Behind the Edit: How We Made Istanbul – Through Another Lens Using Stock Footage

Every city tells a story, and Istanbul’s is one of the richest in the world. For our short film Istanbul – Through Another Lens, we wanted to capture that blend of East and West, ancient and modern, using only stock footage. The challenge was not in filming the city ourselves, but in reimagining it through editing, pacing, and sound — proving that cinematic travel films don’t always require a plane ticket.

1. Finding the Right Stock Footage

The foundation of this project was high-quality stock video. We curated clips that reflected Istanbul’s contrasts: the grandeur of Hagia Sophia, the bustle of the Grand Bazaar, the calm of the Bosphorus, and quiet street corners in Balat.

🎬 Recommended Resource: We sourced our clips from Artlist, which offers cinematic-quality stock footage libraries with global coverage. For filmmakers, it’s a goldmine of authentic shots that blend seamlessly together.

Here’s a look at the creative process behind this video, along with some tools and resources we recommend if you’re thinking of building your own travel-inspired film project.

2. Shaping the Narrative

With stock footage, the edit becomes the shooting script. Instead of filming scenes in sequence, we sculpted a story by weaving moments together: sunrise to sunset, landmarks to hidden corners, stillness to motion.

We structured the video in three acts — historic heart, crossing continents, hidden layers — mirroring the way a traveler might experience the city.

✂️ Editing Tool: We edited using Adobe Premiere Pro, which gave us flexibility to cut, color grade, and time transitions to music. If you’re just starting out, Premiere is industry-standard and integrates smoothly with other Adobe tools like After Effects and Audition.

3. Setting the Mood with Color

Color grading is what gives a film its emotional tone. For Istanbul, we leaned into warm golden hues for sunsets and vibrant contrast in the bazaars, while softening tones in Balat’s side streets to convey quiet reflection.

🎨 Filmmaker Tip: Using LUTs (Look Up Tables) is the easiest way to bring a consistent, cinematic look across multiple clips. We recommend experimenting with Cinematic LUT Packs to save time and elevate your visuals.

4. Music & Sound Design: Building the Atmosphere

The heartbeat of Istanbul – Through Another Lens lies in its soundtrack and sound design. Istanbul is a symphony of calls to prayer, ferry horns, seagulls, and the hum of markets — and we wanted those layers to come alive in the film.

Our filmmaker spent hours combing through Artlist’s SFX library to find just the right audio clips. Every ferry horn, every street sound, and every ambient layer was carefully placed to blend seamlessly with the score, creating the illusion of being there in person.

🎵 Recommended Resource: Both the music and the sound effects came from Artlist, which offers unlimited downloads of royalty-free tracks and SFX under one subscription. For storytellers, it’s a complete toolbox for building emotion through sound.

5. Essential Tools for Aspiring Travel Filmmakers

If you’re inspired to create your own travel edits — whether from your own footage or stock — here are some tools worth keeping in your kit:

• Stock Footage: Artlist

• Music & SFX: Artlist

• Editing Software: Adobe Premiere Pro

• Cinematic LUTs: Cinematic LUT Packs

Final Thoughts

Making Istanbul – Through Another Lens reminded us that powerful stories can be told without ever boarding a flight. With the right resources, a strong narrative, and a filmmaker’s attention to sound and image, stock footage can become more than filler — it can become cinema.

👉 Watch the full film here: Istanbul – Through Another Lens

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