Does anyone have a link to the video, or is it a private exclusive video for exclusives' eyes only?

It�s hard to believe that 15 years ago, a small team with an idea about changing the world of royalty-free imagery, would evolve into what we know as iStock by Getty Images today.

It is indeed hard to believe how iStock has evolved into a big failure.

an appetite for disruption, and an irreverent affinity for change.

Again, very true.

Over the past 12 months, we have we have completely repictured the business, updating and simplifying the search and purchase process, removing barriers at every step.

Yeah, such as those annoying sales, away with them!

In an industry where our competitors continue to push quantity over quality

....I'm glad iStock has never, ever mass-ingested a library full of old, outdated vector images to push out any new, freshly produced work.

and has made iStock by Getty Images the leader in the market.

Shutterstock would like his quote back.

I was already wondering why subs were drying up and ODD's were nowhere to be founds these last few weeks. As if things couldn't get worse in microstock already. 

I think microstock is going to be very, very different, 3 years from now...

Funny enough I said this 4 days ago, but today I received a whopping 20 ODD's!

+ Added a 5-second timer to log into the program automatically.

Has this been removed again? I kinda liked it.

Everything okay here. Sad that they're pulling an iStock on you.

Quote from: Noedelhap on April 12, 2015, 19:01

(...) for the moment, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
(...)If the current models outgrows itself and management starts to make questionable decisions,  I'll pull my files.
(...) I doubt they will be able to steal a significant amount of market share from SS or Pond5 in the near future.

And this is exactly what I am talking about.

So, you are willing to take a risk on an agency that you recognize haven't answered valid questions in this topic and others (I would add vital questions) that could severely damage the market and endanger your portfolio, when you do not even believe they will have great relevance in the near future... Oooook...

Of course we'll have to monitor it closely to make sure that we won't be trapped, but so far they have been very open and they have answered most, if not all questions.  (Except for the ones above, but let's be patient.)

Anyway, if in they do get a significant amount of market share and one of the worst scenarios arises, you believe that by then pulling out the portfolio will make a difference...

Let me tell you that I've seen tenths of boycotts and pulling of portfolios from several agencies. In some cases agencies being the target for these actions more than once. But not only they are still around and strong but the damage they've done endured to this day. Once a price has dropped, they will never go up.

Let me ask you a question: do you believe DPC (which I consider ten times more dangerous than any future scheme VideoBlocks might conceive) has destroyed the stock market after everyone pulled their port/opted out? Personally, I think not.

And once an agency becomes very relevant to you your income, contrary to what you say, you will not pull your portfolio. Even if you do, 99% of the other contributors won't, making your action irrelevant. This is what I've been seeing since 2006 with the consequences we are facing today.

True, once the income becomes relevant, it will be a decision based on money as well. But for now it's hard to predict what will happen. Any agency might at some point in the future do something you won't like, but does that keep you from submitting? Who would've thought 5 years ago that iStock would eff up so badly today? There's no way you could have known. Perhaps VideoBlocks will make a change 2 years from now that shakes up the microstock world, perhaps not. It's pure speculation.

Video is still a very controlled market. Keep it that way supporting only agencies that leave you absolutely no doubt about their intentions, strategy and capacity to finance themselves without having to resort to dubious actions in order to survive.

The right side of this page is full of these cases. Almost all never got relevant but helped damage the photography market in senseless price wars, dilution of portfolio, and loosing of control of the artists portfolio.

I don't blindly trust agencies and I'll be wary of any decision they make, even Shutterstock and Pond5 aren't sacred in my book.

When does the marketplace open for customers?

Quote from: Noedelhap on April 08, 2015, 15:03

Quote from: tickstock on April 08, 2015, 13:36

Shutterstock is basically giving away all 100,000+ videos on Bigstock for free already.  $99 for up to 300 very good quality videos is one of the worst plans from any agency ever.

I don't see my videos on BigStock, so what do you mean?

I mean the 100,000+ that are up there now.

If all 100,000+ videos on SS are now on BS, why aren't mine there? Are you sure SS has transferred everything? I'd like to know for sure.

Shutterstock is basically giving away all 100,000+ videos on Bigstock for free already.  $99 for up to 300 very good quality videos is one of the worst plans from any agency ever.

I don't see my videos on BigStock, so what do you mean?

Yeah, really nice and competent bunch. I have to give them credit. Always friendly, willing to discuss rejections, bugs and other things. Really trying to help and their replies are personal and nothing canned. Overturning decisions and helping me fix issues in a pin point manner.

On a side note; even though the cannister system is very challenging, I am ok with it. My content is not good enough anyway to reach those goals on any site that has them.

I have to give it to them, I like Bigstock. I am also content with the sales.

Your first sentence made me think you were being sarcastic, but apparently not.

Even so, why would you want to be connected to a clearly shady, non-selling site like YayMicro?

Besides, that site looks absolutely horrendous. 404 pages (blog), no decent interface, horrible logo, no information. Avoid.

Past 18 months:

1 EL per 700  dls on average. (1:701)

Past 36 months:

1 EL per 1000 dls on average.  (1:992)

All time:

1 EL per 800 dls on average.  (1:828)