How to get first sale?

Yes, it is a full time and profitable business. At less than $59 for HD it would not be. Few can do it at one agency. Most Artists I know no longer add to IStock. Their pricing and royalties are far too low to make it worth while. I do not believe prices will fall like photo unless you want it to. Last year I sold a single photo shot with an old Canon 20D for $34,500.00. So if you want to sell low it's your choice and not the market. Sell at SS and make .38 cents or don't; I don't but do sell footage there and HD sells for between $79 over $300. So stop selling at IStock like I have and others have.

So if you do not plan on making it a full time job then it is a hobby. So silly hearing new Artists asking why they don't have sales when they have 5 clips or even several hundred clips online. It is a business. The hobby guys is what is killing the industry.

Once you have around 1000 unique and high quality clips you should start seeing regular sales. You by no means need 30,000 clips to make a living at stock, I have just over 4000 and this is my full time job. Choose your niche and make sure you have clips which are not easily duplicated by others and you'll be off to a good start.

dont give up. i dont think there's any number of files you have to have in order to make decent earnings.
the single thing you can do and is in your control si to not give up.
everything else either follows from that (better quality inevitably will follow) or not (changes in the market, trends etc)

and you have to forget your hobby, it's a job now. treat it as such. your hobby days are gone.

Hi livingroomClassic, sorry I personally don't agree, as well as quality you also need quantity as it is a numbers game, unless you can sell a few at $ 5,000 each !

I think you need to find the happy median of realistic price (not cheap) with quality clips... do agree on the changing market and trend.

IMO Quantity has no meaning, quality is King and Queen.
Quality doesn't mean equipment and software, but rather your skill and subject matter.

Quality can be many forms but it stands above the norm and thus should demand a high price.

Rare and difficult to get clips and pictures can / should sell high price. from €500. IMO
I remembered a Bank Robbery scene was sold over 1,000$. It was a few minutes clip and handheld only. A real robbery, not set-up. Do bring your camera all the time when shopping, driving, biking etc.