In a previous post I mentioned our attempt to enter the recently opened microstock market for AfterEffects projects. Of the many websites eager to promote this newest (and truly greatest) way of developing highly customizable ad animations, two established sellers caught my interest: Pond5 and Reevostock.
Why not attempt to submit to multiple websites trading AE, similarly with our photos, illustrations and videos?
The answer is simple: Even if the return is generally greater with AE (currently, from personal observation the return on AfterEffects surpasses footage relative to production) the process taken to complete successfully and have a project approved for sale is prohibitive across multiple websites; each with specific requirements for a set of files associated with one project, text file description and keywording. And the occasional back and forth with otherwise extremely helpful administrators does not help with justifying the effort.
Until a formula will be developed – by learning what upload technique is efficient and what not – as it happened with photos and footage; or until we at AND Inc. will discover such a process, we will restrict our AE submissions to these two sites that proved to perform and provide excellent returns for contributors in the past.
We began with Revostock and uploaded two AE projects to “test” our capabilities and figure out our place in this exponentially growing market.
The first AE projectwas an ultra simple succession of photo-text screens.
The second project was developed on the bases of an existing animation – otherwise an AE project in itself – rendered and sold as footage this time on most websites allowing video.
In my opinion the logic is simple when starting in microstock in general: it is hard to compete – nevertheless be a successful seller of what’s done already by the pros of the industry. Also I am a firm believer in finding a niche – based on personal skill that in our case is integrating 3d architectural modeling in animations and footage. This is the reason why for these two pilots we chose Adrian’s “wormhole travel” and the “3d cubic transitions”.
To my surprise it took us more to upload the projects (as I said, it is no easy feat) than have them approved for sale. Then the wait to see if truly AE sells and the effort justified.
It did and it did unexpectedly fast.
For projects that take little time to produce – within an emerging market not yet saturated and competitive in price and quality like the microstock footage is, AfterEffects projects are an excellent source of quick income while having a great deal of creative fun – all with our existing skills and modeling techniques.
Now, if only the (relative to price) time spent on formatting the .zip upload and subsequent explanation / keywording – the whole submission logistics – would be streamlined and unified across the AE market; we will have the next incontestable winner in terms of highly customizable video ads and spectacular movie reels.
I will revisit the AfterEffects topic as we continue to learn more and perfect or technique.
Until then, be well.