Video size selection

A little twist on an old discussion of selling various sizes of the a clip using an automated downsize program at P5. Many here have been opposed to downsizing like at other places and yes, we all do much better here than anywhere else(I think due to this in part). A twist and a new concept that is not used anywhere else would be a RF for full size footage as we do now and a Licensed downsized options. The License would allow use only for the one single use and time period as as stated by the buyer. A check-off use box that the buyer fills out would show it's intended use and time period of use. This information would be shown to the artist on each sale as a record and information on how the clip is to be used.

This is very similar to photo agencies such as Alamy. The difference is the artist still sets prices for downsized footage under the Licenses purchases. This way many of us who feel a downsized clip has the same production value as the full size version is satisfied but allows a buyer to buy a downsized clip that requires less processing on their part if that is their requirement.

If something like this starts a price war then I'm not for any kind of lower cost downsizing. Maybe set a low limit of something like 50-70% of the full size price for the downsized pricing.

P5 could then be the first (that I know of) that offers both RF and Licensed footage to buyers.

Thoughts?

Don

Contributors who that making different sizes available will improve their sales can simply produce, upload and price those sizes themselves. That way the contributor controls the quality.

As I have suggested before, Pond5 needs an "Artist Studio". When a buyer purchases a clip it can be loaded into their "studio" where they can manipulate the clip server side. Re-encode to a different codec. Resize the clip. Crop it. Or whatever they need. Once they have modified the clip in their studio, they can download it. I think this type of feature would set P5 apart in a HUGE way from the other sites.

Back is September I asked Tom about this very same question about downsizing clips and here's his response. " Yes, the plan is to offer it, with pricing remaining the same for all resolutions, or determined by algorithm, depending on the artist's preference."

I used to be in the camp that was opposed to automatic downsizing, but now I have a year under my belt and actual stats to look at, I'm starting to rethink it a little.

Here's the $64,000 question: would an unsold clip have sold IF there were a lower resolution available? Conversely, it can be asked, IF there are lower resolutions available, would a buyer just gravitate to the cheapest option?

I guess it all boils down to need. If a buyer doesn't need 1080, will they buy it if it was the only option and downsize themselves? I suppose if they were an educated buyer, they would. But what about all those buyers who aren't as "skilled"? Do they just not buy? If so, that's a lost sale for the producer. And sometimes, a sale is a sale.

I think I'd be FOR auto-downsizing using some algorithm that kept the pricing for the lower sized option in line with the highest resolution's price. For example, if I set my 1080 price at $60, then the 720 could be 20% less (or whatever), and the SD resolution 30% less (or whatever is decided).

But, I think auto-downsizing should only go as low as SD 720x480. I don't care for the web sized 320x180 clips, personally. Maybe a producer can "opt in" for the auto-downsizing if it becomes available here on P5, and decide how low the resolution can go. And maybe it can be decided on a per-clip basis when submitting.

Looking at my IS sales, most are the 720 and the "large" web size--which is the closest to SD resolution there. On SS, it's a crap shoot. But what I don't understand on SS is why a 1080 clip isn't sized to 720? It jumps to 480, which I believe is costing producers more lucrative sales.

What do the other veteran producers think?

I like Tom Bennets method as stated by Jason.

Im OK with it so long as we still have control over the prices, and the prices are not decreased as a result of it. I see this as a convienence and not really a necessity for the buyer.

Keep in mind people. Verticle Price fixing is entirely legal, we are allowed to petition Pond5 to raise the minimum price or to suggest how we think the pricing structure should work. Pond5 is in effect our distributor. If you all want pricing changed its OK to tell pond5 about your ideas.