Who doesn’t want to get the most value possible from a video project? The problem is that video production companies sometimes talk in technical, jargon-filled language. All you really want to know is what you’re getting and how video can help you!
If you’re planning a video project, you’ve probably wondered what happens to all the footage that doesn’t make it into the final edit. This is where terms like raw footage and video selects come in. Understanding the difference can help you decide what you need from your video production company.
At Storylight, a common question we get asked when planning a project is, “Can we have the raw footage?”
The answer is yes. But before supplying raw footage, we always like to ask what you need it for. Quite often, clients aren’t actually looking for every camera file. What they want is an easy way to reuse their footage in the future.
That’s where Video Selects come in.
Whether you’re comparing video production companies or deciding what deliverables to include in your project, here’s a simple guide to help you choose the right option.
What is Raw Footage?
Raw footage is every video clip recorded during your shoot.
It includes every camera angle, all interviews, drone footage and every retake. Nothing has been removed, so you receive the complete record of what was filmed.
You’ll also notice that many of the clips are longer than the moments used in the video. Professional videographers record longer takes so that editors have the flexibility to find the best moments and reactions.
Professional cameras record in file formats designed for editing rather than immediate viewing. You’ll sometimes hear this referred to as S-Log or log footage. The files are large, retain maximum image quality and need colour grading before they look like the finished video.
For many organisations, raw footage is exactly the right choice. If you have an in-house editor or regularly work with a video production team, it gives you complete creative freedom for future edits.
What are Video Selects?
Video Selects (sometimes called footage selects, selects or a string out) are a curated collection of footage from a project, prepared for future use.
We’ve already put a lot of work into reviewing and organising the footage before the client sees the first draft. Our process starts by logging, keywording and organising footage into folders and timelines. This allows us to quickly find the perfect interview quote or B-roll shot during editing.
Video Selects build on this work by giving clients access to the most useful footage, already organised and ready to reuse.
We refine the footage further by removing unusable takes, colour correcting the clips and exporting the best moments. You still have plenty of flexibility, but you don’t need to search through all the files to find the right shots.
Raw Footage vs Video Selects
The easiest way to understand the difference is to compare them side by side.
Raw Footage
Every clip recorded during filming
Original camera files
Includes every take and alternate angle
Larger file sizes
Maximum creative flexibility
Best for experienced editors
Video Selects
The best usable footage from the project
Colour corrected and ready to edit
Less useful takes removed
Smaller, easier to store and share
Faster to browse and reuse
Great for marketing teams and future content
Choosing the right option comes down to how your team plans to use the footage in the future.
What’s Included in Video Selects?
Video Selects are usually delivered as two organised collections: Interview Selects and B-roll Selects.
Interview Selects
If the video is interview-driven, it’s likely there are some great unused moments.
A single interview might run for 45 minutes, but only 30 seconds makes it into the final video. That doesn’t mean the remaining content isn’t valuable. Often there are fantastic customer stories, product explanations or insights that just don’t fit the original edit.
Interview Selects bring these best moments together into one curated collection, making them easy to revisit for future marketing projects.
B-roll Selects
B-roll is the supporting footage that brings a video to life. It can show people working, products in action, your location, staff and customers.
It’s all the content that gets added over an interview or voice over to provide context and helps tell the story visually.
This footage often becomes one of the most valuable assets from a project. It can be reused for social media, recruitment campaigns, website banners, sales presentations or future brand videos without needing to organise another shoot.
Which One Should You Choose?
If your organisation has experienced editors and wants complete control over future edits, raw footage is often the right option. It gives you every clip captured during the filming and the greatest creative flexibility.
If your goal is to have footage on hand for future marketing, Video Selects are the more practical choice. They’re organised, colour corrected and much quicker to find and reuse.
How Storylight Can Help
At Storylight, we love helping our clients maximise the value of a shoot by creating multiple pieces of content from a single production.
We can supply either Raw Footage or Video Selects as an additional deliverable, depending on what suits your workflow. If you’re planning a project, it’s worth thinking beyond the finished video and considering how the footage can continue creating value.
The best video projects don’t just deliver one finished video – they create a library of content that can support your marketing and communications for years to come.
