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Author Topic: Frustration on some video Stock Sites  (Read 15865 times)

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« on: April 22, 2010, 17:36 »
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I buy as well as sell Videos on some of the video Stock sites so speaking from both sides of the coin

and find as a buyer a nightmare sometimes to find the correct shot for whatever project im working on

eg say im looking for a shot of Piccadilly Circus or Times Square .. most of the sites have blurred out the logos and picture so much its un-usable (Pond 5 at least has Editorial so thank you for someone with some sense .. who knows TV not Photography and applied the same rules)

And as a seller its increasing frustrating uploading to all these sites it takes a lot longer than a still to upload a HD shot to have it rejected for rules that don't apply in the Broadcast TV world

You should only be rejecting shots for bad Quality nothing else

EG

Over Saturated Category

You are a reviewer not a buyer and believe me you don't have enough shots yet to be so picky .. it should be me as a buyer who has to much to choose from rather than not enough.

Again the Stills Stock sites have a lot more choice than the Videos Sections

Model Releases..

A Face 2 miles in the distance 10 pixels high does not need a model release ... Ive also worked for most of the big broadcasters for more years than i care to mention and can probably count on one hand the amount of time a model release was ever asked for ... forget a building model release .. please get real .. speak to some people who actually work in TV before you apply non existing rules that other stock sites then think are real and also apply .. making the choice as a buyer even smaller

Again Hats of to Pond5 at least there I can search for eg Cambodian slum get some shots .... (Editorial)

Stock Sites turn the telly on and see what is used on News, Documentaries everything stop being ridiculous Ive filmed many News events /  large commercial Concerts  and do you think we had to stand outside and ask for a model release from all the audience members from the crowd .. NO

I want to buy more Video and have more choice but stupid rules that are not real in the TV world stops this for buyers and seller alike

End of rant .. hope some of the Stock Sites take note .... Have a look at Pond 5 (I don't work for them .. but end up buying more from them because I can find a shot of a person / crowd or building without being blurred out beyond recognition

End of Rant


« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2010, 17:52 »
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I haven't had a rejection yet from pond5.  I don't mind them letting the buyers decide if a clip is what they want.  It's like the alamy of the footage sites.  Had a few rejections from istock but they are fairly lenient.  The problem with them is that it can take a month to get a review and some clips haven't uploaded properly.  Shutterstock went through a bad spell with rejections for silly reasons that didn't apply but they seem better now.  Revostock have been good and review faster than most of the sites.  Canstock are good too.

« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2010, 17:57 »
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Thanks for the post, useful to read a buyer perspective on stock video. Pond5 is a very good site I think but to my taste should review more carefully. Do a search on Bryce canyon and we see what I am talking about...

As a HD video seller I send my clips via Isyndica to the main agencies, it saves me a lot of time. You can check them out at www.isyndica.com
or with my referral here: http://vds.isyndica.com/Affiliate/ldambies

« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2010, 19:34 »
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Thank you MicrostockExp and sharpshot  for your replies

Im only posting this as im starting to buy more than I sell on these stock sites and have been selling for a few years now and can see why the choice is so limited on a lot of sections because of non existing rules in the real world outside of the stock site bubble

Its not because of a bad rejection that got me on the rant in the first place but because I just couldn't find a decent shot for a piece I was doing and Knowing a lot of the shots on here would be instantly rejected by quality control at TV stations and laughed out of the production room eg if I put a shot of times square in that was so defocused nothing could be recognized anymore within the blurred out fog .. or a location shot that looks like a ghost town because couldn't have a person in view for a rule that I have never seen imposed anywhere at any station I have worked for ...

I can see why they thought these rules apply as the sites selling stills probably sell a lot to advertising agencies ..  and aplied the same rules to video footage but its not just advertising agencies buying footage .. but real Production companies / producers / editors who don't have these set of rules in place and other sites setting up base there business model on established sites and follow the same rules as if they are real

Then to see Free clips in the clip of the week on some stock sites with people in that when downloaded never come with a model release .. Yet I have had shots rejected .. for a figure so far in the distance because of no model release .. even if it came with a model release I wouldn't know who to hand it to the producer would say the same as me .. what do you want me to do with this ... its never been needed before outside the Stock Site World and its only them who seem to find this a necessity

And is restricting them selling a lot more and buyers from having more choice ... if they are so worried add an editorial section then everybody's happy the buyer and the seller .. as Pond 5 Have  

The people who are buying footage have editing facilities on whatever level otherwise they wouldn't buy the shot and if the legal department of the company decides a shot shouldn't have a logo or a face in it .. then they can blur it out themselves ... rather than restricting the seller selling some good shots and the buyer from buying a better variety of footage  

I agree MicrostockExp I think the Quality should be a bit tighter on Pond 5 .. thats what the Footage Stock Sites should be concentrating on .... real shots for real TV Companies to use .. all the sites have some quality shots .. so don't want to offend anybody .. Ive bought some quality 3D footage that must have took days to do for only $50 bargain .. couldn't have made it for that and saved my Promo etc but could have a lot more ... without silly restrictions and Reviewers who have probably never set foot in a TV station

And also agree Isyndica is very good .. should drop the price a bit .. credits can be used up very quickly when uploading a series of shots to various sites .. and should also offer more storage Space with there Credit plans as again Video files are big and its not the old days when Storage Space is expensive but good Idea

« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2010, 06:27 »
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@beststotz just to let you know that Isyndica offers a 30% discount on subscription plan at the moment until May 7th. Coupon code is HAPPYBDAY.

Ah yes .. my affiliate link is http://vds.isyndica.com/Affiliate/ldambiesaff

:)

« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2010, 06:37 »
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I was quite excited about the whole stock photo business until i hit this forum and started reading up abit on how it all works.  It quickly set in that the whole segment is just flooded with everyone wanting to make a buck and because of that the quality of work has been diluted not to mention the value placed on them.  Is there any agency left anymore that deals with higher quality of work?

I then read further down to find you guys in the stock video section, and that gave me a vigor of hope as I do abit of video too.  I too could not get my head around the whole release forms use applying to video and I am glad i came across this thread, particularly from the view of a buyer.  Judging by istock they seem more stringent as most of their videos are just windmills...lol. 

Can someone explain to me in simple terms how iSyndica works?  is it a broker in a sense for your work or just a place to store your work as it asks for an annual fee.

cheers.

« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2010, 06:58 »
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Can someone explain to me in simple terms how iSyndica works?  is it a broker in a sense for your work or just a place to store your work as it asks for an annual fee.
It's a paying version of what Filezilla does for free.  ;D They just upload.

« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2010, 10:10 »
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You upload your files to iSyndica once.  They turn around and upload your files to all of the agencies you support.  Essentially saving you the time/effort of having to upload each file to each agency you support.  For stills it's not that big of a deal, but footage files can be so large it's a HUGE time saver.

In addition, they track your downloads/sales on many sites and give you one-stop reporting.  A very handy feature.

« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2010, 10:52 »
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I was quite excited about the whole stock photo business until i hit this forum and started reading up abit on how it all works.  It quickly set in that the whole segment is just flooded with everyone wanting to make a buck and because of that the quality of work has been diluted not to mention the value placed on them.  Is there any agency left anymore that deals with higher quality of work?

We're to assume you're the source for this "higher quality of work", when you'd never heard about stock before yesterday? :)

« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2010, 11:03 »
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Thanks for your input. I Shoot video for iStock video and am exclusive. I love pond5 but they need to up their quality some and offer different sizes for web use then they would be perfect! Your input is helpful to me as a shooter. Trust me I hate to blur but sometimes forced to do it.

« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2010, 23:48 »
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We're to assume you're the source for this "higher quality of work", when you'd never heard about stock before yesterday? :)
Now that comes down to the type of peers that i am bundling my work with doesn't it=) nah I am here to learn and start off on a good footing thats all.

But not knowing about stock does not automatically mean I cannot differentiate between what is quality and what isn't and I am sure someone with half an idea as a buyer can distinguish between the two too.  I may not be familiar with stock footage but I am well saturated in what is creative and I would much rather associate my work with a "consistent" higher level of quality than just the mass to push myself, learn from others of greater quality, hone the art, and build an identity.  But yeah, seriousness aside I am just hear to learn from people who are already in the business and avoid the pitfalls others may have unfortunately encountered.

Thank you to the others in regards to iSyndica.  Not a bad service when you come to think of it....time is money after all and sometimes you have to spend it to make it.  Is there any other similar providers like iSyndica?
« Last Edit: September 11, 2010, 06:16 by TheMuc »

« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2010, 00:20 »
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Thanks for your input. I Shoot video for iStock video and am exclusive. I love pond5 but they need to up their quality some and offer different sizes for web use then they would be perfect! Your input is helpful to me as a shooter. Trust me I hate to blur but sometimes forced to do it.

Does one need to do blanket censorship for Pond5 also?  This is my main query, there has to be some sort of agency out there that just deals with higher quality work.

Must be quite cool being able to get in the hospital like you do in some of your works =)  If you don't mind me asking are you getting consistent sales from your work on istock video being exclusive?  you don't have to divulge if you don't want to.

cheers.

AD Tom

  • FOOTAGE ONLINE - the motionpicture library
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2010, 07:56 »
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Just a suggestion: www.footage-online.de

Cheers

Thomas.

« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2010, 06:38 »
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does your profile pic suggest something thomas?...lol 

looks good. bookmarked it.  how long has this been around for?

« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2010, 15:42 »
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Just a suggestion: www.footage-online.de

Cheers

Thomas.


What's the profit sharing % on that site, because I have a bunch of time lapse HD videos from Germany that are probably not going to find many buyers at IS.

Thanks

If you want contact me directly, that's fine too.

AD Tom

  • FOOTAGE ONLINE - the motionpicture library
« Reply #15 on: October 12, 2010, 03:02 »
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Hi out there,

yes - we`re really brand new (started in April this year). Our focus is on stock footage shot on RED One (R3D, HD and SD) and other upcoming HighEnd Formats. But if the scene looks fine (even if it`s not RED Footage) we`ll be glad to here from you. You`re royalities would be 40%.

Cheers

Thomas.

tbmpvideo

« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2010, 21:21 »
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TV stations and production companies don't constitute the majority of the market on the sellers end on most of these sites. Maybe, but I doubt it. The majority of sales look like they are in Web formats (if offered). The different stock companies seem to stake out market niches, with iStockphoto going for the corporate or institutional user who needs vetted images free of copyright issues, legal issues. So fuzzed out Times Square, is a big seller there exactly for that reason. I did take a few shots of Times Square and upload them to POND5 just because they WERE NOT fuzzed out. They have sold oddly well, considering they were really run and gun shots. Different markets, different buyers.


 

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