FAQ's (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)

WHAT IS STOCK FOOTAGE?

The concept behind stock footage is simple. It's impossible (or at least prohibitively expensive) for any producer to shoot/create every shot they desire for every given project.  Therefore, eFootage exists as a repository of images, both contemporary and vintage, that can be accessed by producers looking to avoid expensive production costs.

DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING?

Well, no, not everything, but we do have an awful lot of material, ranging from the beginning of film up to the most contemporary of images.  We also maintain links to a wide variety of cinematographers and other image creators, ensuring that if we should not have the particular image you're seeking, chances are we will be able to locate it for you.

IS EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ON-LINE?

Unfortunately, no, we have truly vast holdings and are working week by week to get as much material as possible up on-line.  Clients can remain informed about all the new material being presented on a daily/weekly basis by checking out the site (samples of new selections will be highlighted on the homepage) and by taking advantage of our special WISH LIST feature, wherein you will be notified when requested material has been placed on line.  We urge you to take advantage of this feature, all new material matching your request will be presented to you in the form of a CUSTOM CART - ready to be instantly previewed!

HOW DO I WATCH THE CLIPS?

Viewing any clip is easy.  After performing a SEARCH, simply click on any JPEG (picture) being displayed with the clip, or simply press the button PLAY CLIP under the PREVIEW column on your search results page.  A display box will pop up and the clip will play.

WHY DO I SOMETIMES HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CLIP TO PLAY?

Though they've been streamlined for internet display, clip files are huge, and do sometimes take a bit of time (or more) to load.  Add to this the fact that in attempting to offer the most complete service possible, we have included both very long clips and clips with AUDIO, two elements that add considerably to the file size (and hence, download time) of the material.

WHAT ABOUT THE LOGOS ON SOME OF THE NEWS CLIPS?

We are obligated to present some of the news material we offer with a logo in the lower right hand corner. Master material of streams that display such a logo WILL be delivered with this same small marker. However, clients ARE ALLOWED to shade, obscure or otherwise work around this logo, provide that they have originally properly licensed the material from eFootage.

SO I SHOULD BE PATIENT?

Well, yes, as much as possible.  We understand the ideal is to view any clip instantaneously and technology will eventually allow just such performance, but until that time we ask that you do be as patient as possible.  Considering that fact that you may have to wait a few minutes or more versus waiting overnight (or longer) for a demo to arrive via conventional shipping methods, we are hopeful the advantages to this form of presentation will far outweigh the inconveniences of any waiting period.  We also suggest that when starting a particularly large file download, you begin the task and then perform other work (for example, new searches) while waiting for the file to load.

I WANT TO ORDER SOME CLIPS.  NOW WHAT?

Okay, you've found some images that will work in your project.  Ordering these clips is very easy.  If you haven't already placed the items in a cart, select them (click the box to the left of clip, then click Add To Cart) and then view the cart (button on top of the page).  From within the cart you can make adjustments as to whether you'd like to order the whole clip, or only a portion of the clip (in which case you can specify the start and stop points).  After finalizing your selections, press Order Master and make sure all pertinent ordering information (rights, master format, shipping # and info, etc...) is correct.  That's it!  Once we receive your order, an eFootage representative will contact you to confirm all important details.

ARE YOU FLEXIBLE ABOUT YOUR RATES?

We are always willing to discuss rates, and listen to concerns about special needs, etc...   Though our efforts may appear easy and carefree, running/presenting an extensive archive is very expensive and thus we do try to maintain certain rate minimums.  As mentioned elsewhere on the site, producers are welcome to contact us about special volume and/or corporate discounts.

 WHY ARE YOU CHARGING FOR "PUBLIC DOMAIN" FOOTAGE?

The term "public domain" means that the rights for a given piece of material have lapsed (or were never originally claimed), meaning the material can be used by anyone with access to it. Because this material (as with all footage) is expensive to preserve, archive, and present we charge for it as we do all the material we offer.

IS ALL YOUR FOOTAGE CLEARED?

All the footage presented by eFootage.com has been carefully researched. Additional clearances may be necessary for such things as MUSIC and TALENT. With archival images, we will normally be able to tell you whether any sort of residual fees will be due for the actors within the shots. Please bear in mind that in order to incorporate contemporary images of any individuals into any type of COMMERCIAL you may be producing, additional clearances most likely WILL be required.

For an additional fee, we can take care of all your clearance issues, or, if you prefer, we can refer you to one of our clearance affiliates or you can perform all clearance tasks on your own.

HOW SHOULD WE CREDIT YOU ON OUR PROJECT?

If in doubt, please credit all material as being from eFOOTAGE.COM.

HOW CAN I HAVE MY MATERIAL REPRESENTED ONLINE BY eFOOTAGE.COM?

We represent a variety of footage holders, from individual cameramen and film collectors to small to midsize production and creative entities. The procedure to have your material reviewed is simple and easy. Please write, fax or call eFootage with a list of your material. We will promptly review your submission and then, in most cases, request a chance to preview the material. Generally, we are in the market for high quality footage of a special or unique nature -- we are not especially interested in representing a collection of shots similar to what we already hold.

For exclusive representation, eFootage.com normally suggests a 50/50 split in revenue, with eFootage.com paying all archiving and presentation (server) costs associated with showing the material online. In some cases (usually very large collections) we may ask for help in covering some related expenses (such as archiving costs), especially when these services can be shown to demonstrably benefit both the holder of the material and eFootage.com.

To inquire about representation possibilities, e-mail us at info@efootage.com or call (626) 395-9593.