MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => General - Top Sites => Topic started by: f8 on December 08, 2024, 21:50
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What are your views on submitting to Blackbox? I am in debate whether to go this avenue or just keep doing it on my own of which I currently upload to many of the same agencies that Blackbox does. I'd like to hear from any contributor who has a working knowledge and experience with this portal, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Thanks.
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I have never worked with Blackbox and do not plan to work with them. I can upload my works wherever they are taken. I am independent and free!
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Do they accept AI videos?
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No, they don't take video ai. Maybe one day they will. But for video I really don't see the need at the moment.
But avoiding ai also means they are avoiding the mass spammers.
I like BB a lot but I treat them like any other exclusive partner.
It is like submitting exclusive content to Getty with a house contract, or cavan, arcangel, stocksy...
You usually don't give these exclusive content partners everything.
You decide on a theme or genre and send that their way.
You decide "this shooting will go to cavan/stocksy/blackbox" and the other shootings from different subjects you distribute yourself.
Some people give BB everything, just like some people only upload to stocksy or Gettyimages.
The most efficient is probably if you team up up with a post processing or meta tagging partner. Then you can just shoot and they process all your files. For a royalty percentage that you freely negotiate.
I haven't tried that yet, but if I see how many files are accumulating on my hard drive, it probably would have been better if I had.
Finding these coworkers in the community is real advantage and major difference to other places.
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I tried to register in BB, but is a little difficult for me, they ask you for severals things such as Demo Reel Link!
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That is what I meant, it is no longer a simple signup.
A demoreel is just a short video with examples of your work pasted together. You can host it on youtube, vimeo or probably also on your website.
If you have video experience, just make a little clip with examples of what kind of clips you want to provide to them.
I think this is a good idea, it means there is a team really looking at what you do.
You have similar sign up requirements when you apply for stocksy or cavan or a house contract with gettyimages, not istock.
It is a professional work environment.
You apply, they select.
And a process like this keeps spammers away.
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That is what I meant, it is no longer a simple signup.
A demoreel is just a short video with examples of your work pasted together. You can host it on youtube, vimeo or probably also on your website.
If you have video experience, just make a little clip with examples of what kind of clips you want to provide to them.
I think this is a good idea, it means there is a team really looking at what you do.
You have similar sign up requirements when you apply for stocksy or cavan or a house contract with gettyimages, not istock.
It is a professional work environment.
You apply, they select.
And a process like this keeps spammers away.
In order to work with BB. Do you have to be exclusive with them? Could i have the same videos in POND5 and Adobe Stock?
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No, you obviously CANNOT have the same video on blackbox and on pond5 and adobe.
That is the whole point, you give them exclusive content and they distribute it.
Always the complete shoot. But all your other shootings can go to anywhere else.
But you cannot break up a shoot and give 2 files to bb, two to pond5 or adobe.
It is not complicated and the way high end agencies usually work.
But again, you don't have to work with them. If you feel unsure, just keep uploading directly.
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No, you obviously CANNOT have the same video on blackbox and on pond5 and adobe.
That is the whole point, you give them exclusive content and they distribute it.
Always the complete shoot. But all your other shootings can go to anywhere else.
But you cannot break up a shoot and give 2 files to bb, two to pond5 or adobe.
It is not complicated and the way high end agencies usually work.
But again, you don't have to work with them. If you feel unsure, just keep uploading directly.
Thanks! :)
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Questions for those submitting to BB as a member -
When submitting footage to BB what footage review/curation occurs if any?
Do they only check that the footage meets technical requirements or do they also curate for content?
Also do they accept editorial?
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They curate for content.
They take editorial.
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They curate for content.
They take editorial.
OK - thanks.
I noticed in the Registration form posted above in the section asking for Social Media links the following:
"Instagram is required"
Does this literally mean that to be considered for Blackbox one must have an Instagram account??
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Does this literally mean that to be considered for Blackbox one must have an Instagram account??
Blackbox, as well as some other agencies, are very hard to get accepted into these days.
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Does this literally mean that to be considered for Blackbox one must have an Instagram account??
Blackbox, as well as some other agencies, are very hard to get accepted into these days.
No doubt - but for what practical reason would they require an Instagram account - what purpose does that serve?
I closed my IG account some years ago - it became a terrible waste of time.
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Does this literally mean that to be considered for Blackbox one must have an Instagram account??
Blackbox, as well as some other agencies, are very hard to get accepted into these days.
The smart video producers spent the last three years getting into additional boutique agencies, perhaps got approved for a house contract with gettyimages, applied and got into places like BB, perhaps also worked on their direct sales store.
They spent the last 3 years diversifying because they knew that the old p5 died when it was sold.
Maybe the former owners also included a clause to keep things as they are for 3 years to give people a chance to prepare.
Now that the inevitable happened, the smaller places will be swamped with applications and getting in is maybe 10 times harder than just one week ago.
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Does this literally mean that to be considered for Blackbox one must have an Instagram account??
Blackbox, as well as some other agencies, are very hard to get accepted into these days.
What income does this Blackbox generate compared to at least Adobe?
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Blackbox is a distributor. Your files will also go to adobe, if adobe takes them. So the adobe sales are similar to your own sales.
Unlike wirestock you cannot select the agencies to distribute to.
This system is not for everyone, I send around 50% to BB. Next year probably more.
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I send around 50% to BB.
Let me ask you differently. Do these 50% of videos on BB give you more income than your videos that you uploaded outside of BB?
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wirestock
I don't see this site being discussed on this forum. Maybe I'm not finding the topics. But as I understand it, wirestock is essentially the same as Blackbox. Maybe there are nuances regarding commissions, etc.
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wirestock
I don't see this site being discussed on this forum. Maybe I'm not finding the topics. But as I understand it, wirestock is essentially the same as Blackbox. Maybe there are nuances regarding commissions, etc.
I've been looking at wirestock recently. It's essentially same as BB except it appears to have some limitations on number of monthly submissions before payment is required I believe.
Their web site provides little/no info about their membership/submission requirements other than the usual unicorns and rainbows promotion of being a member.
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I send around 50% to BB.
Let me ask you differently. Do these 50% of videos on BB give you more income than your videos that you uploaded outside of BB?
I send them different content, a lot of editorial that adobe does not take.
For content that also could have gone to adobe commercial I would say that sales are slightly better. I also sometimes find bb files with a higher rank than my own, if the content is the same genre, for instance food.
But I try to keep what goes to bb visually different.
I certainly don‘t feel that I am earning less, otherwise I would not send my content there.
But my strategy for my adobe port depends on my overall strategy. If the subject sells very well on Adobe already, then I try to add it to my own port to expand what I offer.
If it is a genre I usually don‘t offer, or I am trying something very new, I will maybe send it to bb.
Next year I can tell you more, this year I did very little video.
My hard drive is full of files, maybe I should find myself a processing partner from the community.
But the main distinction for me is usually real editorial goes to bb, commercial usually I distribute myself.
at the moment the biggest challenge seems to be to get in.
But it is not for everyone, I see a big value in the bb content as insurance in case any other port gets close agains my will.
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I only use BB if I want to share commissions with other producers I've partnered with to make a clip or a series of clips.
Or, if I want a clip to remain anonymous.
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Does this literally mean that to be considered for Blackbox one must have an Instagram account??
Blackbox, as well as some other agencies, are very hard to get accepted into these days.
No doubt - but for what practical reason would they require an Instagram account - what purpose does that serve?
I closed my IG account some years ago - it became a terrible waste of time.
In trying to find out more about BlackBox's membership Registration and it's Instagram requirement I've emailed them twice.
I specifically asked them if not having an Instagram account would prevent Registration approval to which they did not directly reply. Both times they replied only that an Instagram account "is required to cross check applicant's presence on social media".
I find their lack of transparency why BB requires an Instagram social media presence somewhat concerning.
Anyone who is a BB member able to enlighten us?
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I have no idea why they need one. But if this is now so important, perhaps register and upload a few clips or images.
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I have no idea why they need one. But if this is now so important, perhaps register and upload a few clips or images.
I had an IG account until a few years when I closed it. IG was/is a horrible time-suck.
I'm hesitate to open another IG account just for BB Registration but may anyway just to see if my Registration and demo reel will get approved.
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I have no idea why they need one. But if this is now so important, perhaps register and upload a few clips or images.
I had an IG account until a few years when I closed it. IG was/is a horrible time-suck.
I'm hesitate to open another IG account just for BB Registration but may anyway just to see if my Registration and demo reel will get approved.
Send them a link to your portfolio on shutterstock. ;D ;D ;D
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I have about 7k clips on BlackBox most are shared income I did keywording for. I make between 200-1k permonth with them. I also have a wire stock account and I like them for a few reasons. First if your file gets rejected you can still have it for sale on your own port on wire stock. I like that wirestock has a way for you to build your own store at the same time as submitting to other agencies. I am exploring new ways to push this. I like the 100 files they will keyword for me as it saves me time. I still do my own keywording on some files. I like that they take photo and video as well. BlackBox is just great for video and I can highly recommend them. My path going forward is to upload more to wirestock/Blackbox of course not the same content and continue to grow my port on Artgrid.
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I have about 7k clips on BlackBox most are shared income I did keywording for. I make between 200-1k permonth with them.
This is very little money, if you uploaded your videos to other stocks yourself, you would earn much more money.
and continue to grow my port on Artgrid.
This is already interesting, if you were accepted to this agency, it means your videos are very good, and it means you are uploading your videos to BB in vain.
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I like that wirestock has a way for you to build your own store
This topic is interesting to me and it is not covered on this forum. Of course, it is interesting not on the rights of exclusivity.
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I have been at this for 15 years 12 of those I survived only on stock video! Some content is not for Artgrid some is, you have to know where to place wwhat content.
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@stoker2014 he mentioned that most of his sales on BB come from royalties he earns by handling the metadata for other contributors. This means he receives a small percentage of their royalties.
Artgrid is suitable for common concepts, but niche content should not be uploaded there.
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@stoker2014 he mentioned that most of his sales on BB come from royalties he earns by handling the metadata for other contributors. This means he receives a small percentage of their royalties.
:o :o :o ??? ??? ???
I thought this topic was about income from sales of your video.
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I sell some of my own clips on BB and with Artgrid that is correct. I have right around 15k clips between my Pond5 regular and exclusive accounts. It does decent but for my time and money I feel BB may be a better bet now.
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I sell some of my own clips on BB and with Artgrid that is correct. I have right around 15k clips between my Pond5 regular and exclusive accounts. It does decent but for my time and money I feel BB may be a better bet now.
The best option now and in the future is Artgrid + storyblocks + elements.envato + motionarray.
;)