It’s all about the content, stupid
Okay, here’s the deal:
You supply the content.
You describe it, noting whether it’s a film, a series, a one-off, or something in-between, include details of who’s featured, and so on. Details may be edited for clarity, suitability, and so on. You must complete a (short) checklist of rating criteria to protect the innocent.
You get the choose whether ad breaks will be inserted and how many there will be (to a limit) and preferences for specific classes of product which should be advertised. You can supply ad break start/end segments (e.g., to cover sponsorship).
Early adopters get 80% of any revenues from ad breaks. This figure will decrease by 5-10% eventually, but if you start on 80%, you stay on 80%. The remainder covers costs.
There is no purchasing system. One may be added later, according to demand. If that happens, it will be negotiated separately, but expect a similar revenue split and a choice of price-points.
Precise ad spend brackets will be determined through consultation, but principally work on an auction basis. Initially, viewer numbers will be low, ads will be cheap, and producers won’t stand to make much money. Producers also won’t lose much money (unless distribution of the content in any form has an attached contractual pay-out minimum).
You don’t host the content. There will be minimum quality and format standards, but otherwise conversion isn’t something you need to worry about. Content will initially solely be delivered on-demand, and so even lengths are not a huge concern.
You can decide whether people can (a) download to watch/listen later, and (b) redistribute it.
Bear in mind there are people who will find a way of doing (a) if they wish no matter what anybody does, and that if it’s popular, people will find a way of doing (b), too. This is about legal terms, and encourage/discouragement, rather than putting things under lock and key. If you want lock and key, you’re probably in the wrong game.
You can specify embargo and availability periods, as well as regional restrictions.
You will receive statistics which aren’t multiplied up from a handful of samples.
Seasons/series would be agreed as a unit, with as much as possible of the content supplied in advance.
This is not YouTube. There will be no skateboarding cats. This is not a commissioning process, either. Terms are strictly non-exclusive, but by the same token the content doesn’t need to be the same as carried elsewhere. “Featured” content is principally an editorial matter. You would not be the only source of content. There is room for flexibility on much of this.
Media darlings, Ad agencies, independent creatives—Thoughts?
Speak to content at nexgenta.com or @nexgenta on Twitter.
