Updated 2026-09-13
Having filmed something does not always mean you can sell it. These are the things that invalidate a sale, in order of how often they come up.
By far the number one reason for rejection. Music playing in the background because it was on in the venue gives you no rights over it. It does not help that it is short, that you credit the author, or that the platform you posted it on never claimed anything.
The fix is usually simple: deliver the material without music, or with the audio track separated. A buyer almost always prefers clean material.
If someone is recognisable, you need their authorisation. A real one: a message saying "sure, post it" is not an assignment of likeness rights for commercial use.
In adult content this is far stricter: you need an identity document, proof of age and signed consent from every person appearing, retained as a record. That paperwork is not optional.
A t-shirt with a large logo, a billboard filling the frame, a recognisable painting on the wall. In stock material this sharply reduces the value, because it limits what it can be used for. Avoid it while shooting if you can; if it is already there, declare it.
Many private spaces — museums, stations, shopping centres, venues — require permission to film for commercial purposes. Being allowed in with a camera is not the same as being authorised to sell what you filmed.
Downloaded clips, broadcast excerpts, fragments from other creators, material generated with tools whose terms do not allow commercial use. And something worth saying plainly: material is uploaded with its digital fingerprint. Reselling something already sold, or that belongs to someone else, gets detected.
If you are unsure about any of these, say so when you send it. Material declared with an issue can still be valued; material with a hidden issue is rejected and logged.
What is holding you back? Pick one and I will answer straight.
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