Footage

Footage refers to a sequence of film or video taken by a camera, especially one documenting an event or activity. It can be raw, unedited material, or a portion of a larger production. Often used to preserve memories, provide evidence, or create a final cinematic product. Its value is often found in the historical context and aesthetic quality. Footage can also refer to the length of a film or video, usually measured in feet or meters.

Footage meaning with examples

• The documentary filmmaker compiled hours of raw footage, capturing the daily lives of the subjects. She sifted through the footage, identifying key moments for the final narrative. The quality was impressive, the colors, lighting, and sound created a clear window into a unique world. This raw footage showed the everyday life of the tribe.
• News agencies raced to air the dramatic footage of the car crash, which captured the impact and the immediate aftermath. After reviewing the footage, investigators could determine the sequence of events. The shocking footage provided visual evidence. The editors of the news station decided that the emotional impact was valuable.
• Before releasing the movie, the director examined every single minute of footage to find where to trim the film's length. They chose several moments and edited the film to fit their needs. They took all the needed footage, and pieced it together, while also discarding any unusable scenes. This way, they could reduce the length.
• The historical society archived valuable black-and-white footage from the early 20th century. Preserving the grainy footage gave insight to the past. The footage showed ordinary life from many years ago, like old homes or families. These pieces were extremely valuable for its time.