22+ Free Resources for Video Creators (That I’ve Actually Used to Save Time)
This week on Six Stars Only we're sharing the best 100% free resources we actually use to create videos that stand out from music to motion graphics.
Want to download all 22+ free resources in one easy cheat sheet? ➡ Just go here to access the checklist.
Why should I use these free resources in my next video?
They'll help you create videos WAY faster than you could without them. You'll save massive amounts of time by using the right templates as a jumping off point for your video projects. Seriously --- I used a chunk of these resources during the first week of my new job to crank out a video in record time. Bookmarking the templates and tools that work for you can pay off quickly.
It's also key to make sure you're not using TIRED templates. You can tell when someone's applied an overused, boring, played-out template or piece of audio to their video. Avoid coming off as amateurish by using fresh templates and more original, customizable resources like the ones we're about to list.
It's easier than you think to bump up your production quality to blow past other creators. I've personally used every single one of these resources --- and they've absolutely helped me create better videos. It can feel tempting to just "get something out there" but your viewers will be able to see the difference when you apply a bit of discipline to bring in some polished audio, graphics, or other finishing touches.
Free Stock Video & Creation Tools (That Just Work)
Pexels Videos is absolutely brilliant for high-quality, low-fuss stock video that's free to use business or personal use.
Adobe Spark is a lightweight tool to create videos for social sharing that turn heads. The best part? It's insanely fast to use and easy for beginners to pick up.
I actually take an unconventional approach to using Giphy. I'll use it to search for a reaction GIF, then use it's export to MP4 option to bring it into an existing video project.
Extra tech-savvy? Try the command-line tool youtube-dl for no-nonsense video downloading.
These Motion Graphics Templates for After Effects Will Make You Smile
Rocketstock is a perfect free After Effects template collection to get familiar with first. There's a good variety of useful titles, effects, and animated graphics here to add visual flair to your next project.
You should also check out the variety of free templates at Motion Array.
Use These Free Fonts & Typography Pairings for More Polished Videos
It's tough to beat free, right? Google Fonts boasts a treasure trove of good-looking fonts.
It's a bit intimidating to pick the right fonts when you're new to typography. Enter Typewolf. It's a brilliant little site that gives you a fresh, curated look at fonts in a way that's easy to understand.
Still not sure where to start with free fonts?
I would stick to one of these font-families in Google Fonts first and use it exclusively in your project in different boldness settings until you feel more adventurous.
Free Tools to Pick a Non-Sucky Color Scheme
Colorzilla makes it dead simple to grab any color in your browser with this Google Chrome extension.
Find a curated color palette that you can pick-up and start using immediately with LOL Colors and Coolors.
Do you love how Gmail, YouTube, and Android's operating system look? Borrow from their color schemes with the Google Material Design Color Picker.
Can't find the perfect shade of a particular color? Get inspired by pro illustrators and designers by searching through Dribbble Color Search.
Not a Designer? No Problem. Use These No-Cost Photo & Design Resources Instead.
Jake's go-to method for graphics in his YouTube videos is to Google the image he's looking for and take screenshots using a keyboard command. Easy peasy.
Unsplash provides a hipster-friendly antidote to disastrously fake-looking stock photos. The search is pretty decent now too.
Pexels pulls in free-to-use photos from a variety of sources and sports excellent search. I'll usually pull this out if Unsplash doesn't return the photos I need.
The Pattern Library features free, off-the-wall designs you can use for backgrounds in your next project. Subtle Patterns will do the same thing --- it's just toned down.
The Noun Project rocks. Search for almost any word and get a simple black-and-white icon that communicates it. I use it often for simple projects and presentations. Just make sure you use proper attribution.
This is one of my favorite hacks for quick, 100% icons that actually look good. Pop open Iconfinder and type in your search. Next, filter by "Free" and then "Flat". Boom --- instant, slick-looking icons.
Steve Schoger is my designer hero. His top-notch collection of free patterns and icons includes Hero Patterns, Heroicons, Zondicons.
Side-note: I'll often upgrade to a paid icon set for more custom client work. It makes it easy to customize icons by swapping out colors and making changes on the fly if you're comfortable with a program like Adobe Illustrator or Sketch.
Dodge Mistakes and Confusing Language in Your Writing
Don't risk an embarrassing typo. Run all your text through Grammarly to catch obvious (and sneaky) errors before you hit publish or finalize anything.
For longer copy like a script, Hemingway helps you identify and fix lengthy, complex sentences. It's super helpful during the editing process for your writing.
Use Audio That Makes You Sound Like a Pro (on a Bootstrap Budget)
YouTube Creator Studio is the classic. It's a big library of decent audio tracks and effects that's a quick step up from the overplayed music bundled with something like iMovie or Adobe Premiere. It's easy to filter your music by duration, mood, or genre quickly too.
Wistia's free music collection has become my hands-down favorite choice for short business videos. They're peppy and professional-sounding with no strings attached. Highly recommended.
Want something more unique? Hop on SoundCloud to search for a track with Creative Commons enabled. You can throw it in your video and add a title card at the end giving attribution to the creator. Everyone wins.
Want to download all 22+ free resources in one easy cheat sheet? ➡ Just go here to access the checklist.
This is the weekly podcast where best friends and inexperienced YouTube creators Matt Woods and Jake Arent share our wins (and massive failures) with the world as we learn to make videos that matter.
Every week Matt Woods and Jake Arent break down brilliant work from their favorite creators, share practical tips to publish videos that resonate with audiences, and deconstruct the hard-won lessons learned by doing --- not just talking like a guru.