In case you missed it,

nico_blue leading the charge for a video-style mass opt-out of Vetta:

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=314922&page=1

Yeah, those exclusive vector contributors have been pretty grumpy for a while. I don't blame them either. That redheaded step child label seems to be appropriate.

The problem I see for the video and vector protesters is that IS will be keenly aware that if they gave an inch on rates they'd have a massive clamor from photographers to do the same for them.

Absotively.

In case you missed it,

nico_blue leading the charge for a video-style mass opt-out of Vetta:

Thanks for that, I had indeed missed it.

Good luck with the campaign. I don't feel anything like as pessimistic as others about your chances. Without the content providers Istock simply don't have a business. They were very clever in dividing and conquering the photographers by insulating the highest earners from most of the changes. If only we could stick together and act as one more often we'd all be much better off.

The internet is more social now so word spreads faster with twitter and facebook. Ironic that istock was able to harness that social energy early and now -- just as everyone else has caught up -- is tossing it out the window.

Could some one please explain me what makes illustration Vetta different from photo Vetta ?
Why so much negativity against it with illustration but not against it regarding photos ?

Quote from: aeonf on March 22, 2011, 03:35

Could some one please explain me what makes illustration Vetta different from photo Vetta ?
Why so much negativity against it with illustration but not against it regarding photos ?

When photo Vetta was introduced, the deal for producers was much better, then having lured us in, they shafted us.

Yes i know this, but now its the same deal for illustration and photo vetta. so why not rebel against photo vetta as well

Quote from: aeonf on March 22, 2011, 07:26

Quote from: ShadySue on March 22, 2011, 05:07

Quote from: aeonf on March 22, 2011, 03:35

Could some one please explain me what makes illustration Vetta different from photo Vetta ?
Why so much negativity against it with illustration but not against it regarding photos ?

When photo Vetta was introduced, the deal for producers was much better, then having lured us in, they shafted us.

Yes i know this, but now its the same deal for illustration and photo vetta. so why not rebel against photo vetta as well

You can start it, if you like - I'm banned.

I am just a little puppy... less then 10 vettas and maybe 2 which sell from
time to time.
If the big dogs initiate such a move I will surely join.

Quote from: ShadySue on March 22, 2011, 05:07

Quote from: aeonf on March 22, 2011, 03:35

Could some one please explain me what makes illustration Vetta different from photo Vetta ?
Why so much negativity against it with illustration but not against it regarding photos ?

When photo Vetta was introduced, the deal for producers was much better, then having lured us in, they shafted us.

Yes i know this, but now its the same deal for illustration and photo vetta. so why not rebel against photo vetta as well

If you read the vector and video threads about this you'll see that the issue is that iStock priced things such that it was more than likely the actual dollar royalty would be lower with Vetta than it is now. So they added a 5% "bonus" which at some point will go away to try and make the deal more appealing. Vector and Video were already a more expensive product, so they didn't want to increase the price too much, especially at first.

I did "rebel" against photo vetta and dropped it in September. They subjected the buyers to highway robbery (nearly doubled the prices) and got existing contributors to be happy with that by sharing some of the extra with them. For those who were heavily invested in Vetta it was as if they were hooked on something addictive already, so there was no fuss for the most part (except from buyers).

With next year's royalties driven by RC targets and high-priced images being a way to try and meet those targets, I doubt anyone could get much traction trying to get Vetta/Agency photographers into rehab and weaned from this. If buyers rebelled and just stopped buying, that might be a way this would rewind back to what Vetta started out as (which I think was a good idea, before the royalty rate reduction, introduction of fake-exclusives from Getty, etc.).

Quote from: jsnover on March 21, 2011, 13:49

The problem I see for the video and vector protesters is that IS will be keenly aware that if they gave an inch on rates they'd have a massive clamor from photographers to do the same for them.

Absotively.

video contributors can be like the Tunisia of istock rebellion

Yeah, the video (and now vector) contributors crunched the numbers and it's not worth it. Especially since buyers who are purchasing Vettas will have had to buy a larger credit pack, which puts the individual credit price lower, so in some instances, it's only a few dollars more for the contributor.

This addresses the bigger picture about the ability to negotiate terms and conditions. It seems like everywhere else on earth where two businesses agree to do business together, both would have some say in the compensation of each party. Is it even legal for them to automatically opt you in on an agreement where you NEVER had a chance to voice your concerns?

If the contract you signed says that the powerful party can change any and all terms at any time for any or no reason, sure it is, at least in the US. Some parts of the contract might end up being unenforceable if anyone took it to court, but given the power and money disparity they know that's very unlikely. Not to mention that there are some weasel words that say it's all arbitration in Alberta for disputes.

Your option as a contributor is  to quit if you don't like it. Not always appealing, I grant you, but such is the nature of contracts where one party is much more powerful than the other.

What this all boils down to is this - istock is proposing a 25-33% cut in royalties to vector and video artists and this is our way of saying no thanks.   

If the experience with the partner program is anything to go by, if you can get enough contributors to withhold their content, they'll come back with a better offer. In the case of the partner program, the better offer was still a stinker, so they're clearly trying to get whatever they're looking for at the absolute minimum cost to them.

The other big advantage I think you have is no big block of admin/inspector content to put into the video/illustration Vetta collection to get it going (which there was/is for photos).

The video folks are keeping track of the percent of video diamonds opted out - might be harder to do with illustration diamonds as there are more of you, but being able to say what percent of diamonds were opted out (or what percent of diamond content if that number makes your case better) would be good marketing weapon.