyword order: At Adobe, the first 10 keywords weigh most in search. See Adobe Stock keyword order.
Keyword spamming: Repeating a word or its stem, or adding keywords that do not describe the clip. Shutterstock treats both as spam.
Category: The subject group a clip is filed under. Shutterstock asks for one, plus an optional second; Adobe takes one, as a number in its CSV. See Shutterstock categories and Adobe Stock categories.
CSV: A spreadsheet file, saved as comma-separated text, that carries metadata for many clips at once. See the Shutterstock CSV and Adobe Stock CSV guides.
Embedded metadata (XMP, IPTC): Metadata written inside the file itself. For footage, the agencies document the CSV route instead. See XMP or CSV.
FTP, FTPS and SFTP: File transfer methods for large batches: FTPS at Shutterstock, SFTP for qualified Adobe accounts, FTP at Pond5.
Submission limit: A cap on how much you can send. Shutterstock allows 100 clips per rolling 7 days; Adobe has a weekly limit without a published figure. See Adobe Stock submission limit.
Review: The check each clip goes through before it goes on sale, by software, people or both. See stock footage review time.
Rejection, or refusal: A clip turned down at review, with a reason. See why stock footage gets rejected.
Similar content: Near-identical clips from one shoot. Agencies refuse them and ask for your strongest takes. See similar content rejections.

Sources

Official agency pages. Rules change: when in doubt, the agency's own page wins. Spotted an outdated figure? Tell us from the about page.

[1]Shutterstock: What are the technical requirements for video? · page updated 17 Dec 2025
[2]Shutterstock: Content publishing standards: contextual metadata · page updated 26 Feb 2026
[3]Shutterstock: How are keyword and title spamming defined? · page updated 18 Jul 2025
[4]Shutterstock: Content publishing standards: legal documentation · page updated 22 Jul 2026
[5]Shutterstock contributor earnings (payouts)Page without a date, read on 11 October 2026.
[6]Shutterstock: Data licensing and the Contributor Fund · page updated 18 Sep 2026
[7]Shutterstock: Is there an upload or submission limit for images and video? · page updated 21 Apr 2025
[8]Shutterstock: How do I upload content via FTPS?
[9]Shutterstock: Why can't I submit or upload my content? · page updated 15 Dec 2025
[10]Adobe Stock: Technical requirements for video submissions · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[11]Adobe Stock: Edit videos for submission · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[12]Adobe Stock: Common reasons for content refusal · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[13]Adobe Stock: Tips for effective titles and keywords · page updated 18 Aug 2026
[14]Adobe Stock: CSV requirements for content · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[15]Adobe Stock: Royalty rates for assets · page updated 13 Jul 2026
[16]Adobe Stock: Illustrative editorial content submission overview · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[17]Adobe Stock: Model release overview · page updated 11 Jun 2026
[18]Adobe Stock: Firefly FAQ for Adobe Stock · page updated 16 Sep 2026
[19]Pond5: How to prepare your footage for uploadPage without a date, read on 11 October 2026.
[20]Pond5: Payout overviewPage without a date, read on 11 October 2026.
[21]Pond5: Exclusive Video Artist ProgramPage without a date, read on 11 October 2026.
[22]iStock rate card, effective July 1, 2026 · page updated 1 Jul 2026
[23]Getty Images contributors: ExclusivityPage without a date, read on 11 October 2026.
[24]Shutterstock: What is Shutterstock’s content exclusivity policy? · page updated 13 Sep 2025
[25]Shutterstock: Portfolio: preparing your uploaded content for submission · page updated 9 Feb 2026
[26]Shutterstock: Quality standards: noise / artifacts · page updated 22 Apr 2025
[27]Shutterstock: Content quality standards: frame rate / shutter speed · page updated 14 Jul 2025
[28]Shutterstock: W-8BEN Tax Form: Frequently Asked Questions · page updated 16 Jul 2025
[29]Adobe Stock: Do's and don'ts for submitting videos · page updated 27 Mar 2026
[30]Getty Images contributors: Preparing your contentPage without a date, read on 11 October 2026.

Questions

What does royalty-free mean in stock footage?

The buyer pays once for a license and can use the clip within its terms without paying again for each use. It does not mean free of charge, and you keep the copyright.

What is the difference between editorial and commercial footage?

Commercial footage can be used in advertising, so it needs releases and no visible brands. Editorial footage documents real events or places, needs no release at Shutterstock and Pond5, and cannot be used to promote anything.

What is LOG footage?

Footage recorded with a flat, low-contrast camera profile that keeps more detail for grading. Adobe asks for a simple grade before upload, starting from a basic Rec. 709 LUT.

What is B-roll?

Supporting shots an editor cuts between main scenes: places, details, people at work. Most stock footage is sold as B-roll.

Is 4K the same as UHD?

Not exactly. UHD is 3840x2160, a 16:9 frame; DCI 4K is 4096x2160. Shutterstock and Adobe Stock accept both.

What is a model release?

A form signed by a recognizable person in your clip, allowing commercial use of their likeness. Agencies want one per person; a parent or guardian signs for a minor.

Why do agencies want a CSV file?

A CSV lets you send titles, keywords and categories for many clips at once instead of typing them per file. Each agency has its own columns.