# footage.cool

Updated: 2026-09-28

> Cinematic stock footage licensed direct from filmmaker Phil Maher: 54,000+ drone, aerial, marine, and underwater clips from Baja California Sur, the Colorado Rockies, and the California coast, shot 2014-2024 (about three quarters from 2019 through 2023). Royalty-free, instant 4K download, no subscription, no marketplace.

footage.cool offers 54,000+ video clips (54,026 as of 2026-09-28) licensed directly from the filmmaker who shot them (no broker, no marketplace fees). Phil Maher filmed everything himself with his own cameras and drones and holds 100% of the copyright, so every clip carries a clean chain-of-title. Nearly every master is 4K UHD (about 96%; the rest are HD 1080p or 2.7K, and each clip page states which). Checkout is via Stripe; the licensed master, a license certificate PDF, and a Stripe receipt and invoice PDF are delivered instantly. The on-site preview is a low-resolution 256x144 encode; the licensed download is the clean master. Roughly 72% of the catalog was shot in Mexico (mostly Baja California Sur), about 12,500 clips in Colorado, and about 1,600 on the California coast. New clips arrive in batches; the latest additions are listed newest-first at https://www.footage.cool/new.

## Licensing
- [License terms](https://www.footage.cool/license): full plain-language terms with a Standard / Extended / Buyout comparison table and licensing FAQ.
- **Royalty-Free Standard, $79:** all-media, worldwide, perpetual, up to 1M distribution; commercial and editorial use.
- **Extended (Broadcast), $199:** everything in Standard plus unlimited distribution, broadcast TV, and theatrical.
- **Premium clips** (rare wildlife, hero shots): $149 Standard / $399 Extended.
- **Exclusive Buyout, custom quote:** the clip is removed from all marketplaces and licensed exclusively to the buyer.
- Delivery: the clean master (4K UHD on nearly every clip, H.264 or H.265, MP4 or MOV; each clip page lists its exact resolution), instant download, license PDF emailed.
- Custom licensing, bulk discounts, exclusive buyouts, and custom shoots: email licensing@footage.cool.

## AI agents
- [MCP server for AI agents](https://www.footage.cool/for-ai-agents): connect any MCP client to https://www.footage.cool/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no login) to search the library, plan edits, check rights, and license clean masters (4K UHD on nearly all; the quote states each one's exact resolution). The user approves a quote and pays on Stripe hosted checkout.
- [MCP discovery file](https://www.footage.cool/.well-known/mcp.json)
- [Agent manifest](https://www.footage.cool/.well-known/footage-cool-agent.json): endpoints, tools, licensing model, and live catalog counts.

## Browse by scene
- [Browse the full catalog](https://www.footage.cool/browse)
- [Beach footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/beach): Baja and California beaches, drone and ground level.
- [Ocean footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/ocean): Sea of Cortez and Pacific open water.
- [Aerial & drone footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/aerial): coastlines, towns, and landscapes from above.
- [Wildlife footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/wildlife): whales by drone, reef fish, shorebirds.
- [Desert footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/desert): cardón cactus, arroyos, desert-meets-sea.
- [Road footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/road)
- [Landscape footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/landscape)
- [People footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/people)
- [Urban footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/urban)
- [Mountain footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/mountain): Colorado Rockies aerials.
- [Nature footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/nature)
- [Forest footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/forest)
- [Agriculture footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/agriculture)
- [Sunset footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/sunset)
- [Architecture footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/architecture)

## Browse by subject
- [Drone footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/drone): the flagship hub, everything shot from the air.
- [Underwater & marine footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/underwater): Cabo Pulmo reefs, snorkel and dive scenes.
- [Coral reef footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/reef): the protected reef at Cabo Pulmo marine park.
- [Coastline footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/coastline): where the Baja desert runs into the sea.
- [Waves & surf footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/waves)
- [Sky & cloud footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/sky)
- [Rocks & cliffs footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/rocks)

## Browse by location
- [Baja California Sur footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/baja-california-sur): the core of the library, peninsula-wide.
- [Los Cabos footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/los-cabos): San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, the resort corridor.
- [San Jose del Cabo footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/san-jose-del-cabo): estuary, old town, beaches.
- [Cabo Pulmo footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/cabo-pulmo): the marine park, above and below water.
- [East Cape footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/east-cape): Buzzards Beach, Punta Gorda, Los Barriles, Los Frailes.
- [La Paz & La Ventana footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/la-paz): bays, kite-and-wind water, desert coast.
- [Todos Santos footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/todos-santos): Pacific surf beaches, Cerritos, Pescadero.
- [California footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/california): Huntington Beach and Pismo Beach, 2019-2020.
- [Resort & hotel footage](https://www.footage.cool/category/resorts): Los Cabos properties, pools, beaches, architecture.

## About the filmmaker
- [Book Phil Maher for speaking and podcasts](https://www.footage.cool/speaking): footage.cool talks, conferences, workshops and interviews on drone filmmaking, video editing, Baja and other filming locations, marine footage, and building the library. Includes playable clips, a showreel, session ideas, a speaker bio and a booking inquiry builder. Contact phil@footage.cool.
- [About Phil Maher](https://www.footage.cool/about): independent filmmaker and photographer. He shot the entire 54,000+ clip library himself between 2014 and 2024 (most of it 2019 through 2023), drone and aerial work across Baja California Sur (Cabo Pulmo, East Cape, Los Cabos, La Paz, Todos Santos, the Pacific lagoons), marine and underwater wildlife, resort destinations, the Colorado Rockies, and the California coast. He holds 100% copyright on the catalog.

## Compare
- [Direct licensing vs. marketplaces](https://www.footage.cool/compare): named comparison table (footage.cool, Pond5, Shutterstock, Artgrid, Storyblocks), per-clip vs. subscription break-even math, and when a marketplace is the better choice. Prices verified July 2026.
- [Pond5 alternative](https://www.footage.cool/pond5-alternative): $79 flat per 4K clip here vs. Pond5's $59 Standard / $149 Premium tiers; Pond5 wins on breadth (48M+ clips) and editorial.
- [Artgrid alternative](https://www.footage.cool/artgrid-alternative): per-clip buying vs. Artgrid's subscription (from about $25/month annual); Artgrid wins for curated variety and RAW/LOG at volume.
- [Storyblocks alternative](https://www.footage.cool/storyblocks-alternative): per-clip buying vs. Storyblocks unlimited downloads (about $21-$30/month annual); Storyblocks wins past three or four clips a month.
- [The 12 best stock footage sites in 2026](https://www.footage.cool/best-stock-footage-sites): the full twelve-platform comparison the numbers above come from.

## Reference
- [Home](https://www.footage.cool/): homepage with featured clips, categories, and the licensing FAQ.
- [Browse / search](https://www.footage.cool/browse): full catalog with search, filters, and sorting.
- [New arrivals](https://www.footage.cool/new): the latest additions, newest first.
- [License terms](https://www.footage.cool/license): plain-language license terms and pricing.
- [Direct licensing vs. marketplaces](https://www.footage.cool/compare): how buying from the filmmaker compares to subscription libraries and per-clip marketplaces.
- [The 12 best stock footage sites in 2026, compared](https://www.footage.cool/best-stock-footage-sites): twelve platforms compared on price, licensing, and quality, with July 2026 pricing for each.
- [Filming-location guides](https://www.footage.cool/guides): Cabo Pulmo, the Los Cabos beaches, Cabo San Lucas, the East Cape, La Paz, Loreto, La Bocana, and Guerrero Negro, what was filmed where.
- [Privacy policy](https://www.footage.cool/privacy)
- [Terms of service](https://www.footage.cool/terms)
- [Sitemap index](https://www.footage.cool/sitemap.xml): all 54,000+ clip URLs with video metadata.
- [Full library reference](https://www.footage.cool/llms-full.txt): complete licensing terms, every category and hub with intro prose and live clip counts, and the collection index, generated from the live catalog.
- Licensing contact: licensing@footage.cool