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Free Media for Creative Use

These sources contain material that is available under Creative Commons, Public Domain, or JMU license.

About this Guide

These audio, image, and video sources contain material that is available under Creative Commons, Public Domain, or JMU license.

Read the small print to confirm that you can use the material for your project!

Copyright Basics
From the United States Copyright Office, 2017

Frequently Used Resources

Storyblocks: Images
Provides access to more than 250,000 downloadable photos, vectors, illustrations, and more.
TIP: If you see “Login” / “Plans & Pricing” in the top right corner of the screen, click “Login” and then “IP Authorization” and that should resolve your access.
Storyblocks: Audio
Provides access to over 100,000 downloadable music tracks, sound effects, and loops.
TIP: If you see “Login” / “Plans & Pricing” in the top right corner of the screen, click “Login” and then “IP Authorization” and that should resolve your access.

Unsplash
Online repository with 200,000 high-resolution images.

Storyblocks: Video
Provides unlimited downloads of stock video, after effects templates, and motion backgrounds.
TIP: If you see “Login” / “Plans & Pricing” in the top right corner of the screen, click “Login” and then “IP Authorization” and that should resolve your access.

Directories of Resources

CC Search
Search across multiple platforms (Flickr, YouTube) for media (images, music) that is under a Creative Commons license.
StockJo
Collection of free stock resources, including mockups, fonts, and vectors.

MadLab Workshops

JMU MadLab
Free 1-hour workshops taught by peer instructors - learn how to use platforms, tools, and media for digital projects.