Here, at FreeForVideo, we prefer focusing on free stuff: free footage, free music, free sound effects. From time to time, we showcase paid collections and talk about paid creative libraries. You can always choose which way to go: use free to save on costs or go with paid for your client work.
This time, meet Filmsupply, an interesting library of premium and cinematic footage. Filmsupply is a paid stock video website where you have more options that a normal stock video site would offer.
The majority of stock video sites like Shutterstock or Pond5 are actually marketplaces. Anyone with a camera can upload their footage to the marketplace. Once the clip is reviewed and approved, it makes it to the site. This is why the major video libraries have millions of videos.
There is a small cohort of video sites like Filmsupply that are more premium in nature. They are not marketplaces, but rather curated collections of footage for more high-value needs like films, high-budget ads, and other projects where money may not be an issue.
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How is Filmsupply different?
Filmsupply is a stock video website that offers a wide range of high-quality stock footage and video assets, including 4K and 8K footage, aerial footage, time-lapses, and more. Filmsupply also offers video production services, such as commercial and corporate video production, and they have a network of professional videographers and filmmakers available to work on custom projects.
In line with any other video library’s experience, you can search and browse videos, license the footage you like, create custom lists of clips, and share your custom collections with your team on Filmsupply.
The big difference from any other video library is that all the footage available on Filmsupply is shot by professional videographers and filmmakers. The site has a number categories to choose from, including nature, travel, food, urban, and more. The site also has a curated selection of footage for specific industries, such as real estate and technology.
Filmsupply also has Films. You can actually go through short films and license clippings from them (or even entire films).
Because the original footage comes from professional shoots, the footage is available in premium formats like RAW, ProRes, with resolutions above 4K.
Cinematic footage
As you must have already guessed, Filmsupply is all about providing cinematic footage.
If you don’t see the difference with the regular stock footage, here is a brief intro to cinematic footage.
Cinematic footage is stock footage that is shot and produced in a way that mimics the look and feel of a Hollywood film. It is usually shot with high-end cameras, lighting, and post-production techniques to create a polished, professional look. This type of footage often includes a lot of camera movements, such as dolly shots, crane shots, and steadycam shots, which add a dynamic and engaging quality and value to the footage.
In other words, a cinematic video is like a visual symphony. It’s not just a video; it’s an experience. With its rich colors, deep contrasts, and fluid movements, a cinematic video captures the essence of storytelling. It’s the art of transforming ordinary visuals into a breathtaking narrative. By doing that, it helps engage the audience and take them on a journey. Basically, it is all to make you feel like you’re not just watching a scene but living in it.
Regular or normal stock footage from the major stock video sites is usually shot with more standard cameras and equipment, and may not have the same level of polish and production value as cinematic footage. Regular stock footage usually features less dynamic camera movements and is more straightforward. A normal video serves its purpose, delivers information, and can be engaging in its way. But it does not engage your senses in the same way a cinematic video would.
Who would need cinematic footage vs regular stock footage? Cinematic footage is often used in high-end film and video productions, such as commercials, feature films, and music videos.
Regular stock footage is often used in more standard projects such as corporate videos, news broadcasts, and online content.
How does Filmsupply source cinematic footage?
Filmsupply sources their premium footage through a network of professional videographers and filmmakers. These people are contracted by Filmsupply to shoot footage specifically for Filmsupply’s stock footage library. The videographers and filmmakers are selected based on their experience, skills, and the quality of their work.
Once the footage is shot, it is reviewed by Filmsupply’s team of curators to ensure that it meets their standards for quality and relevance. The footage is then color graded, edited, and processed to ensure that it is ready for use in professional productions.
Filmsupply also partners with other stock footage companies and independent filmmakers to acquire exclusive rights to their footage. This allows them to offer a wide range of footage that is not available from other stock footage providers.
How do you find a perfect shot on Filmsupply?
Follow these steps to find a good clip on this website:
- Define your project’s needs: Before searching, take some time to define the specific needs of your film or video project. Consider the length, style, and tone of the footage you’re looking for.
- Use search: Use the search bar on the Filmsupply website to find footage that matches your project’s needs. You can search using keywords, categories, and other filters to narrow down your options.
- Preview the footage: Once you’ve found the video clips that matches your project’s needs, preview the footage to make sure it’s a good fit. Pay attention to the quality, composition, and overall look of the footage.
- Check the license: Make sure that the footage you’re interested in is available for the type of use and distribution you have in mind, and that you have the rights to use it in your project. You can check the license information on the video clip page. You can also check the licensing page.
- Make a list of clips: Create a lightbox of the footage that you like, this way you can come back to them later and make a decision.
Pricing and discounts
With the premium quality you will face premium pricing on Filmsupply. The licensing fee will vary depending on the specific clip and the license you choose. Filmsupply offers several licensing options, which are customized based on your use type and format of the video.
Some of the factors that will influence the cost of licensing footage on Filmsupply include the resolution of the footage, whether the footage is being used for commercial or personal use, the length of time the footage will be used, and the territory in which the footage will be used.
We will be honest: licensing stock footage from Filmsupply is more expensive than other stock footage sites, but the footage is high-quality and professional-looking. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s worth to compare their prices with other stock footage libraries and see if it fits your needs.
It’s also worth mentioning that custom footage is usually more expensive than stock footage, since it is shot for a client’s project and involves more production costs.
Overall, Filmsupply is a great resource for high-quality stock footage and video production services, providing a wide range of options for creators, marketers, and brands. It’s a great source of videos if you work on projects that are well funded and need assets of the cinematic quality.
How to add cinematic effect to video?
Achieving that cinematic look can make a world of difference for your video scenes! It can transform an average video into a captivating visual masterpiece. But how do you add a cinematic effect to a video? The steps below are just a fraction of what you can do to achieve that cinematic look that engages your viewer and acts on their senses.
We are all about choices. If Filmsupply’s cinematic footage is either too pricey for your project or if you want to try and create your own unique cinematic look for your video, here are some steps you may want to consider (and try).
Preparation for cinematic effect
Before we plunge into the world of cinematic effect, you need to understand how post-production works and why it should start with a good base correction (that’s what Filmsupply has already done for you, by the way!). If your footage is in log format or there are issues with exposure or color balance, these need to be addressed first. Think of it as preparing a canvas before you start painting. A clean, corrected base will make the steps we’re about to discuss more effective.
Achieving cinematic tonal contrast
The first step to achieving a cinematic effect in your videos is to get the tonal contrast of film. Film is known for its rich contrast, but achieving it is not as simple as cranking up the contrast knob or slider. You need to use the curves tool in your video editing software to gain granular control over the overtones and undertones, leaving the mid-tones untouched.
Creating gentle roll-off in highlights
In many videos, the highlights are stretched to the top of the waveform, making them look harsh and sometimes blown out. But in film, there’s an organic transition or roll-off in the highlights. To create this effect in your video, use the curves tool to bring down the top highlights point. This creates a nice curve like a shoulder, which eases the brightest parts into a gentle roll-off.
Make shadows less dark
Ever noticed how in films the shadows, no matter how dark, are never pitch black? They have a certain grayish quality. To achieve this look, bring the shadow point down a bit and bring up the very bottom point from absolute black, compressing the tonal range and creating a knee between the undertones and the shadows.
Achieving the cinematic teal and orange look
The teal and orange look is iconic in films. It’s appealing because it creates a separation between the characters (in the orange range) and the rest of the scene (tinted teal). This effect makes the characters pop out of the screen. To create this look, use a qualifier to select the skin tones, invert it, and push some teal into the shot with the color wheels. Then clean up the shadows using the lumiverse curve.
Pay extra attention to skin tones
Skin tones are essential in films. To make them pop more, isolate the skin tones using a qualifier or a mask and bring up the mid-tones. You can also play with the contrast a bit. This technique will give faces a three-dimensional quality and make them the focus of your image.
Importance of color density
To match the color of film, pay attention to how dense certain colors look. The chemistry of photochemical film creates different results than the color science of digital video. Notice how certain reds and skin tones look richer and more dense. To match the density of colors in film, isolate the red range and drag it down to match the color density in the skin tones.
Halation
Halation is a phenomenon you’ll notice especially in old films. It’s a reddish or orange glow near the contrasting boundaries of overexposed areas. To simulate this on your video, first isolate the highlights, tint and brighten them, add a Gaussian blur effect, and change the composite mode to screen. Adjust the opacity to control the intensity of the effect.
Final words
Filmsupply is a reliable supplier of cinematic footage, that can make your post-production much easier. You may need to spend less time adding a cinematic effect to your videos by tapping into their library of premium cinematic footage. But, in the end, it’s all about choices: for fast-paced well-funded film projects you can use Filmsupply, for a more personalized approach you can definitely create your own cinematic look (or even use free cinematic LUTs) and use it as a template across all your scenes.
Disclaimer: we are not associated with Filmsupply. This article is meant to help our readers discover new online services and providers.