Andrew S Allen
Last November, Vimeo began rolling out their creator services beginning with Tip Jara simple way for audiences to make a donation to filmmakersa good thought that failed to take off. Then came Moviessix feature length films available for purchase. But the real showstopper just droppedVimeo On Demand. This is the first time a platform with a thriving community has made on demand sales this simple and accessible. And to kick it all off is Don Hertzfeldt’s It’s Such a Beautiful Daythe trilogy that began with Everything Will Be OK.
The Details
- 90/10 revenue split
- You set the price and duration (rent or download)
- Customizable pages
- Available on web, mobile and tv
The Challenges
Of course, hurdles still remain. For example, only PRO users have access to the servicethat will set you back $199/year. Also, every view requires you to punch in your credit card or PayPal info. They’ve streamlined the payment process as much as possible, but the pay per view model means payment is still a barrier no matter how minor, and that cuts down on impulse viewssomething the online world thrives on. And as much as Vimeo will will tell you that their on demand service will entice new content that otherwise wouldn’t appear on the site, that’s a hard message for the viewing public to swallow. What content should be free and what should be paid for is a line destined to become more and more blurred on a platform that mixes both. If price and value become arbitrary, you’ll lose an audience’s trust.Vimeo On Demand is direct-to-fan distribution done the Vimeo way using all the power of Vimeos beautiful video player, easy-to-use tools, and passionate audience.