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Author Topic: We need to help videoblocks to grow  (Read 22768 times)

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« Reply #25 on: December 16, 2015, 07:32 »
0
I don't sell all my 4k for $1 Getty has a program where large buyers get basically so many free clips so you get a load of 1-10 commissions now and then. It is not really much different then VB as they offer a free area if you subscribe and then the market price.


« Reply #26 on: December 16, 2015, 20:28 »
0
Is the other content wholly owned or is like their other sites where they paid the copyright holders some paltry sum (much less than an EL) to be able to sell the content in perpetuity without any further compensation?

I have just had a thought. Who thinks they will soon be approaching the best selling people on the PPD side with an offer to licence their portfolios in the same way as graphicstock (their other site)?

I think they are just using the set up to be able to chose only the people that sell to license to the sub site, so the quality of their subs offering will increase and PPD decrease until the opposite of the current situation is the case, best stuff on the subs side with no further compensation to contributors.

Yes I wouldn't be surprised at all if VB management start approaching sellers in their marketplace and make an offer for their content.

The Getty Premium Access program is quite frustrating but it balances out overall and is worth it for me anyway to stick with them - for every $1-10 sales there are enough $300 - 1000 sales to make it worthwhile.

« Reply #27 on: December 16, 2015, 20:57 »
0
Is the other content wholly owned or is like their other sites where they paid the copyright holders some paltry sum (much less than an EL) to be able to sell the content in perpetuity without any further compensation?

I have just had a thought. Who thinks they will soon be approaching the best selling people on the PPD side with an offer to licence their portfolios in the same way as graphicstock (their other site)?

I think they are just using the set up to be able to chose only the people that sell to license to the sub site, so the quality of their subs offering will increase and PPD decrease until the opposite of the current situation is the case, best stuff on the subs side with no further compensation to contributors.

I thought I heard they paid artists to shoot a lot of that content for them before they started up.....can't say for sure but I thought I read that somewhere.

true

« Reply #28 on: December 21, 2015, 21:39 »
+1
If they decide to sell at much lower price or lower our commission, we can just delete our clips.  It's so easy.

« Reply #29 on: February 09, 2016, 16:30 »
0
Yes I wouldn't be surprised at all if VB management start approaching sellers in their marketplace and make an offer for their content.

How much would it be okay to said yes for an infinite download file addition in the library ?
hmmmm

« Reply #30 on: February 09, 2016, 18:25 »
+6
If they decide to sell at much lower price or lower our commission, we can just delete our clips.  It's so easy.

I don't sell video, so this is just a comment in general terms about the risks you take if you sign on for a deal that is undercutting other agencies where you currently sell.

If VideoBlocks becomes dominant and then cuts your royalties you may not have any other agencies left out there to sell through. So you can just delete your clips (always something you want to check with any agency, that you can do that yourself), but there's nowhere to go.

There was a story about limo drivers in Houston who helped Uber get started, spoke up for them with the city council, and then when Uber started changing the deal and cutting driver payments, the companies they used to drive for were all gone and they were stuck with Uber.

« Reply #31 on: February 09, 2016, 18:30 »
+3
If they decide to sell at much lower price or lower our commission, we can just delete our clips.  It's so easy.

I don't sell video, so this is just a comment in general terms about the risks you take if you sign on for a deal that is undercutting other agencies where you currently sell.

If VideoBlocks becomes dominant and then cuts your royalties you may not have any other agencies left out there to sell through. So you can just delete your clips (always something you want to check with any agency, that you can do that yourself), but there's nowhere to go.

There was a story about limo drivers in Houston who helped Uber get started, spoke up for them with the city council, and then when Uber started changing the deal and cutting driver payments, the companies they used to drive for were all gone and they were stuck with Uber.

Smart words...

Look at the top tier...all used to be "artist friendly" once!

« Reply #32 on: February 09, 2016, 18:39 »
0
 :D

« Reply #33 on: February 10, 2016, 02:50 »
0
The real problem is:Are the other agencies better? They give us 30% is it fair? No it isn't so?


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

« Reply #34 on: February 10, 2016, 07:13 »
+1
Considering these guys had been only 5 years around and already did amazing work, one got to give them some credit, and yes 100% is something.

New CEO also announced!

http://dcinno.streetwise.co/2016/01/27/va-startup-videoblocks-names-new-ceo-shutterstock-competitor/

« Reply #35 on: February 10, 2016, 09:02 »
+1
I have been corresponding with them as to why my sales dried up 100% since last October. I was going to pull my port and turn on Dissolve but Dissolve said that they upped their standards "will not reactivate most of my work". They also said that they would only do it AFTER I pulled whatever content they accepted off VB.  So I politely emailed them back and said thanks but no thanks, please officially close my account. In the meantime, Mike at VB keeps saying to "hang on we are growing, give it some time"but three months without a single sale is pathetic.  Luckily I still get video sales from P5 and SS. 

So at this point since I don't upload video to IS, Video Hive, CanStockPhoto, DT, FT, DP I am stuck with only a few sites to sell my work. Still hunting for more outlets though.

« Reply #36 on: February 10, 2016, 09:50 »
+6
I still don't trust the model they use.  If they keep increasing their wholly owned content and buyers are buying less of our clips, we lose out.  Do I really want to help them achieve that?

« Reply #37 on: February 10, 2016, 10:32 »
0
i am not quite sure what to make of videoblocks. I like the 100%, but like others have said, where will they be longterm?

But mostly I will need more sales. So I will upload selected content, once a month and then we will see.

I think if Fotolia becomes a regular marketplace it will be more important, there is no risk my work gets ranked down in favor of wholly owned content.

But yet, videoblocks is very brave and they are trying something new. Maybe there is an artist friendly way to run their agency. Would be great to have a place that gives such high returns.

But overall, pond5 and SS are like 85% of my video sales, I only upload to other places if I have time.

« Reply #38 on: February 19, 2016, 04:44 »
+5
VB actually is in the process of sourcing in content for a one-time-fee. So it will be offered as "own" content on the site and available for a flat fee to customers forever and without limitation.

This business model, if it takes root, will eradicate the existing stock market. Even if you sign up for a commission you just feed the site to get a customer base, and once that base is established you will just receive 100% of nothing while the own content will be promoted.

You should think really well before supporting business models that will destroy your very livelihood.

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #39 on: February 19, 2016, 05:21 »
+2
VB actually is in the process of sourcing in content for a one-time-fee. So it will be offered as "own" content on the site and available for a flat fee to customers forever and without limitation.

This business model, if it takes root, will eradicate the existing stock market. Even if you sign up for a commission you just feed the site to get a customer base, and once that base is established you will just receive 100% of nothing while the own content will be promoted.

You should think really well before supporting business models that will destroy your very livelihood.

Well there you go. Anyone with any sense not see this coming?! Seriously, wake up. They have set up a model where they will not have to pay out anything but a pathetic one time fee or they will use in house shooters.

They wont even have to take a risk on some of their wholly owned content not being what the customer wants any more, because by uploading to the paid side of the site you have given them all the data they need to create a collection that will put you out of business.

Here's a quote from another thread "Im here to sell Now" Well this is what that kind of short term short sighted thinking gets you. Eat it up.

« Reply #40 on: February 19, 2016, 06:45 »
+1
VB actually is in the process of sourcing in content for a one-time-fee. So it will be offered as "own" content on the site and available for a flat fee to customers forever and without limitation.

This business model, if it takes root, will eradicate the existing stock market. Even if you sign up for a commission you just feed the site to get a customer base, and once that base is established you will just receive 100% of nothing while the own content will be promoted.

You should think really well before supporting business models that will destroy your very livelihood.

Uh oh...and may I guess who you support fully?   8)

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #41 on: February 19, 2016, 07:27 »
+1
Is the other content wholly owned or is like their other sites where they paid the copyright holders some paltry sum (much less than an EL) to be able to sell the content in perpetuity without any further compensation?

I have just had a thought. Who thinks they will soon be approaching the best selling people on the PPD side with an offer to licence their portfolios in the same way as graphicstock (their other site)?

I think they are just using the set up to be able to chose only the people that sell to license to the sub site, so the quality of their subs offering will increase and PPD decrease until the opposite of the current situation is the case, best stuff on the subs side with no further compensation to contributors.

« Reply #42 on: February 19, 2016, 09:06 »
+1
Uh oh...and may I guess who you support fully?   8)

Agencies are not sport teams and we are not fans. This is not about support. This is about how to maintain a halfway sustainable market.

« Reply #43 on: February 26, 2016, 08:53 »
0

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« Reply #44 on: February 27, 2016, 02:34 »
+2
Only been on VideoBlocks for a couple of weeks and I've had two sales already. Two weeks is a bit too short for me to embrace it as a the new promised land, but we'll see how it goes! It is pretty nice to see $47.16 for one sale though, puts iStock to shame!

« Reply #45 on: February 28, 2016, 07:58 »
+1
Although I'm aware that VB could become a potential threat to the market if they change their business model (or the unlimited library starts dominating the marketplace), the 100% commission and regular sales yield a much better return than Pond5 and SS ever will.

VB isn't sacred to me, however. Then again, neither are SS and Pond5. I do believe we should support sites that treat us fairly, because that's the basis of a sustainable market. No one can predict whether VB is a wolf in sheep's clothing, but until that time, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. 
« Last Edit: February 28, 2016, 08:01 by Noedelhap »

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #46 on: February 28, 2016, 09:10 »
0
They wont change their business model. Their existing model is quite sufficient to put you out of business. They are growing their solely owned content so they can stop having to pay out commissions.

ETA I mean content they pay a one time fee to be able to give away or sell as they see fit. So not actually owned by them necessarily.

« Reply #47 on: February 28, 2016, 09:56 »
+2
They wont change their business model. Their existing model is quite sufficient to put you out of business. They are growing their solely owned content so they can stop having to pay out commissions.

ETA I mean content they pay a one time fee to be able to give away or sell as they see fit. So not actually owned by them necessarily.

I believe this is correct.  They promised to NEVER cut the 100% royalty and they can accomplish this by driving customers to their other collection by building it with wholly owned content.  That is FARRRRRR more profitable for VB than to have their membership customers have to pay even more for our content.  I am at VB but am seeing my sales dwindle. I had my first sale in three months just last week.  Before that it was more frequent. 

Thus, VB can make the 100% royalty claim because they intend to offer to a scale that will not cost them much once they build their wholly owned collection with such a broad subject matter that the $49 collection is essentially moot except for the very few times VB will have to dull out $49 for the one-offs.

SquirrelPower

« Reply #48 on: May 02, 2016, 06:23 »
+2
We need to make an all out push now to promote VideoBlocks everywhere, in your social media and everywhere you can to get word out to buyers so they can come to videoblocks.   In light of Pond 5 basically out of the picture now and closing the door to new uploads as they've "raised their standards" we need to make Videoblocks number one.   It would be nice if they let us set our own prices OR raised their prices to well over $100 and bucked the trend to race to the bottom but their 50% commission is a lot better than the tiny commissions SS pays.

Unless there is another site out there that is better that I don't know about that accepts editorial as well as commercial then I think Videoblocks is the only real game left in town and if so then we need to promote them and get buyers to come to them.


« Reply #49 on: May 03, 2016, 05:16 »
+4
We need to make an all out push now to promote VideoBlocks everywhere, in your social media and everywhere you can to get word out to buyers so they can come to videoblocks.   In light of Pond 5 basically out of the picture now and closing the door to new uploads as they've "raised their standards" we need to make Videoblocks number one.   It would be nice if they let us set our own prices OR raised their prices to well over $100 and bucked the trend to race to the bottom but their 50% commission is a lot better than the tiny commissions SS pays.

Unless there is another site out there that is better that I don't know about that accepts editorial as well as commercial then I think Videoblocks is the only real game left in town and if so then we need to promote them and get buyers to come to them.



I don't like monopolies, so how about no. VB is doing fine for me, but it's not my job to promote them.

If they'd become market leader, they'd get too much power and that sweet 100% commission might disappear.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2016, 05:18 by Noedelhap »


 

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