Research Guides: Creating Video Projects: Open Content

Openly Licensed Video Footage

Pexels Video
Free CC0 (public domain) licensed video footage to use in your next project. You may want to look at the Pexels video license policy, but you can use this footage freely without attribution, though that is always a nice thing to do.
Pixabay Video
Pixabay is almost a one-stop shop, with video, photos, music and sound effects that are all openly licensed and/or royalty-free.
Videvo Video
Videvo includes "thousands of free stock videos, motion graphics, music tracks and sound effects, all in one place." Some content is premium. You can filter to free and open content. For video, select 'free clips' from the 'show all clips' drop down menu and then choose 'royalty free' from the 'license' drop down menu.
Internet Archive Video
The Internet Archive contains many videos and video clips with a variety of licenses. You can use footage from old films that are now in the public domain (look for "Public Domain" under the Usage info for each video).
Prelinger Archive
This is a collection within the Internet Archive described as "a collection of over 60,000 "ephemeral" (advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur) films." As with other collections in the Internet Archive, look for "Public Domain" under the Usage info for each video.
Coverr
Coverr is focused on providing images that can be used with websites as dynamic content. Downloads include multiple files to facilitate this.

Openly Licensed Music

You can use other people's music for your project as long as you have permission or if it is openly licensed. These resources below are great for finding audio that is licensed for reuse. Be sure to provide attribution to all content you use that was created by someone else.

Pixabay Music
Pixabay includes thousands of royalty-free songs that fall under either Public Domain or the Pixabay 'content license.' Both allow for use in videos, podcasts and other projects.
Free Music Archive
Need music for your next project? The FMA has a huge library of openly licensed audio.
Bandcamp Creative Commons Search
Many bands make their music open by providing a creative commons license. Bandcamp doesn't have a perfect way to find these bands, but the creative commons tag (this link) or searching the term "creative commons" will provide many options.
Creative Commons on Soundcloud
Creative Commons has a Soundcloud channel with many options.
YouTube Audio Library
Choose from thousands of songs and type of license (attribution required or not required). Add to your YouTube video after upload or view the library (this link) to download and use in various projects.
MusOpen
"We provide recordings, sheet music, and textbooks to the public for free, without copyright restrictions. Put simply, our mission is to set music free." Login required for downloads.

Openly Licensed Sounds

Sound Bible
"SoundBible.com offers thousands of free sound effects, sound clips, and straight up sounds." Various CC licenses.
Pixabay Sound Effects
Pixabay also has an astounding 70,000+ sound effects to use in videos, podcasts and other projects (all openly licensed and royalty-free).
Zapsplat
ZapSplat includes thousands of sounds for videos and podcasts. All content is free for any use but must include attribution (license info). Login required to download content.
Free Sound
Freesound is a collaborative database of audio released under Creative Commons licenses. Login required to download content.
CC Mixter
"This is a community music remixing site featuring remixes and samples licensed under Creative Commons licenses." Useful for creating music.

Providing Attribution

Using openly licensed content can help you create a great project but you also need to consider how to provide proper attribution to ensure that you're not violating copyright and aren't violating the campus academic honesty policy.

Providing Attribution
This guide has information and examples on how to properly provide attribution.

Learn!

Online SkillShops

If you are looking for more in-depth tutorials on creating videos, we have some Online SkillShops that cover the complete process. You will also earn a badge for each SkillShop you complete!

Video Storytelling & Project Management
Learn the basics of shooting and editing a short video. Approximate length: 1.5 hours
Shareable link -- https://hum.link/videoskillshop
Getting Started with Camtasia
Learn to edit video by creating a short screen capture with several edits to enhance your video. Approximate length: 1.5 hours
Shareable link -- https://hum.link/camtasiaskillshop