Pond5, the world’s largest marketplace for royalty-free video footage, today announced a partnership with the 48 Hour Film Project, the largest and most dynamic timed film competition in the world.

As the official stock media sponsor for all 135 cities participating in the competition, Pond5 is offering 100 hand-picked audio tracks to contestants for free. All participants will also receive $25 in Pond5 credit.

“We’re incredibly excited about our partnership with Pond5,” said 48 Hour Film Project co-founder and Executive Producer Mark Ruppert. “With Pond5’s world-class media library, our filmmakers will have access to fantastic content for their 48 Hour films and future projects.”

From Friday evening until 7:30pm Sunday, participants work frantically to write, shoot and edit their 7-minute films. Winners receive $5,000 and a screening at the Cannes International Film Festival. The 2015 contest spans 35 weekends from March through November.

Since its inception in 2001, contestants in the 48 Hour Film Project have created 30,000 films, in cities as diverse as Seattle, Lima, and Taipei.

“The 48 Hour Film Project is one of the best, most effective supporters of grassroots filmmaking in the world,” said Pond5 cofounder and CEO Tom Bennett. “As filmmakers and artists ourselves, working with them is a natural fit and a lot of fun.”

As the most artist-friendly media marketplace in the world Pond5 empowers artists to set their own prices and offers contributors a 50% commission on each sale, more than twice the industry standard.

Pond5 is the leading marketplace for HD and 4K video footage, and recently released more than 80,000 free public domain stock footage clips and media files, available for instant download and remixing.

Pond5
Pond5 is the world’s largest marketplace for royalty-free video footage. The company offers more than 3.7 million royalty-free stock video clips, along with more than 17 million photos, illustrations, music tracks, sound effects, motion graphics templates, and 3D models. Unlike traditional stock agencies, Pond5 empowers contributors to set their own prices. Contributing artists earn 50% on each sale—more than twice the industry standard. Customers pay only for the media that they need. Based in New York, with offices around the world, the company recently released 80,000 free public domain stock footage clips, stock photos, 3D models, and other assets on its website. Pond5 is a venture-funded company backed by Accel Partners and Stripes Group.

48 Hour Film Project
The 48 Hour Film Project is the oldest and largest timed film competition in the world. The 48 Hour Film Project’s mission is to advance filmmaking and promote filmmakers. The tight 48-hour deadline puts the focus squarely on the filmmakers, emphasizing creativity and teamwork and “doing” instead of “talking.” The emphasis is also on building communities of local creative people – facilitating making new connections, showcasing skills, and celebrating what creativity and teamwork can accomplish in just one weekend.