Has anyone had any success with the "On the Red Carpet" Program?

[tridgers]

I'm relatively new to Shutterstock (although not to microstock), and recently I came across the "On the Red Carpet" program. I was just wondering how successful others have been at using the program to gain access to these kind of events.

I've submitted my application for the 6 nations rugby tournament in the UK, so hopefully i'll get good news. 

Any experience with the program would be great.

[leaf]

I submitted a red carpet application for a couple of events and was granted access.  One event has earned me enough money to have been worthwhile, the other not at all.  I think the trick is to pick events that have image use / interest spanning a much broader market than the event itself.  You probably aren't going to sell many (if any at all) news images from the event - the majority (or possibly all) of the sales will come from searches done in the following months / year.

Rugby could be a good topic.  Good luck.

[tridgers]

Thank you for the reply leaf. 

Ideally I would like the photos to be useful universally, as you say, and therefore more popular, but even if this was not the case, to gain access to these kind of high-profile expensive and incredibly popular events would be great.

[BikeTourist]

I think it might be OK if you're shooting celebrities. I've tried to use the Red Carpet program twice. The first time, Shutterstock did not impress the credentials committee, The second time Shutterstock ignored my request for help. I have better results negotiating on mu own.

[tridgers]

Thanks for your reply BikeTourist.

Well, SS have not replied to me regarding my application or my follow up contact email (sent 5 days ago).

I wasn't expecting to be successful in getting in to the event but I certainly wasn't expecting to be completely ignored.

[skyfish]

Some years ago i received e-mail from Red Carpet person, inviting me to participate. I politely answered that for the moment i cannot because i was an employee. After this i remember a big period when no editorial images were accepted from me, and all my applications later were ignored. I negotiate myself if i need to access an event. Red Carpet seems speaks only once and from dictating side.

[dbvirago]

I applied to a few which were ignored and one where they asked for another piece of information. I supplied that and it was subsequently ignored. Haven't wasted my time on it since then.

[Milinz]

Thank you for the reply leaf. 

Ideally I would like the photos to be useful universally, as you say, and therefore more popular, but even if this was not the case, to gain access to these kind of high-profile expensive and incredibly popular events would be great. It's almost like getting a free ticket with the opportunity for photo sales.

It's not a free ticket it's work.

[tridgers]

I understand that Milinz. I wasn't really being serious.

[Milinz]

I understand that Milinz. I wasn't really being serious.

Sorry my bad, sombody reading might get the wrong idea from your joke.

[txking]

It's a crap shoot with the program. Sometimes it works and sometimes your request go into a big black hole. What agitates me with it is I can sit talk to the PR person and get everything setup and the only thing they need is just the assignment and I'm good to go at which point I have to turn to shutterstock and it goes into a black hole at that point.
Usual strategy is to try to get into the concert first myself. If I can do so great I'm set. If that doesn't work and they need the assignment I turn to the on the red carpet program and hope that the black hole isn't working today, cause then it's great and I love it.
But is it worth it to try? hell yes it is cause really at the end of the day if they say no, or ignore you what are you really out? smidge of time and a simple email. If you get a yes you save who knows how much on tickets and access to an event and a location that chances are you can't acess otherwise, plus you earn money on top of that :-)

[tridgers]

It's a crap shoot with the program. Sometimes it works and sometimes your request go into a big black hole. What agitates me with it is I can sit talk to the PR person and get everything setup and the only thing they need is just the assignment and I'm good to go at which point I have to turn to shutterstock and it goes into a black hole at that point.
Usual strategy is to try to get into the concert first myself. If I can do so great I'm set. If that doesn't work and they need the assignment I turn to the on the red carpet program and hope that the black hole isn't working today, cause then it's great and I love it.
But is it worth it to try? hell yes it is cause really at the end of the day if they say no, or ignore you what are you really out? smidge of time and a simple email. If you get a yes you save who knows how much on tickets and access to an event and a location that chances are you can't acess otherwise, plus you earn money on top of that :-)

Thanks for sharing txking. I have decided to apply for myself so hopefully i'll have more luck- or at least get a rejection email.

[tickstock]

Are images still exclusive for 2 years with the red carpet program(if I'm remembering correctly)? 

[Semmick Photo]

Yes