Go Boutique! The advantages of an artisan image collection

I founded StormStock in 1993 as the answer to a need. The need wasn't for a large comprehensive stock footage source. The need was for the specific kind of footage I shoot -which is dramatic weather footage.

The unique thing about StormStock is that it is not a company. It is a brand of Prairie Pictures, Inc., a media production company based in Texas. We are production people who know our content well and are constantly striving to push the envelope in terms of subject and technical quality. Through our commitment, we have achieved many unprecedented things including the first-ever violent tornado shot on Super 35mm motion picture film, the first tornado captured in 3D, the only Super 35mm and HD video of Hurricane Katrina making landfall, and the world's first stock footage content shot on 16K. And, all of it is exclusive to StormStock.

The advantages of working with an artisan collection include:

Access to premium and unique content that will help make your production stand out and rise above the competition.

Exceptional customer service. Work with people with real names that can get preview material and masters out fast, and create a license customized to meet your production needs.

Familiarity with content. The people who make the content will know it better than anyone.

Familiarity with production. If they make content, they already understand production and speak your language.

Copyright protection. One of the concerns of working with a large image collection, and especially with microstock, is the increasing occurrence of copyright infringement. Like YouTube, the door is wide open to any contributor to submit content, from any country. Sometimes, that content is pirated and resold on-line. Collections that shoot their own material likely own the copyrights and have the authority to license it.

So, go off the beaten path and explore an artisan image collection. Your projects and your life will benefit from the change.

Martin Lisius is a producer, director, cinematographer and founder of StormStock, a premium artisan footage collection specializing in weather. You can reach him at www.notmicrostock.com.