A field guide to ad-free distribution platforms — Online Video News

<blockquote class='posterous_long_quote'><p><strong>UPDATED:</strong> As major content providers and independent creators alike experiment with various new ways of making money off web video, a number of new sites are popping up, rejecting the idea of ad-supported business models. Nothing is ever free, though: To make up for the lack of ads, all of these services include some form of direct payment to the platform, which is then split with the content creator. In exchange, these companies provide viewers with premium viewing experiences and exclusive content, and provide creators with direct monetization of their work. How do these companies match up? Find out below.</p> <h2>Distrify</h2> <p><strong>Founders:</strong> Peter Gerard (CEO) and Andy Green<br /> <strong>Founded:</strong> June 2011 (soft launch)<br /> <strong>Content it hosts:</strong> Primarily feature-length films, though there are plans available for short films and web series<br /> <strong>Can any creator use it?</strong> Yes.<br /> <strong>What the creator gets:</strong> 70 percent of every sale. If anyone registered as an affiliate shares a film, however, they receive 10 percent of the revenue for all sales made from that location, which Distrify and the creator split equally. The first film you upload to Distrify is free — uploading subsequent films costs $3.17 per month per film.<br /> <strong>What it costs the viewer:</strong> Creators set their own pricing.<br /> <strong>What makes it different?</strong> According to international business manager Stephen Green via email, “Distrify puts rights holders in complete control… You can sell films on our platform, and use our technology to build your own platform. Our affiliate scheme incentivizes sharing, so your platform is not just a destination, it’s a launchpad for the viral distribution of your films. We have placed a payment gateway within the Player, and by aligning the point of discovery with the point of sale, a film-lover doesn’t have to leave that site to buy or watch the film. It’s quite simply the easiest way to watch a film.”</p></blockquote>

excerpt! full post by Liz Shannon Miller here:

http://gigaom.com/video/a-field-guide-to-ad-free-distribution-platforms/#