You can spice up your video by adding stock footage but you need to be aware that, like music, almost all video footage is subject to strict copyright law. Making use of footage without the copyright holders express permission is illegal. (That shot from <i>Top Gun</i> may look great in your video but you'll need permission from Paramount Pictures to use it).
However, there are source of footage that you can legally use. Royalty free footage is footage you can re-use in any setting, without asking permission or paying the copyright holder a fee each time you use it - but you may have to pay a fee to obtain it in the first place! Fear not: there is free royalty free footage – footage that's in the public domain. Some sites where you can download public domain footage for free from are:
- The British Film Institute
- Google's collection of National Archives
- For black holes and other treats from outer space try the European Space Agency.
