So far I just uploaded no more than 10 clips that required model release... the irony is that i used the SS release por all the agencies, and it was accepted by all (P5, VB, AS, DT) except SS... apparently the signature of the witness os spilling a bit over the name of the witness and that bothered SS reviewers... but for the moment i'm using the SS model...

Quote from: Pablito on January 16, 2019, 10:41
Before uploading your material to every agent under the sun - read their contract!

It's very easy to upload to one agent who then uploads it to another sub-agent who then does the same again. You'll see your footage popping up on sites you didn't even know existed.
Apart from diluting your % earnings big time (and possibly never having the money filter through the various companies back to you) you can end up with one of your agents competing with your own pictures in another agent at a much reduced %. In other words, it's possible to lose control of your work - and just as important, control of your income stream. It's not happening much so far with the footage agents but it will..... when things get tighter; just as it did with the stills market. I could write a book on that.

I've seen it (and unfortunately experienced it) all before - I've been full-time non-exclusive, multi-agent for over 30 years.
So my advice is - stick to the big four and read their contract. So no surprises in the future - well at least you'll cut down on the surprises 
Oh and that suggestion of exclusivity - there is not an agent right now that can justify image exclusivity never mind photographer exclusivity, but it is a great way to put all your eggs in one little precarious basket and cross your fingers.

Thanks Pablito, i hadn't considered what you said... terrible, as a matter of principle one would think that uploading to 20 agencies would have more potencial than 4 or 5... you give a different insight... by big for, you mean (i suppose), SS, P5, AS, IS?

Quote from: Photo London UK on January 14, 2019, 18:56
I have been selling stock footage for 4 years now. Here is my top earners from best to low :

1. Shutterstock ( always no.1 )
2. Pond 5 ( even though decreased sales in the last year still no.2 )
3-4. Adobe Stock and Istock - Getty ( interesting too see how good adobe performs after rebranded from fotolia and yes Istock still sells and it's not far from Pond5 )
5-6. Dissolve - Storyblocks ( you can try Dissolve if you have time, sad to see storyblocks has dropped sales dramatically after videoblocks shut down ) 

I tried motion element, deposit and 123rf. I am afraid they have no potential to sell footage at all. So I deleted my portfolio on them. Videohive still too complicated to upload so doesn't worth the time. Hope that helps. Good luck !

thanks for the list of top earners.. that seems to be a very solid choice of agencies. I registered in Dissolve, but haven't yet uploaded anything... I will give it a try, i actually like to website although i don't know how the workflow goes with them...

by the way you have an amazing portfolio Photo London UK! really enjoyed it..

Quote from: davidbautista on January 14, 2019, 16:40

Quote from: RRPT on January 14, 2019, 16:36

Quote from: davidbautista on January 14, 2019, 14:45
I'm currently uploading to the following:

Pond5
Dreamstime
iStock
Shutterstock
Depositphotos
Adobe Stock
Videoblocks
Motionelements

I uploaded in the past to Pixta but it's very weird they don't accept 4K. They also take like more than a month to review footage. So I stopped with them. I wouldn't recommend 123RF since they are not reviewing new uploads anymore. You have to email them and push them to review.

I agree with SS being easy to upload, also DP. Adobe Stock is also very easy. On the other hand, Videblocks is the fastest in reviewing! they employ like half a day.

I'm thinking about not uploading more to ME, DP and DT, what are your opinions?

I upload to Nimia beucase they have like a backup system but I don't actually sell there.

Yes David, i use Nimia like that as well, i actually don't have my full portfolio there, i just upload what I personally like most, although it is technicall a microstock agency i don't look at them like that...

Videoblocks is the slowest for me so far! they warn me that i should expect 3 weeks waiting time, and they actually take that time... weird, i don't know how they create their waiting lines... SS is the fastest for me (many times less than a day), and yes i agree, Adobe Stock is also really easy to use.

I will check the others i'm not uploading to, my plan is by the end of April to upload everything i have by than to 4-5 new ones.

As i said, i'm very new to the game so i wouldn't have any valid advice to give regarding which ones NOT to upload to i can only comment on the workflow ease, not on sales results, that i will the mean time gladly share (i hope i'll have something to share )

It's kind of weird about Videoblocks. For me it s very very fast. Maybe you are uploading complex footage? I upload very short nature footage so it's kind of simple. As I said before I don't recommend Pixta or 123RF. I upload to iStock but they tend to pay misery (0.67 usd per video for example) but some people said it gets better. Also, uploading video to Adobe stock somehow makes your photo portfolio to be more exposed which is good for me since I mainly do stills.

maybe that's it... i do footage, and only footage for the moment (i'm thinking of trying some photography uploading, i'll see to it in time...) maybe the videoblocks footage reviewing process is not so agile, my shots are also pretty simple, for the moment 70% nature. I don't mind the waiting times, this is a long run and not a sprint anyway, so it's not a deal breaker for me, although it can be annoying

Quote from: davidbautista on January 14, 2019, 14:45
I'm currently uploading to the following:

Pond5
Dreamstime
iStock
Shutterstock
Depositphotos
Adobe Stock
Videoblocks
Motionelements

I uploaded in the past to Pixta but it's very weird they don't accept 4K. They also take like more than a month to review footage. So I stopped with them. I wouldn't recommend 123RF since they are not reviewing new uploads anymore. You have to email them and push them to review.

I agree with SS being easy to upload, also DP. Adobe Stock is also very easy. On the other hand, Videblocks is the fastest in reviewing! they employ like half a day.

I'm thinking about not uploading more to ME, DP and DT, what are your opinions?

I upload to Nimia beucase they have like a backup system but I don't actually sell there.

Yes David, i use Nimia like that as well, i actually don't have my full portfolio there, i just upload what I personally like most, although it is technicall a microstock agency i don't look at them like that...

Videoblocks is the slowest for me so far! they warn me that i should expect 3 weeks waiting time, and they actually take that time... weird, i don't know how they create their waiting lines... SS is the fastest for me (many times less than a day), and yes i agree, Adobe Stock is also really easy to use.

I will check the others i'm not uploading to, my plan is by the end of April to upload everything i have by than to 4-5 new ones.

As i said, i'm very new to the game so i wouldn't have any valid advice to give regarding which ones NOT to upload to i can only comment on the workflow ease, not on sales results, that i will the mean time gladly share (i hope i'll have something to share )

Quote from: ODesigns on January 14, 2019, 13:12
I get a 1099-MISC form yearly from P5.

but they send it to you? or do you have to previously fill out a form?
The thing is that usually with the agencies i have to fill out a form, confirming that i'm not a us citizen (or tax payer there), for retention purposes. in Pond5 i don't find it...

I was just fishing out this topic, as i'm going through the same process as the OP in 2013.

Is it true that Pond5 doesn't do tax retentions? can anyone help here?

it could be but i have no previous experience with them.. anyway they finally made my files available on the site... probably just some one time bug...

Quote from: Kokkoros on January 13, 2019, 22:20
Simplify your life and go exclusive at Getty / iStock.

really? you would recommend that? an exclusive deal on istock could surpass the combined sales of the 4-5 biggest?

Quote from: SpaceStockFootage on January 13, 2019, 21:55
The only one you haven't listed which generates me more than 1% is iStock, which comes in at 3% of my total revenue... but the commission split is terrible and they're far from the best of agencies, so it's up to you whether you give them a try or not.

yeah, iStock, i forgot to list it as a potential future "give it a go"... thanks for the opinion, apparently i shouldn't expect too much of any new agency i may come to sell with... i also upload to one other (Nimia) simply for my own use: I upload a very restrict selection of things i consider better, and use it as a sort of a portfolio to show people, without caring much about metadata and actually selling.

Hi,
just thought it would be interesting to open a discussion regarding top 10 best microstock agencies, focused on Footage. Sometimes the information one reads is ambiguous as to whether people are giving their opinion on the photo market or the footage.

so.. i'm currently uploading to the following:

Shutterstock
Pond5
Dreamstime
AdobeStock
Videoblocks
Videohive

i'm still very new to the game so i really don't have relevant data regarding sales and performance, but i will notice that of the 5 above SS has the most confortable workflow (metadata etc.) and videoblocks has the longest waiting times for me (although it's also quite easy to use). Videohive has a limitation of 15 keywords and monthly upload limit, which hinders and slows down the process...

I'm thinking of starting in a few months to upload to 4-5 new agencies... so far i listed these as potencial new ones:

123rf
motion elements
Depositphotos
...

what are your thoughts here? i really am focusing totally on footage... so that's on that basis that i'm inviting discussion. i'd love to hear opinions and suggestions to other agencies! thanks

thanks for the replys... i guess i'll try to upload directly to the site, although it's footage... i uploaded files on 9 january and still not showing up at the website... weird..

Hi guys!
just wondering, of the 5 agencies to which i currently upload (SS, P5, SB, AS are the other 4), Dreamstime is by far the one that takes longer between workflow stages. What i mean is that it takes as many as 7 days for me to be able to tag and complete files on the site after i uploaded them through ftp... is it like that with everybody or am i doing something wrong?

also, since they approve the clips until i actually see them online on my portfolio, another many great number of days goes by.. thanks!

thanks! so helpful everything.

increasingdifficulty, would you recommend the DJI Ryze-Tello, as an introduction? (forgetting the insufficient 720p video)...

Quote from: DTCOP on January 09, 2019, 18:34
One important thing.... if you live in the US  you must pass an FAA test to be rated and you need the rating to sell your footage.

I don't live in the USA, but i'm already learning about laws in Portugal and Spain, where i spend most of my time... anyway i'm curious, do the agencies ask for the FAA rating in order to accept drone footage clips? how does that work, is it like a model release kind of thing?

Thanks for the answers!

increasingdifficulty. Yeah, you got me both in the price range and the purpose of this drone.

I was thinking something around $100-$150, and yes, my purpose was to use it mainly as a practicing drone, to upgrade when i felt confortable. I never flew a drone, so i really didn't know there was such a difference in the flying experience (i know by theory what the more expensive drones have to support the flying experience, but i never tried them).

So, you think i would do better in go straight to a better drone, something like the DJI spark? I definitely would like to get into the drone world, starting to learn about it.

leaf! i'll consider your advice.. i really don't have expensive lamp shades . Is it such a big difference when you go outside? i mean, does wind constitute a major issue?

oh! i forgot to add, it would be nice if it were small enough to fit a back pack or a light travel bag.. to take anywhere basically... although it's not absolutely necessary...

hi everybody!

for those experienced in such matters, what is your advice for a cheap drone, with camera, to learn the chops (flying it basically).
I'm not looking for anything capable of producing good footage, just a drone that i can learn to fly without being afraid to though away a lot of money in case it crashes, necessarily with a camera (to start getting the feel of shooting drone footage), as a mid step towards a really good video capable drone.

thanks!

thanks for the answers, i was think something about those lines, but i have no experience over time (new to this) to know how this will work in the future

Quote from: Brasilnut on January 07, 2019, 22:23

Some Xmas stuff, in my opinion, seem to make for good regular stock as it's a re-occurring event.

i was expecting it would be something like that, after all every seasonal event is visually pretty much the same.

For people who have dealt with this before, how do you deal with editorial footage in terms of urgency of upload?

What i mean is: say you shot an event (a city marathon or christmas event, etc.). Do you put that footage as top priority to upload as close to the event as possible? or do you simply take it as every other footage you have, and just upload it when you can?

I think the question comes from considering whether or not i have something to profit (newspapers, tvs, etc.) from uploading a christmas event on the 27th December, or not (it will be bought the next year as a promotion for the next similar event?)

Just curious to know if somebody has had any thoughts or experience on that!

Thanks!

Quote from: Mantis on May 20, 2014, 12:37

Quote from: Gannet77 on May 19, 2014, 14:28
I'm relatively new to footage as well, and I only do simple clips, using a Canon 5D Mk2 - I'm not familiar with final cut pro, but I would have thought it would offer a suitable format for rendering.

However, one of the most useful bits of software for quick & easy short conversions is MPEG Streamclip - see http://www.squared5.com/ for information.  It's free and available for Windows and Mac.

Using that, I render output in Quicktime format, Photo - JPEG compression, usually at 90-95% quality, and this is acceptable to SS, Pond5 and iStock.

You can also use PhotoShop CS Extended versions to render clips with similar options, and PS can help with extra tweaks as well.

What Gannet 77 said. I originally out putted from Final Cut Pro in apple pro res and that is accepted on shutterstock. However, if you choose to upload to Istock apple pro res is not accepted. They only accept jpg. That requires either compressor or MPEG stream clip. However...again...compressor outputs create errors on Istock, so they recommend to render through MPEG stream clip at jpg and high quality as Gannett 77 indicated.

thanks for the clarification Mantis. That would mean that, as a possible workflow, i could edit my clips (simple editing) in iMovie (that's what i am thinking about using), and than render them through MPEG stream clip at jpeg and high quality? With this flow is any kind of major quality loss to be expected? (i'm talking about 1080 clips, which is all i can produce now)

What kind of problems did you have? Yeah the adapter is not cheap, that's why i'm trying to get opinions before i buy it. I would use Sony (and Fuji) native lenses, but i already have a nice complete set of 4 Nikon DX lenses that get me from 10-300mm, and include a beautiful 35mm prime. I can of course try and sell them, but i like them, and was trying to give them a second life, away from their native Nikon DX world...

So, i own a couple of Fuji X bodies, and a Sony E-mount. I´ve been using Leica m-lenses from my 35mm cameras (love the combination, both with Sony and Fuji). I also have 4 Nikon DX lenses, that i used extensively with my old now almost retired D60. I would like to bring those lenses to life, using them prefereably in the Fuji bodies. I read extensively about the Smart adapters Nikon to E-mount. and i understood that apparently you get AF with the adapters (which is nice but for my type of use not a dire need) and you get to control the Aperture of lenses that don't have an aperture ring. Is this ALSO true for the DX lenses? I haven't seen anywhere that this is a fact, and as such i assume they simply won't work with this kind of adapter.

Has anyone any kind of experience adapting DX lenses to mirrorless APS-C sensor cameras? Thanks a lot in advance!

Sorry? what do you mean, CD?

Great review! thanks steheap!! Just a question, you mention still images, but does the program perform aswell with footage? That would be my area of interest. Thanks!

thanks again for the answers.

increasingdifficulty, i know that 4K will become the minimum requirement, probably sooner than latter. For me it's just a matter of understanding if what i have in terms of gear will allow me to enter the game. I would from the start shoot 4K, but it would be an investement. I prefer to set my feet on the ground, to begin with.

Anyway, i also think that 4K is overpriced, when compared to HD.

Thanks! I was sensing that HD was still the thing to go, but i wanted to be quite sure before i started investing!