Have a look at this link

[Mark Suszko]

Helps a customer, maybe, but drives prices down for the video makers while making them work “on spec”.

I would be all right with it if every participant gets a little bit of money for making a proposal, but if it is “winner-takes-all” style, that’s not great at all for the video producers. You’re giving away free creative ideas and committing resources and time with no sure pay-off, and you have to under-bid everyone else too.

Big ad agencies often do pay for specs in small competitions between a limited number of entrants. And they have rules for not stealing ideas that were pitched but not paid for.

[Todd Terry]

Yeah, what Mark said.

I don’t think it’s anything that we as producers would ever use here. I could be wrong, but I don’t think the kinds of clients that would use that service are the kinds that are most sought-after here.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Nick Griffin]

Am I missing something or did this website 1) not have audio, and 2) have only nice animation with no actual “video?” Odd way to sell video.

And yes, as usual, Mark is right on the money. This appears to be a very one-sided business model which strongly favors the clients over those of us who actually do the work. (IMHO.)

[Roger Van duyn]

I think the kind of clients that would use a service like that are already using CraigsList.

There’s a big difference between a thrifty (but fair minded) client and a grinder. With experience, I’ve been learning to distinguish the two types earlier, while they are still only prospects, not clients.

It’s better to just pass on an offer from a prospect than needing to “fire a client” later.

Roger

[John Davidson]

It’s like service magic, but for video! Thank you for the link. I’ll be sure to send anybody I don’t want to work with there.

John Davidson | President / Creative Director | Magic Feather Inc.

[Mike Cohen]

Confusing website and unusual business model.