HD Video being sold for 17-22 bucks a sec!! WTF?!

[Steven Gliebe]

The amount of video sold from what I heard was 4 to 6.5 seconds.

6.5 seconds at $22 is $143. That's what they made? If I'm mistaken about that, disregard this whole post because I'm a fool speaking in haste.

This summer I sold low quality (640x480) small hail footage shot in my front yard to Storm Stories for $150 (got them up from $100). They wouldn't tell me how much they'd use but I'm sure it will be very little because the quality is poor and relatively uninteresting compared the the main story (Cowboys microburst).

Me, a "porch chaser" with low quality video of a relatively common event got paid more than a bonified storm chaser for HD footage of a real tornado? And for the same show even. Yes, your friends could and should have done better. I had even thought $150 wasn't worth all the e-mails, forms, faxing, etc... I only did it to be on TV and get a free DVD.

My job in the real world is of freelance nature. When I was starting, I had people try to cut my rates in half and I used to give in just to have the work. But then my genius wife in a matter of words said nothing is worth being taken advantage of. Everything about my work has been better since that day. It's a "you teach people how to treat you" kind of thing.

Okay, but some of you do what you do just for the love of the game, not for the money? But still, it doesn't make sense to lose money. You're not even at nonprofit level if you don't have a chance at covering your expenses. "Here, NBC Universal, you take my video, I'll take a loss... you make thousands, I'll buy Ramen Noodles."

My five cents.

 

[Warren Faidley]

After selling footage and images for over 20 years, I always find these "marketing" conversations interesting.

Chasers are certainly free to sell footage or images for what ever price they want. Especially in these tough times, many chasers need to get what they can. Although low-balling does harm values within a small niche like storm chasing, people are free to make their own decisions.

Having said that, I find the main issue is with cut-throat production companies. They will call my company and pay full price for footage, e.g., $50-$100+ a second (one time use) for (non-outtake) HD footage, while low-balling other chasers they deem as gullible. Sometimes they "promise" television glory, credit or "more sales," but it never happens. This is a common ploy.

In addition, the terms of use agreement and license must be considered. Are you selling your footage for a one time use in a single production and the promotion of the said production? Or are you granting a "royalty free" use in which the client can use the footage forever. Some production companies do this to rip you off. It is NOT standard procedure in the production business, but again, many production companies disrespect chasers because: 1: Many sell footage below the market value, and 2: *they* see chasers as "goobers" who don't know any better. Trust me on this, I deal with production companies on a daily basis. I've pulled the plug (or jokingly charged $5,000 a second) with more than one client because they treated other chasers like crap.

There is no "fix" for this problem. It's going on through out the footage and image markets, in every corner, from nature to news footage. If you think your footage (and often hard work) is worth $1.00 a second, and you don't need the money -- it's your choice. Just be aware that the production companies are laughing behind your back while paying full value to those who demand honest pricing.

The secret in pricing is knowing the actual value of what you have. If you have the best (or only) footage from an event, then you can ask anything you want. For example, I have some of the only coastal "in progress" images of Hurricane Andrew in daylight. I can generally ask anything I want for those.

Don't be afraid to ask for a reasonable fee. (E.g, $75-$150+ a second [5 second min.] for HD footage, one time use, of an average event). For a major event, the sky is the limit. Mark all footage with your copyright and make sure you have licensing agreements completed before forwarding. Beware if they only want you to agree to their licensing terms. Just be careful distributing footage. The licensing agreements we send out are very specific; holding the client responsible for any abuse of the footage including unauthorized distribution.

They might turn you down initially, but be patient.

W.

 

[Shane Adams]

Regarding part of what Warren was saying about name/company recognition VS a "nobody" and how production companies approach each, I'd hope that eventually my name will get out there as the "nobody who has a 'somebody' attitude" and they will just stop soliciting.

My real job works a lot like selling video; we bid each job based on the fair market value of said service (though we are the best having put all competition out of business the past decade) and they either say "Ok, that works" or they try to beat us into the ground. With our two main customers, we bend a little more here and there because the sheer volume of work they throw at us keeps the wheels turning. However when smaller companies approach and try to get cute with crap offers, we rejoice in telling them to "call the other guys" (there are no other guys). Like selling video, at the end of the day it's always better to turn business away than to get screwed just to have the job. If you make a bad deal and the numbers aren't right, nobody cares how hard you're working on the project...you are still gonna lose.

I've had a good year with video sales in 2009; the only offer I had was going smoothly until I stated my terms, then they jumped ship. Always a success when you send them walking instead of getting bent over. But still...whatever a person wants to charge for their video is their business. If they want it up the b-eye with no KY that's fine with me.

 

[Randy Denzer]

Sure would be nice to set a "price standard" that every chaser would adhere to but I don't see this happening with the giant influx of new chasers.

It would take a bunch of leading chasers to loudly start communicating (on all forums) a minimum price per second and a minimum time allotment for basic footage. This could make those production companys work a little harder and pay what they should.

crazy thinking as always!

 

[Shane Adams]

Sure would be nice to set a "price standard" that every chaser would adhere to but I don't see this happening with the giant influx of new chasers.

It would take a bunch of leading chasers to loudly start communicating (on all forums) a minimum price per second and a minimum time allotment for basic footage. This could make those production companys work a little harder and pay what they should.

crazy thinking as always!

That will never happen, nor should it happen.

The guys who have made money did it one of two ways: they were part of the video explosion in the early 90s, or they worked their butts off and dedicated every waking moment to promoting their product. I think it's asinine to suggest some newbie who got lucky should be a part of the same group as the aformentioned groups; nobody who paved the way should be expected to assist those who came after them. The big names are big for a reason, and everyone else will just have to claw and fight for a good video deal...that's the way it is.

Hey, I'd love it if when companies came calling to me, they treated me with the respect they give the big guys. But I sure as hell don't expect to have it handed to me by those big guys "because it's the fair thing to do." Everyone's on their own out there, and that's how it should be.

 

[Sam Barricklow]

Footage licensing

Read Warren's post again, and again, until it soaks in.

 

[Robert Dewey]

Bottom line this is going to kill footage sales. It is getting out of control. It needs to stop.

If you can't pull a profit, then it's YOU that needs to change up your business model. With services such as iReport, I have a feeling that footage revenue will continue to decrease as citizen journalism increases. There's nothing wrong with that.

For example, take a look at the computer industry, where manufacturers used to enjoy high margins. Times change, and business models change. Rather than complaining and crying for competing manufacturers to raise their prices (LOL), each manufacturer had to change their business model (adding services and support, etc).

EDIT: Didn't realize this was a somewhat old thread that has been "open and shut."