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Author Topic: It's official, you are exclusive.  (Read 27510 times)

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« Reply #50 on: March 27, 2019, 17:10 »
+3
I agree, I am willing to give it a shot hoping pond5 can have an impact on the market. They are the best agency for video at the moment so I hope this will succeed. I have a system set in place where if this does not go well in 1-2 years I can get my clips up to other sites in a couple of months.


« Reply #51 on: March 27, 2019, 17:23 »
+3
But you have to make sure you keep full control of prices.

No hijacking of your content for unannounced experiments....

If they make these little games voluntary opt in only...it will be a different thing.

But the artist portfolio should be truly their private kingdom and castle.

« Reply #52 on: March 28, 2019, 00:38 »
0
Just a quick question to those that already created a separate exclusive account, while retaining your current portfolio as non-exclusive. How did you go about doing that?  In the e-mail they send I only see the option of going fully exclusive. Do you have to e-mail them requesting a separate account or do you have register as if you are a new contributor? Another question - will payments of the two accounts be totally separate or will earnings be combined between the two?

Thank you

« Reply #53 on: March 28, 2019, 01:35 »
0
Just a quick question to those that already created a separate exclusive account, while retaining your current portfolio as non-exclusive. How did you go about doing that?  In the e-mail they send I only see the option of going fully exclusive. Do you have to e-mail them requesting a separate account or do you have register as if you are a new contributor? Another question - will payments of the two accounts be totally separate or will earnings be combined between the two?

Thank you

I also don't understand. Can you use the same email address by using a different username and password? Or do you need another email address? and if so what do you do about paypal time when you only have one email as paypal payment?

« Reply #54 on: March 28, 2019, 01:38 »
+2
But you have to make sure you keep full control of prices.

No hijacking of your content for unannounced experiments....

If they make these little games voluntary opt in only...it will be a different thing.

But the artist portfolio should be truly their private kingdom and castle.
I'd actually like them to have a reasonable minimum price.  If they are serious about stopping a race to the bottom then they should set a reasonable minimum.

georgep7

« Reply #55 on: March 28, 2019, 02:22 »
0
Quote
I have a system set in place where if this does not go well in 1-2 years I can get my clips up to other sites in a couple of months.

@jjneff, that sounds interesting. No need to share details, but may I ask in general

you are talking for a first person contact with another agency(ies) if P5 exclusivity proved a bad choice

or just for automated uploading and submission?

?


« Reply #56 on: March 28, 2019, 02:48 »
+2
I'm talking ads I was creating, yes. But my example is more about photos, because video isn't available for small-medium online business. It's beyond expensive to create regular (not just once in a while, but every single day as it required for online business) video content using stock, makes more sense to create custom then. (I'm talking here only from a stand point of small-mid online business owner).

I read some of your post and sorry to say but you are well beyond reality in many of your assessments. You obviously have never worked on a "custom" production unless when you mean custom (is is me picking my iphone and shooting video) because I can guarantee you that a single well done production buy you a video subscription to all the existing footage libraries for 1 year.

On other statements you made...the race to the bottom in prices is very real as proved again and again. And there is a turning point where nobody (exceptions are amateurs) makes a profit anymore. Pro stock photographers are disappearing at a lighting fast pace and many agencies are on life support (Getty, Dreamstime 123Rf etc.....) other large ones have already vanished (corbis,Masterfile,Veer,etc) and many have large investments on their back that have to be returned Pond5 among them.

Adapting to the market is not giving away your product. It is ok to sell for 1 dollar if you are going to sell it dozens or better hundreds of times but this is no longer the case in stock photography and certainly not in video. I don't care what my clients do to make their business sustainable I take care of what makes my business profitable. Don't be fooled with some cheap book marketing talk. If a restaurant that serves caviar and filet mignon would cut prices in half the demand might double or even triple but you cannot cut under your costs or you will lose double or triple.

Market is quite efficient and will sort all this problems out. We are in a period of transition were only the very adapted will survive. But whatever you do don't throw your work at any price because the world is going under and you think you can't do nothing about it but to go with the flow. Unless as I said you are an amateur and don't live from stock in which case it doesn't matter you can sell for pennies or give away your work at Unsplash and the likes for a thank you or not even that.



swisschocolate

« Reply #57 on: March 28, 2019, 03:03 »
+1
I read some of your post and sorry to say but you are well beyond reality in many of your assessments. You obviously have never worked on a "custom" production unless when you mean custom (is is me picking my iphone and shooting video) because I can guarantee you that a single well done production buy you a video subscription to all the existing footage libraries for 1 year.

No need to sorry, because it's only my opinion, I can be wrong. But I repeated several times that I'm talking from a stand point of a small online business owner (which is a growing trend globally). Custom I meant to hire a videographer.

No one buys me a subscription, and SS prices are 25 HD clips - 200 seconds - for 1,199 - it is nothing in terms of content.

So it means that this segment of customers (future millions of them) is forever excluded from buying video on stock sites.

« Reply #58 on: March 28, 2019, 03:22 »
+2
On other statements you made...the race to the bottom in prices is very real as proved again and again...

What is your average $ earnings per clip, per month? That is all that matters.

georgep7

« Reply #59 on: March 28, 2019, 03:33 »
0
@Swisschocolate

Paying a videographer and his team is an investment. Video, audio, lighting, editing. It is tricky where and to who you will invest your budget and what they will deliver. Will the adv pay back? Will it drive the targeted group of customers to your storefront? Hard questions especially when money fly out of your pocket. I understand what you say.

But still is a business investment.

The best product in the world will not sell if there is no good push /promo/ call it whatever you like.

I know nothing on Stock but trust me on that :)

Here are some free info if you wish to research,
Facebook Blueprint and Youtube Academy.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2019, 03:37 by georgep7 »

« Reply #60 on: March 28, 2019, 03:37 »
+2
I read some of your post and sorry to say but you are well beyond reality in many of your assessments. You obviously have never worked on a "custom" production unless when you mean custom (is is me picking my iphone and shooting video) because I can guarantee you that a single well done production buy you a video subscription to all the existing footage libraries for 1 year.

No need to sorry, because it's only my opinion, I can be wrong. But I repeated several times that I'm talking from a stand point of a small online business owner (which is a growing trend globally). Custom I meant to hire a videographer.

No one buys me a subscription, and SS prices are 25 HD clips - 200 seconds - for 1,199 - it is nothing in terms of content.

So it means that this segment of customers (future millions of them) is forever excluded from buying video on stock sites.

It doesn't matter if millions of customer are outpriced of the market. It happens everyday. There are millions that would love to buy an Iphone X and can't so what. They can buy a cheaper phone if they want , a second hand one, ......you as a producer have to cover your costs and make some profit. The prices can go down to the penny only if the volume is huge. I don't see that in video sorry. For example there is a reason I don't supply videos to Istock/Getty.......their penny/premium access/subscription/.... video sales. You could say why? A sale is a sale and every penny counts. This is a loosing proposition for me because I cannibalize my sales on other sites that pay me much better and I need those larger payments to live from them and engage in new productions. There are so many producers that don't understand this and abandon when they realize they are working for free or for a tiny reward.

I will happily sell for 10$/video license if I see the volume. Not the case now so I understand that many people press the eject button from sites like Istock/Getty/Shutterstock that with their dollar sales crush the producers. If you control prices and it is unique to this site the willingness to pay what the producer asks for increases. It is in the hand of the producer to create content that is not similar of the available one on the penny sites.

Another thing is if the exclusive proposition and positive attitude to contributors of P5 will be maintained in time. Investment funds are backing up this company and this always makes me uneasy as the wind can change very fast. We all remember how cool Istock was before it was sold to Getty. And of Getty remaining in the game for longer time than P5, difficult to say, they have such a large debt that they can crumble at any moment.

« Reply #61 on: March 28, 2019, 03:41 »
0
On other statements you made...the race to the bottom in prices is very real as proved again and again...

What is your average $ earnings per clip, per month? That is all that matters.

No it doesn't matter at all. The only thing thet matters is Return Per Investment of the shoot. I can make 3$/clip month of 10 clips of a box of apples against a white background and be a very good investment and I could make 100$/clip of 10 clips of a shoot in a nuclear plant with 20 models and be a complete failure. RPI of the clips means nothing RPI of the shoot is the only thing that counts.

« Reply #62 on: March 28, 2019, 03:44 »
+1
There are millions that would love to buy an Iphone X and can't so what.

Comparing digital goods to physical goods is beyond irrelevant.

swisschocolate

« Reply #63 on: March 28, 2019, 03:44 »
+3
RPI of the clips means nothing RPI of the shoot is the only thing that counts.

Is there a business or an industry where Return Per Investment is 100% guaranteed?

swisschocolate

« Reply #64 on: March 28, 2019, 04:11 »
+1
But still is a business investment.
Here are some free info if you wish to research,
Facebook Blueprint and Youtube Academy.

Thanks! Will check it out.

Of course hiring a videographer is a massive investment, but I meant if stock costs me 5 per second, videographer becomes more affordable. But it doesn't mean my business can afford either of them :) which is fine for a physical business maybe they have other channels and strategies, but for online business - you're non-existent without constant stream of content.

« Reply #65 on: March 28, 2019, 04:46 »
0
I honestly don't understand what point you are trying to make here, it sounds like you think we shouldn't be getting paid at all.
My point is to adapt and think how to make money in volume with penny sales...

Got it, all you had to say.

swisschocolate

« Reply #66 on: March 28, 2019, 04:51 »
0
Got it, all you had to say.

I entered microstock in 2008 getting paid 0,25c per image and continue to make a living from it. And there is no reason for me to expect more, because these were the rules since inception of this industry.

If you have another experience when you was paid not pennies but hudreds since 2008, so you afraid that it will change in the future... I'm geniunly happy for you :) and sorry at the same time.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2019, 04:53 by swisschocolate »

« Reply #67 on: March 28, 2019, 07:44 »
0
No it is not. You are producing something and it has a cost for you. It does not matter if it is a hammer,a photograph or a clip.

There are millions that would love to buy an Iphone X and can't so what.

Comparing digital goods to physical goods is beyond irrelevant.

swisschocolate

« Reply #68 on: March 28, 2019, 07:48 »
+2
No it is not. You are producing something and it has a cost for you. It does not matter if it is a hammer,a photograph or a clip.

No :)

To sell a hammer you should produce a hammer. To sell a second hammer you should produce a second hammer. If you don't produce a third hammer, there is nothing to sell anymore.

You don't produce a clip each time, you produce it once and sell infinite amounts of times.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2019, 07:51 by swisschocolate »

« Reply #69 on: March 28, 2019, 07:51 »
0
No it is not. You are producing something and it has a cost for you. It does not matter if it is a hammer,a photograph or a clip.

Oh, it matters a great deal. Look into it.

« Reply #70 on: March 28, 2019, 07:52 »
+1
I have made single stock sales from 23.000$ to 0.0001$ (both Getty RM to connect). As I said I don't care of the particular sale value. I care for the return of investment of the shoot. I have made shoots of simple concepts on a blackboard that made me more than 50.000$ (my take) for 6 days selling at microstock prices. This does not usually happen in the footage world. But if you think that you are able to pull out footage than can have hundred of sales at 1.5$ like SS does in latest times be my guest. Good luck and more power to you.

Got it, all you had to say.

I entered microstock in 2008 getting paid 0,25c per image and continue to make a living from it. And there is no reason for me to expect more, because these were the rules since inception of this industry.

If you have another experience when you was paid not pennies but hudreds since 2008, so you afraid that it will change in the future... I'm geniunly happy for you :) and sorry at the same time.

« Reply #71 on: March 28, 2019, 07:57 »
+3
But if you think that you are able to pull out footage than can have hundred of sales

Well, I don't have to think it, since I already have many clips with several hundred sales around the web. I also have multiple sales on the same clips for around $200 at Pond5, but that's not where the biggest market is anymore.

If you have very unique clips that are only likely to see 1-2 lifetime sales, of course price high. But I like to focus on things that have a broad variety of uses and can sell hundreds, if not thousands of times.

« Reply #72 on: March 28, 2019, 08:09 »
+3
Remember we are in 2019 not in 2012 anymore. That amazing timelapse of city traffic or a ripple drop of water might had a potential of hundred of sales way back but not anymore. Thousands are jumping wagon to video and the low hanging fruit is long gone. Sales are spreading among a rapid increasing offer. Footage demand is still growing but it the oversaturation will arrive.We have all seen it with photographs.

Your business model is working with Shutterstock Istock Envato and the likes........as I said more power to you. I am going a total different route..........

But if you think that you are able to pull out footage than can have hundred of sales

Well, I don't have to think it, since I already have many clips with several hundred sales around the web. I also have multiple sales on the same clips for around $200 at Pond5, but that's not where the biggest market is anymore.

If you have very unique clips that are only likely to see 1-2 lifetime sales, of course price high. But I like to focus on things that have a broad variety of uses and can sell hundreds, if not thousands of times.

« Reply #73 on: March 28, 2019, 08:21 »
+3
Like many of you I lived through the glory days at iStock/Getty. While I hate the risk for me it is very worth taking. SS/Getty/VideoBlocks are are all going to more and more of just a subscription service for our work. They are basically cutting the artist out of the profit! I see all the time people saying what can we do?? well try going Exclusive with Pond5 where you can set your prices. If we build the best exclusive library there then that is where the buyers will go. Trust me the money is out there and the artist deserves a part of that! Just my opinion. I am keeping a CSV of all my exclusive clips on Pond5 so if I see this is just not working I can upload the clips to other sites quickly. Be smart about this and don't let the big guys own us. 60% is great and a bold move, bold moves are needed at this time in the market.

swisschocolate

« Reply #74 on: March 28, 2019, 08:32 »
+1
If we build the best exclusive library there then that is where the buyers will go.

What about the growing demand of video for small buyers, not corporate, that will never be fullfilled this way? By us. But it will be fullfilled anyway, small online businesses will not sit there without video forever.

Someone will fullfill that demand (let's pray it won't be "a free generous community") and you won't be on that market then, can you afford to miss it?
And sell only to high-end buyers, then maybe it's worth it.

I personally want to be able to sell simple stuff as well, that doesn't need a crazy production set, flying helicopters over Antarctic in Haloween costumes.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2019, 08:36 by swisschocolate »


 

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