What's useful
- Rushes and raw footage, including unused takes.
- Finished programmes and clips you own.
- B-roll and stock you shot yourself.
- Metadata: shot logs, scripts, transcripts and descriptions.
What qualifies
The listing is for video production studios of roughly 5 to 500 employees that own original footage.
What to check first
- Who owns the footage. Commissioned work for broadcasters or brands may belong to the commissioner, depending on your contract. Self-funded work and retained rights are usually clearer.
- Contributor and talent releases. Releases signed by presenters, actors and members of the public may only cover the original programme. Check their scope.
- Music and archive. Licensed music and archive clips almost never cover this use and need stripping out.
- People in shot. Identifiable people are personal data. Take particular care with children and vulnerable people.
What it's worth
Mercor lists potential company earnings of $95kâ$870k for video production studios, depending on what's in scope. That is Mercor's own figure, not a promise or guarantee from us.
Do we need to edit footage before licensing?
No. Raw footage is often wanted as it is. Removing licensed music and anything you don't have rights to is the main preparation.
Does footage quality matter?
Yes. Professionally shot, high-resolution footage is exactly what's scarce.