As producers of video clips we spend a lot of time researching subjects, editing clips and looking at new equipment and some of us spend way to much times on video and photo forums. How much time do you spend researching the true cost of producing video footage. Microstock kicked open the doors of stock photography and now stock video, giving thousands of people the opportunity to get photographs and video clips published. It's a great way to justify spending too much on a camera because after all I'm going to recoup the costs over time selling video footage.
Microstock as an industry is maturing and prolific and highly talented people are rising to the forefront and making significantly large amounts of money, the amateur shooter is being left behind, or the new hobbyist shooter just joining microstock today doesn't see the process of selling their footage clips as a business, it's almost a vanity publishing hobby. This is leaving a large amount of money on the table that the amateur shooter should be pocketing.
If I cross over to the other side, the buyers side of the table I know that if I commissioned a film crew to go and acquire footage for me, I'm going to be paying a small film crew, i.e. two person cameraman and maybe sound person around $2,500 for a day and depending on travel time there would be additional expenses for travel and post production time. I have been hired in the past for a total of 3 hours of filming and editing and charged $1,000 and I was cheaper than other quotes.
We must understand the value we bring to filming and producing video clips for others. While some of us are amateurs, the product being offered is professional. Too many newcomers are selling their clips for an unrealistically low price on some stock video sites. Pond5 has some producers selling full HD footage for $10.00, with their cut being a generous 50% they take $5.00 of the sale. How long will it take to recoup the cost of the camera, the media cards, the tripod, etc.
Major production companies have made private deals on sites like Pond5 where they have paid over $750 for one clip with the stipulation that a more comprehensive release is made available from the producer of the clip.
Perhaps if you are not charging $50.00 for full HD clips as a minimum and looking to charge $60 to $80 as a minimum with model released talent and for exotic travel locations or places that are off limits to the general public of $150 then you are selling yourself short and indeed leaving money on the table that the buyer is more than willing to pay.
Just my $50.00 opinion
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