The number of the stock footage clips is increasing day by day, but that doesn’t mean they all have the same high quality. This makes finding the perfect video clip for your project or presentation more tedious and challenging. The top five agencies to buy stock footage from include Shutterstock, VideoBlocks, iStock, Adobe Stock and Pond 5. All these stock sites offer high quality clips at affordable prices. It is up to you to find the perfect clip within their vast collections.

To help you with your hunt for cheap stock footage that fits your creative needs and budget, here are seven things you should consider:

1. Visually engaging composition is one of the most important elements of a great video clip. It refers to the way in which the subject is constructed and placed within the frame. To give your project a modern and edgier look, look for footage with the subject near one of the edges of the frame.
2. Another important element when choosing cheap stock footage, motion includes camera movement and movement of the subject. Look for clips with a distinct motion to give your creative project an added level of dexterity and value.
3. If you are looking for high quality stock footage, also check out the performance of the talent in the clip. Avoid talents that look staged and less authentic. Also, shy away from chips with overacting talents.
4. Good lighting refers to the balance, look, ratio and level of overall light within a shot or scene. It could come in natural light, generated artificially, or both. Premium stock footage are shot by professionals with a lot of techniques, equipment and tricks. Use a critical eye to look for this type of cheap stock footage.
5. Another important criterion when choosing stock footage is authenticity. It refers to the truthfulness and naturalness of the overall quality of the clip. To find an authentic footage, look for clips that integrates well into your project. Their elements, such as performance, props, and wardrobe, should feel true to you and your audience.
6. There are countless camera resolutions and formats to choose from today, and it can be overwhelming. To choose the right cheap stock footage, make sure the resolution matches that of your project. Talk to your video editor and technical team in order not to overlook this important element.
7. Art direction. When searching for stock footage to complete your creative project, check out the art direction. The scenery, props and decoration within the scene should be well thought out and implemented to have an impact on your overall production.

Consider these seven things when choosing your cheap stock footage to ensure you are getting high quality videos. Other things you should check out are the length of the lens used in the film, the locations featured, and the compression codecs in which the digital files are delivered. By paying attention to these things, you can increase your chances of finding the perfect stock footage for your next creative project.