YouTube launches paid channels

I'm not sure why, but I can't see this being very successful. Feels like there's something missing?

How many ninety-nine cent monthly subscribers does one need to justify serving an entire library of feature films (re: Roger Corman)?
 
This doesn't seem like a big deal for us, but my next door neighbors shoot tutorial videos for YouTube and nothing else. This is great news for them. Lots of potential.
 
It's an interesting development, probably to keep up with the same sort of deal from Vimeo.

I don't know what the terms are for Youtube to create a paid channel. For Vimeo you have to become a Vimeo Plus user which does cost money.
 
Kholi said:
I'm not sure why, but I can't see this being very successful. Feels like there's something missing?

How many ninety-nine cent monthly subscribers does one need to justify serving an entire library of feature films (re: Roger Corman)?
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Wouldn't that depend on the price you have to pay youtube? What if it's just a split just like the Ad revenue (and it probably is) with no other up front cost?

If you get one subscriber you get your cut of 99 cents, and lose nothing. It's just additional revenue with no real risk.

I see stuff like National Geographic for kids, Acorn TV (all British programs), Sesame Street is on the way, so is UFC. They are producing the content and selling it anyway. This makes Youtube just one more distribution outlet.

There's a big fight going on right now for content.

[h=2]Warner Bros, MGM, and Universal content will depart from Netflix. [/h]
Competition is heating up. If you're popular and Netflix gives you a crappy deal, you can put your content elsewhere and still make money.
 
Sometimes I reel like youtube execs have my office "bugged" and are both taking notes and taking actions on things I need to have happen since 99.99% of folks out there never get it until its hindsight. Totally reminds me of when the folks trying to raise capital to get Fedex (at the time called Federal Express) started were looked at like a bunch of insane morons. "You mean you're going to take a package which is only going to a destination 100 miles away and fly it all the way to Atlanta and then fly it all the way back! You're guys are nuts!". Of course in hindsight we GET its about TIME not DISTANCE. I won't mention the name of the delivery company at the time with the dumbfounded executive, but I believe they have a lot of brown trucks.
 
This could be great for anyone who has the content and fanbase for it.

That's going to be most important whether it costs money or not. If you have the content and fanbase, a fee is no problem.
Besides, while publishing on Amazon Instant is free, they take 50%, while Vimeo only takes 10%.

It'll be interesting to see if they go global with this right away. The problem with Amazon Instant is you only reach the US.
It'll also be interesting to see if YouTube hacking, which today is both very simple and very common, will be an issue.

Right now, all you have to do is download a free program and you can rip any YouTube video. Not sure this can be done with Vimeo, but it's a serious threat to selling any video via YouTube.

I still think there's going to be YEARS before independent feature filmmaking will be even remotely profitable via self distribution.
 
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Jawa Ex Machina said:
This could be great for anyone who has the content and fanbase for it.

That's going to be most important whether it costs money or not. If you have the content and fanbase, a fee is no problem.
Besides, while publishing on Amazon Instant is free, they take 50%, while Vimeo only takes 10%.

It'll be interesting to see if they go global with this right away. The problem with Amazon Instant is you only reach the US.
It'll also be interesting to see if YouTube hacking, which today is both very simple and very common, will be an issue.

Right now, all you have to do is download a free program and you can rip any YouTube video. Not sure this can be done with Vimeo, but it's a serious threat to selling any video via YouTube.

I still think there's going to be YEARS before independent feature filmmaking will be even remotely profitable via self distribution.
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You'll never stop the analog hole, or whatever it's called. If you can see it or hear it, you can record it. Yes, it's easy to rip a youtube video.

However, what if it wasn't? You can shoot the screen and record the sound coming from the speakers and make a pretty decent copy that way. There is no way to stop that. Ever.

Take your camera and shoot some video off of your computer screen. If you play with it a bit you can make it look pretty good. Maybe not awesome IQ, but people watch videos on cell phones now. They don't require awesome.

Also, I think most consumers would rather pay for indie content by watching ads than giving up money. They're willing to pay for Sesame Street, but unknown indie content? Maybe not, but they might watch it with some ads like they watch Youtube with ads now.
 
Gillvane said:
You'll never stop the analog hole, or whatever it's called. If you can see it or hear it, you can record it. Yes, it's easy to rip a youtube video.

However, what if it wasn't? You can shoot the screen and record the sound coming from the speakers and make a pretty decent copy that way. There is no way to stop that. Ever.

Take your camera and shoot some video off of your computer screen. If you play with it a bit you can make it look pretty good. Maybe not awesome IQ, but people watch videos on cell phones now. They don't require awesome.

Also, I think most consumers would rather pay for indie content by watching ads than giving up money. They're willing to pay for Sesame Street, but unknown indie content? Maybe not, but they might watch it with some ads like they watch Youtube with ads now.
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Actually, pirates don't distinguish between independent filmmaking and Hollywood studio filmmaking.
They don't even know the difference.
I'm not sure I would put up a feature on YouTube if they can't protect it.
 
Gary Huff said:
But you'd put one on DVD? That's even easier.
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Good point. But when I shot "Marianne" in 2010, I aimed for two 35mm prints and release on DVD and Blu-ray.
When it was finally released last year in Sweden, on DVD, TV and VOD, Blu-ray and subscription based streaming wasn't an option at all. VOD sales were so low they were pretty much non-existent, because the format just hasn't caught on over here yet.
Since the release last year though a lot has happened. Netflix, Lovefilm and a bunch of other subscription based streaming sites have emerged these past few months.
Next time I make a film, if I ever can make a film again, DVD might not be an option at all.
 
Gillvane said:
If you get one subscriber you get your cut of 99 cents, and lose nothing. It's just additional revenue with no real risk.
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I suppose it's in how you see it. I've never known anyone to value their time at ninety nine cents, and by putting in any effort you are applying your effort/time.

What I'm really asking: Is this worth it?
 
Gary Huff said:
Well, I personally cannot imagine that I would be subscribing to any of these channels.
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Another good point. I mean, it's easy to get caught up in thinking that just because a film (or a web series, or whatever) is made, there's going to be an audience for it. It's great that platforms will exist so money can be recouped, but it's going to be vital to create content that people will want to spend money on too, for anyone who wants a channel like that. This might be a better time to start an online distribution company and start contacting independent filmmakers for exclusive VOD deals for a limited time (say 6-12 months). Gather enough indie films worth watching and you'll have content to sell to YouTube subscribers.
 
I checked out the Roger Corman's Drive-In channel, and saw this... "This paid channel is unavailable in your country."
 
TheDingo said:
I checked out the Roger Corman's Drive-In channel, and saw this... "This paid channel is unavailable in your country."
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Wonder if that's because YouTube haven't launched this globally, or for some other copyright reason with Corman.
Amazon Instant is only available in the US at least, which is why I'm looking at combining it with Vimeo on Demand.
 
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