Eleven graded previews across three lanes, all free-license (Pexels), all desaturated toward the brand. Previews are 1280w / CRF-compressed — the winner gets a proper high-res encode from its original. Videos loop muted; give them a second to load.
Burnlap's read: this lane won. iceland-1 and iceland-2 are the literal brand image — black sand, dark sea, a white surf line cutting the frame like the droplet logo's negative space. iceland-4 is the A24 pick if you want mist over drama. iceland-5 is the "majestic" option but the mountain pulls focus from any headline text. iceland-3 is the weakest — the sky blows out white, which fights a dark page.
Burnlap's read: honest verdict — free stock does not have the white-farmhouse-porch-tire-swing-in-rain shot; I swept Pexels, Mixkit and Pixabay and the true Americana-in-rain frame isn't there. ct-1 is the real thing (Martha's Vineyard, white church, drone orbit) but it's sunny — graded it reads "quiet Sunday," not rain. ct-4 is the only genuine rain, and it's a closeup mood piece, not a place. If this section matters, the honest options are: ship ct-1 graded, or budget one Artgrid/paid clip for this slot later.
Burnlap's read: no literal rain-on-tower survived the cut (everything rainy was street-level taxi-light footage — villainous, not majestic). These two are the fog equivalents. city-2 is the stronger: towers surfacing from a sea of fog reads expensive and calm. city-1 is on-palette dark navy but so dark it nearly disappears — fine texture, weak statement.