Current TV

H

H.I.

Member
Does anyone here have any experience with Current TV? I don't get the channel, so I don't know what the product looks like, but has anyone had luck selling content to them?
 
They're giving a two part presentation to the film students of our Uni this week. I will be face-to-face, sir.
 
I'd read their agreement before submitting, they go for a pretty serious rights grab IMHO.
 
Yup, definately a big rights grab. And all they pay is 500 bucks. Sometimes it might be an okay deal (I sold one piece to them I wouldn't have sold otherwise anyway), but for most cases it might not be. It seems they are more looking for the "excited amateur" who is super happy to be aired and gives his rights away easily just for that.
 
I was involved with Current when they started up. One word of caution, when submitting - your work will not be seen by anyone unless you whore the crap out of it. Great videos go down in the archives never to be heard from again unless the owner of the video spams everyone else's video who is on the ranking list.

Basically your success on their depends fully on your ability to spam. That said, users who have been involved for a while (have work on Current and such) have much higher authority than anyone else. If a big guy greenlights the video, cool. If you get your friends to create an account, you are looking at nothing. So basically, if you submit and want it to be on the lists. Spam....everyone hates it. But that's the only way your work is viewed.

And it is a massive rights grab. There is an insane amount of paperwork as well. Much more extensive than that of fair use that one would assume we would be under.

Best of luck on it though, I gave up on it shortly after it started.

-Matt
 
I've worked on 5 pods that were bought for tv. You only get $500 if you're a newbie. We were getting 1000 to 1500 for regular length pods, after talking with a staff producer. You can definitely wheel and deal. That said, I believe their policies have changed with the new website and makeover. $500 used to be the minimum, and now I think they'll give you much less than that. Depends on the content.

We never spammed.

Watch out for the editing, too. We've had our stories hacked up into bits, seemingly for length. Can't help but think about content too. The story you submit might not be the one people see on tv.

Overall I've had a good experience though. And I recommend selling content to them.

You can watch an example of our work here:
Comic Back Relief

peace,
andrew
 
Selling them your product is a low paid, one way street.

It's probably fun for some to see someone pay for their work...then you realize what they pay does not even begin to cover the time and effort to do it again and again.

They are low balling people and prey on inexperienced folks who are doing the work as a hobby. You won't make enough to pay bills if you rely on them as your main customer.

For some...that's OK.

Me? I've got bills to pay and more equipment I'd like to own but can't afford selling video to someone who pays so little.

Current TV doesn't fill my needs.
 
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