Ze Frank, YouTube, and Making Money

Yep.

I've already got my seat.
I've got some popcorn buttered up.
And now I'm just waiting to see what happens when some average but talented people realize that they now have some opportunities they didn't previously have... and those IP laws they've been protesting against don't look so bad anymore.

What was the “debate” about YouTube’s terms of service, unless by “debate” you mean “unsubstantiated allegations of copyright expropriation by YouTube”?

great site with good look and information...i like it

Thanks for covering this, Heather. I posted something similar yesterday on the Revver blog. I think that the video space is growing up and people like Ze and Amanda are realizing they do have rights and should be able to control their content. A bit of education will be required for fans though. Since this whole internet video thing took off (not so long ago), the rampant sharing of copyrighted works has been totally accepted. The key will be to find the line between free and open sharing of content while still giving the creators some way to reap the benefits.

Since the Federal Government has cut funds left and right for the arts and education one must develop a solid fan base for support; learn how to swallow your pride and beg. As the saying goes, if you have real talent you will make it in this business, if not, better learn how to type. Of course, sleeping around with the right people helps too.

I think video blogging is the best way for the unemployed to spread their message to the masses.

wonder how long it'll be before the big advertisers move in and we'll have to sit through heaps of adverts before we get to the content

I'm a writer and songwriter, as well as a "returning" (older) film student. Everything I do is susceptible to infringements and mass distribution on the web without me seeing any money. "Intellectual property" rights are becoming extinct in their pre-Internet forms. It's that evolution thing going on.

How does one protect the results of their individual creativity, and still get paid?

I have yet to see this question answered. The only two ideas I have are not satisfactory, so I keep looking.

Content creators may find a form of protection by establishing "branding" sites on the web where their legal particulars are posted, including a registry of works completed with descriptions, dates, even a place to download for a fee. This is so highly subject to fraud as to be a non-solution as soon as it starts to become a new "standard".

Or, all content may become subsidized by commercial sponsors and literally given away free. "This music compilation, ['Album' Title Here], by international roecording star [Your Name Here], is sponsored by [Beverage Monopoly], and by [Big Auto Maker]. Drink [Beverage]! Drive [Auto]! Now, enjoy the music!" This is tagged to the actual data file(s) and offered for free downloads exclusively at the sites of the sponsors, or given away on disposable Flash drives (whatever is replacing CD's and DVD's until it is all web-delivered) at retailers. The strength in this is that these sponsors will pay creators for semi-exclusive rights to market and distribute the content, so the creator can eat and continue working. The very storng down side is that sponsors almost immediately begin to dictate the style and substance of the content.

I don't like either of the solutions I have just theorized, and for all my alleged creativity, they are the only two options I can currently imagine. Because technology is the source of the complication, the answers will likely come from some breakthrough in technology, allowing a creator-controlled method of uniquely fingerprinting their work . . . but that is too easily hackable.

There is more demand for content than previously imaginable, and producing/distributing it gets easier (technically) every day. But defending originality and authorship is failing faster than the demand and technology increases. Creators can't hold down a wage-chimp job and make new goodies at the same time, so quantity and quality of content deteriorate . . . until a solutiuon arises that is close enough to "perfect" for artists to regain control of their work, the incomes from the work.

Traffic is easy these days. It's solved. The next billion dollar prize goes to the person/company who can crack the advertsing model on social networking sites and video sharing sites. Remember, you can share revvenue, but 10c/mo does not cut it. A contextual and relevant ad model will help here.

I just want to point out that strawberry chocolate is very tasty. Try it, everyone!

Indeed. Anyone trying to make a living with the new wave where everything is expected to be free (as in beer) will find it difficult to pay their mortgage. Being a paranormal investigator seems like a good choice.

Get a REAL check in the mail every month

http://urlcut.com/.-cxc-

You get money for filling out surveys, usually $1 each, but they add up. There are also free trials for more than $10 each. The surveys are really easy and only take a couple minutes. Each month they send u a real check in the mail for your earnings. This site is 100% legit. You can check the forums for proof of payment. Its just a good way to make some extra cash.

At Muzility.com the owner of the video retains all ownership. We are not solely a pay site. Some videos are free. Subscription, DVD orders, etc. make back to the owner 60% while we keep 40%. We are a service to those who make videos and we do make an income.

I don't want to make this into an ad but I pointed all of that out because Ze Frank's needs are very real and he's by far not alone. There are some of us out here in the video biz who see it as a service.

The issue with YouTube that Heather never seems to write about is that the main attraction is copyrighted clips. Miss Colbert report, you can find it on YouTube. Miss a sporting even, on YouTube. The other content there is not compelling at all, rendering there business useless.

As people like Ze Frank and others find ways to monetize (Revver will be just one - they are just an ad network after all), YouTube will get sued heavily

I think we've seen, over and over again, that whenever there is revenue associated with an online activity, that the market moves to a model that lets the value be distributed between those involved in creating or hosting either the content or related services.

Once incentives have arrived, some people will figure out how to make it work in a big way.

You spoke to Zefrank? Personally!? Wow! What was that like? Does he answer his own phone or does one have to go through his publicist first? C'mon, skivvy us the details. What's his favorite color? What does he REALLY do for a living? You should do a piece just about him!

Hey, I love ZeFrank. And check out my new VLOG, www.weirdamerica.com

Having worked professionally in film and television for the past 30 years I can safely and sanely say that the changes occurring within the internet which we are currently witnessing will shake not just the entertainment industry to its very core, but the entire world economy as well. This is a deep and profound "sea change" - to quote Billy the Shakes - and while the old guard will fight furiously (and filthily) to retain their perceived "right" to control what (and how) people see of this world, they are as good as dead and should do us, and them, the big fat favour of lying down, rolling over and making way for tomorrow. Here we come.

I saw a few of the trackbacks for your article and I have to disagree with a lot of what is being said. YouTube can't be versus MySpace because the two have paired up and have been paired since before your article was written. If you can post your YouTube videos on MySpace how can that be considered competition? It really can't, can it? And I also don't believe that people don't care about the creativity integrity of the information they post on YouTube. Don't you think that if people actually understood the financial potential of what they were doing that they would certainly go for the gold with it? As much as people love to see their names and see themselves on the web and have other people listen to them, don't you think the one thing that rivals that is people's love of money? I think it's a possibility that once they figure it out, they'll want a piece of the pie too.

I have to really laugh at this. Firstly, because we start seeing those guys who were so supportive of the 'free internet' and the like to start supporting copyrighting, and the protection of their work. When it hurts them all of a sudden, they want someone to protect them. Very strange.
Secondly, I do support the change, and think people really need to THINK and make new business here. The poster who mentioned that this will affect the filming industry (and the economy) right to the core is probably right. It can effect it positively... or negatively. And it all depends on the vision of those in charge. They can't really stop the change, they need to adapt and then actually pioneer. That's the only way forward. It's because they stopped pioneering in the first place that this has happened to them.

I’m really not sure what you mean by the debate on YouTube? Is that about their copyright terms? Somehow I find your post really intriguing. There are things that seem mysterious but well one thing is certain though: You never fail to impress us.

I agree with Mic:
"I think video blogging is the best way for the unemployed to spread their message to the masses."

A quite intresting idea is realized in this website! And a good and easy to handle design has been found too!

Very lovely Heather

youtube is an interesting site. In the third world countries, one can have access to the information.