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Author Topic: Anyone Use Blackbox?  (Read 41577 times)

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« Reply #50 on: January 25, 2019, 08:42 »
0
I'd like to upload a few videos ''X, Y and Z'' to blackbox for the revenue sharing option, while keeping all my other videos ''A,B and C'' on SS, AS, P5.

Does anyone know if that's allowed? Or does Blackbox requires full portfolio exclusivity on footage?

Thanks!

Sounds like an interesting test plan. Here's the Blackbox FAQ and a contact link on the bottom. I don't do much with video, you might want to find out for yourself and come back with your answer.

https://www.blackbox.global/faq/

Personally, I might be better off using a place like this, even if they are exclusive distributors, because I could upload once and be done: They deal with Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Pond5 and Storyblocks. But I'd like to know from someone better and a longer member, how they see this as a member, not as an opinion of revenue sharing.

I woudln't support revenue sharing if it was my photos and I couldn't upload or do anything where I wanted. I can understand someone else not liking an exclusive plan if they do video. I mean, my video is not serious or complicated, and the main four sites I'd want to have it at, are covered.

Oh yes, it's just that I have some old footage sitting on my hard drives for projects where actors agreed to sign a release for the project itself but ethically (and maybe legally even) I don't use it for stock, so I thought revenue sharing with these actors would be a great alternative (and a fair one) for them to agree to sign a new release and make some extra money with these drives.

Thanks! I'll try to contact BB directly.


georgep7

« Reply #51 on: January 25, 2019, 08:53 »
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Whatever is pushed in Youtube make me feel uncomfortable! Not only BlackBox but even Vimeo itself.

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #52 on: January 25, 2019, 09:13 »
0
Whatever is pushed in Youtube make me feel uncomfortable! Not only BlackBox but even Vimeo itself.

Not sure I understand, blackbox doesn't mention YouTube just four agencies? Can you explain what you mean? Do they advertise on YouTube or what?

« Reply #53 on: January 25, 2019, 10:17 »
+1

georgep7

« Reply #54 on: January 25, 2019, 12:23 »
+1
Whatever is pushed in Youtube make me feel uncomfortable! Not only BlackBox but even Vimeo itself.

Not sure I understand, blackbox doesn't mention YouTube just four agencies? Can you explain what you mean? Do they advertise on YouTube or what?

Apologies, by "pushing" i meant advertisement by "top" Youtubers suggesting BlackBox as the next big thing previously not today. Whenever a trend is born in Youtube, something goes or is going to go down. People that failed getting in the Partner program of Youtube, conveniently when BB promotion was Youtube everywhere,could be driven to be stock contributors. So easy. Push rec, upload, earn. Look at some top Youtube fillmmakers (actually photographers :P) that made some 'how to shoot stock" few min free masterclasses (among grey advertising equipment and rumbling on their wisdom...). Not talking for channels dedicated to stock fooyage but for Youtubers that jump from subject to subject, to new model to new model etc.

Lately I see Vimeo advertisement. All over the place (Youtube). Back to back on videos that i watch. And to be honest it seems creepy to my eyes!

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #55 on: January 25, 2019, 12:40 »
0
Whatever is pushed in Youtube make me feel uncomfortable! Not only BlackBox but even Vimeo itself.

Not sure I understand, blackbox doesn't mention YouTube just four agencies? Can you explain what you mean? Do they advertise on YouTube or what?

Apologies, by "pushing" i meant advertisement by "top" Youtubers suggesting BlackBox as the next big thing previously not today. Whenever a trend is born in Youtube, something goes or is going to go down. People that failed getting in the Partner program of Youtube, conveniently when BB promotion was Youtube everywhere,could be driven to be stock contributors. So easy. Push rec, upload, earn. Look at some top Youtube fillmmakers (actually photographers :P) that made some 'how to shoot stock" few min free masterclasses (among grey advertising equipment and rumbling on their wisdom...). Not talking for channels dedicated to stock fooyage but for Youtubers that jump from subject to subject, to new model to new model etc.

Lately I see Vimeo advertisement. All over the place (Youtube). Back to back on videos that i watch. And to be honest it seems creepy to my eyes!

Thanks, I didn't understand.

« Reply #56 on: January 25, 2019, 15:09 »
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Does anyone know if that's allowed? Or does Blackbox requires full portfolio exclusivity on footage?

What you describe is entirely within the license of BlackBox.

BB is NOT exclusive.  The only limit they place is that any video clip sent to them cannot also be sent to ShutterStock, Pond5, AdobeStock, StoryBlocks or Vimeo.  If you uploaded clip A both to BB and to one of those agencies, it would result in a duplicate upload, and you would risk losing both your BB membership AND the ability to upload future clips to those agencies.

However, you can submit "clip A" to Blackbox, plus any other agency that accepts video not listed above.

You can also submit "clip B" to any and all agencies, as long as it is not also submitted to BB.

You can mix-and-match as much as you please, to allow you to test direct vs BB, or to expand your market beyond those listed above.

(BTW, if you do join BB, I'd appreciate if you use my referral code -- JKX5J2D3 ). Doesn't cost you anything, but they then give me a dollar or so each time you make a sale.

BTW2 - I have only been on BB for a few months, and already make more money there with 800 clips that I make with a photo portfolio of 4500 images on a dozen agencies.  3 more video sales today, at $35 each. (35 dollars, not cents! :) )

« Reply #57 on: January 25, 2019, 15:13 »
0
Lately I see Vimeo advertisement. All over the place (Youtube). Back to back on videos that i watch. And to be honest it seems creepy to my eyes!

hmmm... You might want to rethink the videos you watch then.  I have only seen BB once on a YouTube.  That was last August, and one that specifically sought out.  I have never seen BB in my normal videos I watch on photo, video and drone techniques...?

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #58 on: January 25, 2019, 17:27 »
0
Lately I see Vimeo advertisement. All over the place (Youtube). Back to back on videos that i watch. And to be honest it seems creepy to my eyes!

hmmm... You might want to rethink the videos you watch then.  I have only seen BB once on a YouTube.  That was last August, and one that specifically sought out.  I have never seen BB in my normal videos I watch on photo, video and drone techniques...?

Youtube tries to target people according to what they watched or search for, what comes up for me will be railroading, automobiles, guitars, audiophile, history, archaeology and odd things like magnet fishing or the lady who picks up artifacts from the Thames at low tide. Mudlarking. She's pretty entertaining. But I've never seen one promoted or favorites about anything Microstock, because I never watched anything related.

I used your code to sign up. Don't count on ever seeing a cent and I'll be sure to post my code as soon as I get one?  ;D I will try some uploads and see how I like the system.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH0vVOY4aLIuysdfXKVBmWA seven different experimental time lapse projects on Youtube, nothing really dramatic, but I kind of liked the fireworks at 8fps? And one video of me playing a new keyboard that I won at an auction. Stunning performance, extraordinary, outstanding and if you want the secret how I became a hit keyboard wonder, PM please. Entire Indycar race, pit lane is one frame every 15 seconds (If I remember right), flawed idea, a pit stop is so fast that you see a car coming in and might see it exiting. Nothing much of the actual pit stop.

Failed camera in a box, one shot every 15 minutes for most of a year, lilies and tulip garden. Even with everything sealed tight, dew, humidity, shadows, the Sun moves. Photo bombed by a bunny.

« Reply #59 on: January 25, 2019, 18:38 »
0
I used your code to sign up. Don't count on ever seeing a cent and I'll be sure to post my code as soon as I get one?  ;D I will try some uploads and see how I like the system.

Thx!  I got an email saying that you had used the code.

Now that you are a member of BlackBox, you might want to join their Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackboxglobal/).  It is a closed group, only open to BlackBox members.

It is a very active group, and pretty much every question I have had has been answered there without me even having to post myself.  The founder is also making hints about some big improvements that will come out February (next month), including something related to mentoring so the more experienced videographers can help teach the novices.  I am guessing that will be in exchange for a percentage of the revenue on sold clips that were part of the mentoring, but I have no inside knowledge to know for sure.

georgep7

« Reply #60 on: January 26, 2019, 03:50 »
0

hmmm... You might want to rethink the videos you watch then.
[/quote]

True!
I have dropped all "filmmaking" channels except one that I think as educational.
Also gear oriented ones. Now on I try to follow stock footage related people and brands.

It is sad that I cannot find new tutorials. Real useful tutorials. In years past, people used to make long full AE tutorials that axtually learned me more than even a payed full class did. Nowadays it is all transitions and LUTs and "cinematic' recycling of small pieces of film theory.

I also use vimeo to watch stuff, perhaps those cookies initiate more ads on this in my browser...
:)

« Reply #61 on: January 26, 2019, 05:37 »
0
So Vimeo is now a stock place?

« Reply #62 on: January 26, 2019, 08:54 »
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Does anyone know if that's allowed? Or does Blackbox requires full portfolio exclusivity on footage?

What you describe is entirely within the license of BlackBox.

BB is NOT exclusive.  The only limit they place is that any video clip sent to them cannot also be sent to ShutterStock, Pond5, AdobeStock, StoryBlocks or Vimeo.  If you uploaded clip A both to BB and to one of those agencies, it would result in a duplicate upload, and you would risk losing both your BB membership AND the ability to upload future clips to those agencies.

However, you can submit "clip A" to Blackbox, plus any other agency that accepts video not listed above.

You can also submit "clip B" to any and all agencies, as long as it is not also submitted to BB.

You can mix-and-match as much as you please, to allow you to test direct vs BB, or to expand your market beyond those listed above.

(BTW, if you do join BB, I'd appreciate if you use my referral code -- JKX5J2D3 ). Doesn't cost you anything, but they then give me a dollar or so each time you make a sale.

BTW2 - I have only been on BB for a few months, and already make more money there with 800 clips that I make with a photo portfolio of 4500 images on a dozen agencies.  3 more video sales today, at $35 each. (35 dollars, not cents! :) )

Thanks a lot for the info, that's great.

I had already registered with BB but I'll have a look if I can enter this code somewhere.

« Reply #63 on: January 26, 2019, 10:07 »
0
So Vimeo is now a stock place?

Yes. It was added recently. About the first of December if I remember correctly.

« Reply #64 on: January 26, 2019, 10:12 »
+1
It is sad that I cannot find new tutorials. Real useful tutorials.

Do you know about RSS readers?  Most of the good photo/video blogs have an RSS feed. That is what I subscribe to.  I get daily world news (NYTimes, CNN, NPR) plus a dozens of photo/video blog posts every day.  I scan through them, and just go past the headlines on maybe 5 to 10 per day.

The headlines (typically w/ first paragraph, but sometimes the whole article) gives me a constant feel of what is happening in the areas I am interested in.  The headlines that talk about a new video let me pick and choose which videos to go watch. 

For me, that works much better than just subscribing to YouTube and then watching random things that come through.

At any rate, if you are not familiar with RSS, go check it out.  On a Mac, my favorite reader is called "Reeder" and is available on the Apple App Store.

« Reply #65 on: January 26, 2019, 10:14 »
+1
@georgep7

I should have also mentioned, I actually read this group via RSS.  That way I skip 90% of the posts where are trivial trash, and just get involved with the discussions that I feel are relevant and interesting (such as this one).

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #66 on: January 27, 2019, 09:46 »
+1

True!
I have dropped all "filmmaking" channels except one that I think as educational.
Also gear oriented ones. Now on I try to follow stock footage related people and brands.

It is sad that I cannot find new tutorials. Real useful tutorials. In years past, people used to make long full AE tutorials that axtually learned me more than even a payed full class did. Nowadays it is all transitions and LUTs and "cinematic' recycling of small pieces of film theory.

I also use vimeo to watch stuff, perhaps those cookies initiate more ads on this in my browser...
:)

I think you know this but when you search on Google or others, that data is often shared or at least written to a cookie. If you search eBay that's recorded. When you watch a video on Vimeo or Youtube, go to a site that teaches about video, Walmart, Amazon, camera shops, maybe you looked at a video camera, there's data collected. I don't know all the ways or details, but what I mean is, because you have interests and the sites gather that, you will be targeted with future ads and material, wherever you go.

Anyway, yes, many sites try to tailor their content to your interests. I'm happy when they do a good job and I see things I might have missed. I'm bothered, as in nagged, by ads trying to sell me something, I have no interest in, just because I looked at something on eBay, looked up something for someone else.

I've always suspected that stock agencies watch buyers for what they have downloaded in the past. I mean it's obvious that when I look, the sites remember what I viewed or searched for last. When people looked for what came up first on some searches, years ago, we found that location and previous views and searches, sometimes had an effect. I hope my buyers have tracking that leads them back to me?  :)

I used your code to sign up. Don't count on ever seeing a cent and I'll be sure to post my code as soon as I get one?  ;D I will try some uploads and see how I like the system.

Thx!  I got an email saying that you had used the code.

Now that you are a member of BlackBox, you might want to join their Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackboxglobal/).  It is a closed group, only open to BlackBox members.

It is a very active group, and pretty much every question I have had has been answered there without me even having to post myself.  The founder is also making hints about some big improvements that will come out February (next month), including something related to mentoring so the more experienced videographers can help teach the novices.  I am guessing that will be in exchange for a percentage of the revenue on sold clips that were part of the mentoring, but I have no inside knowledge to know for sure.

Cool, I'll be watching


« Reply #67 on: January 27, 2019, 10:15 »
+1
Anyway, yes, many sites try to tailor their content to your interests. I'm happy when they do a good job and I see things I might have missed. I'm bothered, as in nagged, by ads trying to sell me something, I have no interest in, just because I looked at something on eBay, looked up something for someone else.

Also, if you have a shared computer, as some families do, you may get recommendations based on what others using your computer watch.

I remember when we first got TiVo, it used to suggest the weirdest shows to me.  After a couple months, I realized that it was building a recommendation list based on what my wife watched. Because she watches a lot more TV than I do, her shows carried more weight.

That was nearly 20 years ago (1999). I don't really remember how we resolved it, but I think I found an option to just turn off recommendations entirely...

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #68 on: January 27, 2019, 10:50 »
0
Anyway, yes, many sites try to tailor their content to your interests. I'm happy when they do a good job and I see things I might have missed. I'm bothered, as in nagged, by ads trying to sell me something, I have no interest in, just because I looked at something on eBay, looked up something for someone else.

Also, if you have a shared computer, as some families do, you may get recommendations based on what others using your computer watch.

I remember when we first got TiVo, it used to suggest the weirdest shows to me.  After a couple months, I realized that it was building a recommendation list based on what my wife watched. Because she watches a lot more TV than I do, her shows carried more weight.

That was nearly 20 years ago (1999). I don't really remember how we resolved it, but I think I found an option to just turn off recommendations entirely...

Roku, now she has her Netflix account for all the "chick flicks" and I have mine for history, archaeology, cars shows and "Man" subjects.  ;) We don't share any computers, or accounts, good for both of us. I don't play candy crush, she doesn't do stock photos... She's on Facebook many times a day, I login every few days, maybe? Haven't had cable TV since maybe 2009. I just got tired of paying $60 a month or more, to have 300 stations that I don't watch.

georgep7

« Reply #69 on: January 27, 2019, 14:59 »
0

More than a cookie https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6139018 And If i am not wrong, this kind of data is not only stored but also selled. A totally new market. There are some interesting articles about how this way of advertising is coming to a dead end due to bot fake clicks and the useless creation of web pages redirection etc. Not really familiar with all those, but I was amazed with the complexity of all those things.


@mindstorm  Thanks for the RSS reader tip, never thought to use one, I will research it and probably use, seems to save a lot of time :)

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #70 on: January 28, 2019, 08:11 »
+1

More than a cookie https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6139018 And If i am not wrong, this kind of data is not only stored but also selled. A totally new market. There are some interesting articles about how this way of advertising is coming to a dead end due to bot fake clicks and the useless creation of web pages redirection etc. Not really familiar with all those, but I was amazed with the complexity of all those things.


@mindstorm  Thanks for the RSS reader tip, never thought to use one, I will research it and probably use, seems to save a lot of time :)

Oh yes, you are right, I was just getting at the basics. The data isn't just for ads for us, it's also for tracking and marketing, and yes, some of it is sold. The free sites, as others have pointed out, we are the product. That's how the "free" places like Facebook, Vimeo, or Youtube can afford all the bandwidth and server storage. The ad views a minimal supplement.

Clicks aren't what they once were. Early years, you could get (and I'm making up an example because I don't remember what it was in 1999) .002 cents that's not 2 cents it was 2 100ths of a cent, for a view with the ad embedded. I had a special interest page that got 20,000 views. $40 Good fun but the site had to be configured just right and be on a specific server, the specific company, or nothing. I added the links to my personal pages and got nothing.  :(

I don't know what they pay now, but when you see one of those Top 20 Something sites, and there's a click for every page in the count down or up, and some pages they will try to make two per page, that's how they make money. The kind that kill me are, The Most Shocking Story of... which drags out a one page event into 20 pages of, and then you won't guess what happened next teasers.

What's next? We'll see it when it happens. My point is, these things change and that happens when someone figures out they aren't getting the returns on their payments or something better comes along that brings in more customers. Just like spam, or junk mail, if there was no return for the effort, it would go away.

Although I do get notices of another lost relative, every few months, with millions, living in Nigeria. LOL Apparently that scan is still bringing in suckers. That's sad.

« Reply #71 on: January 28, 2019, 12:08 »
0
It is sad that I cannot find new tutorials. Real useful tutorials.

Do you know about RSS readers?  Most of the good photo/video blogs have an RSS feed. That is what I subscribe to.  I get daily world news (NYTimes, CNN, NPR) plus a dozens of photo/video blog posts every day.  I scan through them, and just go past the headlines on maybe 5 to 10 per day.

The headlines (typically w/ first paragraph, but sometimes the whole article) gives me a constant feel of what is happening in the areas I am interested in.  The headlines that talk about a new video let me pick and choose which videos to go watch. 

For me, that works much better than just subscribing to YouTube and then watching random things that come through.

At any rate, if you are not familiar with RSS, go check it out.  On a Mac, my favorite reader is called "Reeder" and is available on the Apple App Store.
Can you mention some of the good blogs that i should follow via rss

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #72 on: January 28, 2019, 13:43 »
0
I used your code to sign up. Don't count on ever seeing a cent and I'll be sure to post my code as soon as I get one?  ;D I will try some uploads and see how I like the system.

Thx!  I got an email saying that you had used the code.

Now that you are a member of BlackBox, you might want to join their Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackboxglobal/).  It is a closed group, only open to BlackBox members.

It is a very active group, and pretty much every question I have had has been answered there without me even having to post myself.  The founder is also making hints about some big improvements that will come out February (next month), including something related to mentoring so the more experienced videographers can help teach the novices.  I am guessing that will be in exchange for a percentage of the revenue on sold clips that were part of the mentoring, but I have no inside knowledge to know for sure.

OK and for anyone else now I have a code: JRCL915H which may be the only way I'll make anything from video on Blackbox or anywhere else.
https://portal.blackbox.global/register?code=JRCL915H

Just going to point out that Mindstorm was first to ask.  :) His code is below.


(BTW, if you do join BB, I'd appreciate if you use my referral code -- JKX5J2D3 ). Doesn't cost you anything, but they then give me a dollar or so each time you make a sale.

« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 13:48 by Uncle Pete »

« Reply #73 on: January 28, 2019, 15:17 »
0
Just going to point out that Mindstorm was first to ask.  :) His code is below.

Thx! :)

But don't sell yourself short.  If you have done video before, then there is certainly a learning curve, just as there is with photos.  It can be learned though. 

I look at my videos from just a year ago (before I was thinking of stock footage) and cringe... even though I am getting about $200/mo from my clips after only 5 months (which is slightly more than I get from photos after 7 years of submissions and 4500 images...!)

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #74 on: January 29, 2019, 10:48 »
0
Just going to point out that Mindstorm was first to ask.  :) His code is below.

Thx! :)

But don't sell yourself short.  If you have done video before, then there is certainly a learning curve, just as there is with photos.  It can be learned though. 

I look at my videos from just a year ago (before I was thinking of stock footage) and cringe... even though I am getting about $200/mo from my clips after only 5 months (which is slightly more than I get from photos after 7 years of submissions and 4500 images...!)

Not selling short, I only have GoPros now, dropped some other cameras, video is not photo, and my access is limited by TV contracts. That means "if we catch you shooting video, you will be asked to leave and never come back" so I don't shoot video at that kind of event.  :)

There's much difference in technique and planning a good video shot, while photo is on moment in time.

That said, I have a good time, 2 Hero HD, a 4 Black and a Session 5. All kinds of mounts including a hardhat, a headband, a dual HD for 3D, clamps and things. My favorite so far is the magnetic mounts for POV video and a special tripod for time lapse. Working on more places where I can stick up a camera, time lapse, in any weather, and pick it up at the end of the day. Access where there is none...

None of those are on stock sites yet, just working on where, how and what testing.


 

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