Amazon's New Video Direct Service

[sfoster]

http://www.tubefilter.com/2016/05/10/amazon-video-direct-service-allows-any-creators-to-monetize/

Not bad for free content.. 15 cents an hour for stuff streamed on prime and 55% of the advertising money.

This looks like a HORRIBLE deal for me though, as I was planning on actually selling my content.

"[Amazon] will take 50% of revenues from rentals, purchases"
Wow does this sound like bullshit to anyone else?

If I could sell my video for a million dollars i would feel like a total jackass giving amazon $500,000 just to host a file for me. Who would actually agree to a deal like that?

 

[payperfilm]

http://www.tubefilter.com/2016/05/10/amazon-video-direct-service-allows-any-creators-to-monetize/

Not bad for free content.. 15 cents an hour for stuff streamed on prime and 55% of the advertising money.

This looks like a HORRIBLE deal for me though, as I was planning on actually selling my content.

"[Amazon] will take 50% of revenues from rentals, purchases"
Wow does this sound like bullshit to anyone else?

If I could sell my video for a million dollars i would feel like a total jackass giving amazon $500,000 just to host a file for me. Who would actually agree to a deal like that?

No, this is great news. I think but I need to examine it more. If you have an established fan base that will buy directly from you, then you're golden. If you want access to hundreds of millions of potential consumers, Amazon may be the way to go.

 

[mlesemann]

If you want access to hundreds of millions of potential consumers, Amazon may be the way to go.

Yup, that's the issue - if people are more likely to find you there, then it's worth it.

For my first feature (Surviving Family), Amazon Prime gives me the smallest amount of revenue per view of any of the places where it's available. But I still make more money there than anywhere else.

 

[Sweetie]

I think it's a game changer.

If you think you can get a better option elsewhere (I think VHX is 90/10 split), why not take both and direct the traffic you source to the option that suits you best?

50% of revenue of which you'd never gain access is better than 0% of that same revenue.

It's a non-exclusive option. It doesn't mean if you use it, it's your only option. You'll have to do the numbers on your audience to work out what's the best decision for you.

 

[sfoster]

I think the biggest advantage to amazon is that it's somewhere people feel comfortable spending money online without security worries.

I looked into it and with vimeo you get 90% of your profits but there is a $17/month charge. Certainly the way to go if you're doing any decent number of sales.

I wonder how many people would randomly find and pay for a video on amazon.. Mara said it's worked for her so people certainly do seem to discover content that way. It might be a different story with their new service and a flood of new content making it harder to stand out.

 

[Murdock]

I wonder how many people would randomly find and pay for a video on amazon.. Mara said it's worked for her so people certainly do seem to discover content that way. It might be a different story with their new service and a flood of new content making it harder to stand out.

This would probably depend on how you label your movie. "You watched this (popular) movie. You might like this movie." I have friends that are always digging up good music/movies this way.