@matt_gh2, when I was looking into this topic of discussion a few months ago, I read about Distribber, somewhat of a conduit service between content creators/providers and new digital distribution companies that have evolved. They refer to the similar sum of $1500 for HD content on iTunes, however, nothing mentioned about time frames to go live. I don't know if a 'Distribber' type group is a good option to pursue for indie film makers, nor do I know who is behind the company. I am just researching, I am not part of the game. http://www.distribber.com/faqs

@matt_gh2, yes, the Vimeo option may be a good start, if it is simple enough. Perhaps the masses may not know of Vimeo, whereas YouTube is a known entity world wide. And then there is the next stage, of people familiar with watching free content, to people paying for content, when they have been familiar with watching for free here on Vimeo or YouTube. Granted, this will likely be a feature length or series length type program, compared to often very short duration content viewed for free. That said, the Vimeo option may be enough, and simple enough, for some people to possibly get content out there, in a form that they may generate some minor cash flow. Given that some creators can make interesting content without having to expend movie like budgets, Vimeo on demand seems like an interesting option to have content potentially distributed and perhaps some financial reward may follow. I agree with early comments that people should not expect this to be a cash cow for a content creator/provider, it may just be a simple way to make a product commercial. The rest of the process is an up hill battle. Some people may be able to promote and direct groups to their Vimeo on demand content. It would not be easy, yet Vimeo on demand may be simplifying part of the distribution process that previously either had people locked into a distribution deal with no control, no control and no cash flow return whatsoever, or those that just could not get their product distributed, for various reasons. This is interesting, we shall wait and see how this evolves. Thanks for your reply.

@Rambo, thank you for explaining your special interest content model and experience. Your live stream system sounds great. With the Vimeo model unfolding, perhaps you can work out a business model between you and your sponsors where you can perhaps have exclusive content released as PPV, or live event coverage may be PPV. It depends on the demographic/number of interested followers willing to pay. Vimeo option may allow you to make the cost of PPV very reasonable, and with 90/10 split direct payment and no distributor controlling you, not a bad option to explore in your case. All the best with that.

"I'll admit, I'm excited to see stuff like this happening. I'd be a lot more excited if I had, or knew anyone that had, a VIMEO capable smart-TV or BD player."

I have a Samsung D5500 LCD Smart TV that is almost 2 years old, and it has a Vimeo player since the launch. In fact, it is miles better than the YouTube player - all videos plays with stunning image quality flawlessly (but in 720p, I guess). I think that all the Samsung's Smart TVs have Vimeo players.

As a consumer, I'd hit VOD site and simply look for this week's top hits or this month's. Prolly I'd subscribe to a list of well known studios that release great contents often. More likely indie film makers would release their contents through reputable studios to get more exposure. That's how the mobile game app biz has become. 10/90 is ideal. 10/30/60 or 10/40/50 more likely. Lots of people make purchasing decisions through popular review sites that favor big corps.

I see VOD as fueling endless competition.

@Rambo Thanks! This idea is good.

@matt_gh2 this is good also! thanks.

Two things I would like to talk about:

First: the lowest price to watch a video is 99 cents (usd). So imagine a short movie about 15 minutes selling for 99 cents. The creator needs to specify a time period for the viewer watch it after purchase. What would be the best time period? options are 24h, 48h, 72h, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year.

Second: would be a good option to allow the viewer to download the video after purchase or allow just the streaming?

I started to think about it just after I did the question.

I think short viewing period like 24h is just for videos with VERY HIGH VALUE CONTENT, PRISTINE QUALITY when you are sure everybody will want to pay for it and even pay again for it. But then another question shows up: 24h low price (99 cents) or 1 week high price (10 usd)? It is a good question also because imagine a teenager school or even a business company or even a group of friends: they can buy one time to see everybody together, so maybe a very low price can hurt your revenue.

Short viewing period is not so good for people with slow internet connections, because sometime the connection fails loading the streaming, and need to try later. Also people will want to see again or to show to friends and family. So 72h will be reasonable to cover a weekend from Friday night to Monday morning.

1 week viewing period will make the viewer think you are more generous because buyer can show the video to family in the weekend and to school or work fellows in the business days. 1 week period will always have a weekend in between, so when your video drops into the viewer screen when he is browsing, he can buy it right now because he knows there will be a weekend inside the 1 week viewing period. It would avoid the need for the viewer come back to buy and probably forget. The drawback is one buyer will show the video to many people, but it will be better to make the viewer feel you are generous in the viewing period and relax to see within a week.

Also the download option is very important to decide. It can hurt your revenue dramatically. One person buy and shows it to everybody in family, school and business work, and also pirate it, zip and upload it, torrent it. So I think the download option needs to be at least 10x the streaming price or even more (10usd or 20 usd or 50usd)... or something like that, or not allowed. Or just relax and go for the generous route, allow it for a low price...

It would be better for the creators to consider the On Demand feature like "a bar of chocolate or something" or a "dinner" instead of making money for a living... low prices and reasonable viewing periods, but be careful about allowing download...

Just thoughts...

I also got another question: will the viewing password allows simultaneous login? It would be good idea to allow just one login at a time per pass.

I fully agree about streaming problems. I always suffer with this problem in YouTube and Vimeo. It is so annoying and makes me stop watching most times and go for the download route. It is too bad when you are emotionally involved with the movie and suddenly it stops playing... (e.g. scratched rented dvd, low speed internet...) Most times (mainly for music videos) I use keepvid.com which allows download youtube videos and avoid stuttering. Music playback stuttering is so annoying, and also it is a Film playback stuttering!

So after reconsidering this issue, if the creator are serious and respectful for his/her audience (and want to keep it), to allow the download is the way to go... Or think about which videos will be allowed, evaluate... because in some content people can live with some stuttering or wait the stream to load, in some content people cannot. There are lots of things to consider in this kind of decision... needs more time to think, rethink... build the marketing strategies...

The 90/10 split will also have a paypal fee when you get paid, but this is not a problem at all, still great deal.

Attracting paying customers is a matter of desire! Think about you are a poor ugly guy dreaming about a gorgeous and popular girl. Well, it is not impossible... but... how will you awaken her desire? It is up to you!

I did some questions related to the password and download in the vimeo blog, waiting the staff to answer.

From the vimeo blog, my questions and staff answers:

Congratulations for this revolutionary feature. I have some questions, please: I would like to know if the password can be used by many people at a time? because one people can buy the video and share the password with friends... It would be good to block the viewing password to not allow simultaneous login. Will you do this? Realplayer (and others) allows to download the file while hovering the player screen, will you block this? There are websites like keepvid.com wich allows to download videos which does not have the download option. Will you block this?

Hi there, By password do you mean logging into the Vimeo account? We don't block multiple sessions on Vimeo, so a user can be logged in more than once. As for downloading, we take precautions to prevent unauthorized downloading, including blocking services that rip videos, but like all other sites, we can't really prevent every attempt. Our suggestion as always is if you're genuinely concerned about content being stolen, you shouldn't put it online in any form. We also comply with DMCA notices if you happen to find your work duplicated on Vimeo.

Well, please clarify me: to buy the on demand videos the customer needs to be a vimeo member or any people outside vimeo community can buy? When a customer buy a video he/she get a password for that video or it is just added to his/her watch later and removed after viewing period?

Currently users have to be a Vimeo member. When they purchase access, it's added to their Watch Later queue and are given access to your VOD page.

Apefos: I got a reply in another forum saying if only vimeo members can buy content it could restrict audience. Don't you think if only members can buy on demand videos it will restrict the audience? Or would it increase the number of vimeo members without any upload? Wouldn't be better to allow every people in internet to buy and get a password? (in this case password cannot allow simultaneous access)

Vimeo Staff: For now we're keeping this to Vimeo members only to encourage things like logged-in comments, "liking" the videos, and sharing with other Vimeo members. As of now there isn't a plan to open it up to logged-out viewers.

Vimeo Staff: For now we're keeping this to Vimeo members only to encourage things like logged-in comments, "liking" the videos, and sharing with other Vimeo members. As of now there isn't a plan to open it up to logged-out viewers.

Vimeo always had their way. Here they are just idiots.