Looking for feedback on idea

[JL503]

So Im just looking for feedback on this idea. Tell me what you do or dont like about it and if you see it having any viability.

So basically an iWriter.com for videos, where through crowdsourcing customers can post video projects/video editing and users can sign up to complete these tasks and get paid. Videos would be based on quick turnaround, as opposed to lengthy production times that other sites offer. Trying to be the Mcdonalds if you will of this market, quick affordable videos for businesses or other use.

So thats the basic premise

[Harold Mansfield]

So Im just looking for feedback on this idea. Tell me what you do or dont like about it and if you see it having any viability.

So basically an iWriter.com for videos, where through crowdsourcing customers can post video projects/video editing and users can sign up to complete these tasks and get paid. Videos would be based on quick turnaround, as opposed to lengthy production times that other sites offer. Trying to be the Mcdonalds if you will of this market, quick affordable videos for businesses or other use.

So thats the basic premise

So people submit raw footage for editing, or are we talking about animation?
Scripting and editing video requires a lot of back and forth. How do you overcome that and still produce the finished product quickly that the client is satisfied with?

[krymson]

I have to agree with Harold on this. Video editing is a long lengthy process, then rendering is a lengthy process as well. What kind of turn around times are you talking about? Day, 2 days, week? If they're 30 second or less clips maybe but anything more than that is going to be out of your range for "quick".

[Michael Fied]

I believe it;s a good ideas only if its affordable. What makes Iwriter ideal is their competitive rates if you are basing your business plan off of theirs that is your main problem. Content could be inexpensive. But making videos is a "Lengthy" process like krymson said. Would you be making basically video intros, animation videos, testimonials like videos?

[JL503]

Thanks for the feedback, good points. A person could post any video project they need done (animation, intro, raw video) and a user signs up to create that project if they have the capabilities. The catch would be that the video must be under 60 seconds, in order to facilitate an area for people who need short, quality videos. We would certainly allow for back and forth among creator and user, and the user could extend the timeline of the project if they needed to give the creator extra time. We would also have some accountability measures in place to ensure users are satisfied, and creators are performing work that is to an acceptable standard.

[billbenson]

How about a combination of a video editor and youtube combined? Customer uploads a video to his account, you have a video editor as well as people that can help with the editing at an extra price, and when its done it gets published with an ad just like youtube??

[Harold Mansfield]

Thanks for the feedback, good points. A person could post any video project they need done (animation, intro, raw video) and a user signs up to create that project if they have the capabilities. The catch would be that the video must be under 60 seconds, in order to facilitate an area for people who need short, quality videos. We would certainly allow for back and forth among creator and user, and the user could extend the timeline of the project if they needed to give the creator extra time. We would also have some accountability measures in place to ensure users are satisfied, and creators are performing work that is to an acceptable standard.

It sounds kind of complicated. If people are submitting raw footage, why wouldn't they have the person who filmed it, edit it?

If we are talking about using stock footage, music or animation to create promotional stuff, there are ways and services to already do this, as well as freelance sites. So I can see this working. But now the task becomes how do you compete with the DIY video creations services that are already out there?

[JL503]

Users wouldnt be submitting raw footage, they would be submitting projects and the creator would be in charge of shooting any footage or gathering any footage that may be needed, as well as editing it into a final product to the user.

From what I have found most businesses dont want to use DIY services or would use them but dont have the time. Its like asking why dont I just make a hamburger at home instead of going to a restaurant, because I dont want to make it myself and/or I want something of better quality than I can make.

Also this would in a sense would be a freelance sites, because freelance sites are crowdsourced based, which is ours is as well. Instead of focusing on all areas of freelance activities we are focusing on short, quality videos that can be used for a number of purposes.

[Harold Mansfield]

Users wouldnt be submitting raw footage, they would be submitting projects and the creator would be in charge of shooting any footage or gathering any footage that may be needed, as well as editing it into a final product to the user.

From what I have found most businesses dont want to use DIY services or would use them but dont have the time. Its like asking why dont I just make a hamburger at home instead of going to a restaurant, because I dont want to make it myself and/or I want something of better quality than I can make.

Also this would in a sense would be a freelance sites, because freelance sites are crowdsourced based, which is ours is as well. Instead of focusing on all areas of freelance activities we are focusing on short, quality videos that can be used for a number of purposes.

I totally understand that concept, and as one who is contemplating utilizing some video in my marketing, I'm asking questions to hopefully get some answers that would make me want to use this service and trust that I will get what I want.

So here I am. I need some video promotions done. I have no idea about scripting a video, writing copy for voice overs, music or editing.

How am I going to communicate what I want? Just post that "I need something with cool music, lots of color and want my logo spinning with flames shooting out of it, while a voice over says my company name". Because this is how people who have no clue how things are done, talk. Trust me.

And someone sees my post and gives me a proposal to get it done?
If it requires talent, they hire the actors?
If I want a 30 second commercial, they rent the set?

I mean what are the limitations?

[JL503]

I appreciate the feedback and its nice to have someone who is interested in the service giving feedback as well. Obviously not all of the features have been ironed out yet and I am continuing to gather information in order to better understand what people want. Part of the service would provide a walk through of questions to answer in order to better understand what you are looking for. Ultimately we want to provide the content, but the user must provide the details of what they are looking for, and we would be there too assist them with that. If someone wants a video with flames and a voice saying their company name, we can provide that, not sure what the issue would be there.

The user can provide a set price or bid it out to get proposals from creators. This helps if a company has a budget and needs it done for a certain amount of money or if they want to provide an open ended pricing option that creators can bid on and the user selects.

To be honest Im not really sure on the limitations at this point. Because its based on crowdsourcing it would be based on the limitations of the creators and also the budget and timeline of the user.

As someone who is interested in this service, do you have any suggestions on how you see it working or what you would want to see in order for you to use the service? We are still figuring all this out so any advice would be very helpful.

[Harold Mansfield]

As someone who is interested in this service, do you have any suggestions on how you see it working or what you would want to see in order for you to use the service? We are still figuring all this out so any advice would be very helpful.

I actually figured out how to do it myself after months of looking for a solution that I thought would be professional enough, and give me the kind of control I needed.

I'm not sure what someone could have done that would have made me use their service, I just know that no one did it. It was either credible services that didn't offer enough, or services that promised the world, but didn't look credible.

The big thing is that no one showed me any examples that impressed me. They all looked like something I could have done myself if I had the same software. So it's not only going to be how you do it, and be able to back it up, but how you present and market it.

[JL503]

Can I ask how it ended up for you once you did it yourself and was the quality of the video what you wanted? You said you were looking for features credible websites didnt have, and just out of curiosity what features were they?

I can completely understand not using a site you didnt find credible. I think thats something people are latching onto more is only using websites they can trust, which they often pay a premium for, but know what they are getting.

[Harold Mansfield]

Can I ask how it ended up for you once you did it yourself and was the quality of the video what you wanted? You said you were looking for features credible websites didnt have, and just out of curiosity what features were they?

I can completely understand not using a site you didnt find credible. I think thats something people are latching onto more is only using websites they can trust, which they often pay a premium for, but know what they are getting.

I'm still in the process of buying everything I need. To be honest, I didn't know of any video creation services except for Animoto, so everything is new to me, but you just know when something feels right, and dependable and when a service looks fly by night.

Knowing what I know now, I'm looking forward to doing it myself and I'll let you know how it turns out.

But most people aren't like me. Most people are like my clients. They just want it done, they don't want to put a lot of effort into it, they just want you to code a miracle that does automatic marketing and brings targeted traffic to thier websie on autopilot. When they find out what it takes to do the things that thier competitors do, not many follow through.

You are going to have to determine who your market is. If it's the average Joe Small Business Owner, your approach is going to be different than if you are targeting Service Providers to offer your services for their clients.

One of the reasons that Small Businesses are so horrible at Internet Marketing is because they don't want to be bothered with learning anything, nor do they want to get involved with anything that takes a commitment. So if you can offer something that they can do easily, pay for it once and be done, and get a professional product you may have a shot.

But the execution of your idea is going to be key. It has to look and be easy. Joe Small Business Owner is not tech savvy.