Remember Vimeo On Demand? Well it just got a whole lot better for all you content creators out there who are looking to make some cash from your videos.
The premier video-sharing website has announced a $10 million investment to be used to provide video producers of all levels and genres direct financial support and access to online marketing services – including website development and translation services – in exchange for distributing their content on Vimeo On Demand.
Launched 12 months ago as a place where independent filmmakers could upload, share and sell their latest releases, Vimeo on Demand celebrated its birthday at the SXSW festival, where the announcement was made.
"Building on our early content investment programmes, we're excited to announce this broad expansion of resources to support creators," said Vimeo CEO, Kerry Trainor. "The direct distribution movement gains momentum every day, and we are fully committed to empowering creators with a vibrant alternative to the ad-dominated online video ecosystem for monetizing content."
[image:blog_post:42786]The Vimeo On Demand service is a feature of its Vimeo Pro $199-a-year subscription package and was established as a ‘quality direct distribution solution’ that enables creators to sell work on their own terms.
Vimeo Pro creators are able to upload higher-definition video and obtain access to various publishing tools such as On Demand, which packages and sells videos to viewers on the creator’s own site. In return Vimeo takes a 10 percent cut of the pay-for-play sales, but the rest goes directly to the filmmaker.
The new $10 million fund will include the following programmes:
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Expansion of Crowdfunding Programme: Vimeo is expanding on its crowdfunding programme. Announced at the 2014 Sundance Festival, Vimeo extends access to part of its $10 million fund to select titles that have successfully raised $10,000 or more through a leading crowdfunding platform in exchange for an exclusive window on Vimeo On Demand.
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Expansion of Film Festival Programme: Building on its successful 2013 Toronto Film Festival programme, Vimeo will use the $10 million fund to offer guaranteed funding in exchange for an exclusive distribution window to any film that has premiered at one of the 20 leading global film festivals throughout 2014.
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Expansion of Title and Catalog Acquisitions: Vimeo will work with filmmakers and distributors to accelerate its investment in quality individual titles and catalogs suited to Vimeo's unique audience.
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Vimeo PRO Grants: In addition to direct financial support for exclusive distribution partnerships, filmmakers that have successfully raised $10,000 or more through crowdfunding or have had a film premiere at one of the 20 leading global film festivals in 2014, will be granted one year of Vimeo PRO for free with distribution on Vimeo On Demand.
As part of its birthday celebrations, Vimeo has redesigned the On Demand home page, making it easier for viewers to discover new videos, watch preview trailers and either buy or rent access for those that appeal.
Vimeo On Demand viewers get their own library that provides one-click access to rented, purchased, and previously watched titles.
Since its launch, creators have uploaded over 6,000 titles to the service across a broad range of subjects. Through Vimeo, creators are able to choose their price, viewing format (stream or download), and geographical availability while retaining full ownership of their work. Vimeo also offers in-player transaction support, allowing creators to sell their work on their own sites or embedded across the web.
Qualifying filmmakers interested in receiving a free PRO account and/or access to the marketing fund can visit vimeo.com/ondemand/audience for more information. The full list of qualifying film festival programmes can also be found on this site.
For more information on how to use the Vimeo on Demand service effectively, check out this handy video demonstration.
Vimeo has over 22 million registered members and reaches a global monthly audience of more than 149 million. It was founded in 2004 and is based in New York City.
Tony Myers is the editor and founder of smartmoviemaking.com, a website dedicated to filming on smartphones and tablets. He is also an editor on the London Guardian iPad edition.