Heya folks
After months of me saying I was going to submit my stuff to Student Films, I just made my own website instead. I still plan on submitting stuff here anyway, but in the mean time, you can check out some of my stuff at www.bamferproductions.com
there's only four videos up at the moment, but more will follow soon!
Thanks!
Bamfer Productions

Bamfer,

Although I think that it is great that you have made your own website, advertising for people to watch your films on it instead of on Studentfilms.com, undermines this site.

Consider the benefits of posting your films on Studentfilms.com:

- A much broader audience for your films. The site gets 40-50 thousand visitors a month with around 20 thousand of them from unique IP addresses. This is quite a large audience.

- People can rate your films on 5 categories. You can easily see what is working and what isn't.

- Even when your film is no longer "new" it is still easily available to the viewers of the site through the "Randomizer" and "Browse Genre" features which randomly pull from all of the films on the site.

- And coming soon one will be able to access their film's stats - complete with a graph of views for the year.

All of this for just 5 cents a day for an entire year. And this December the site is having a sale for new members which comes out to only 2 cents a day for an entire year or just $10.

The site provides an excellent service and unfortunately posting a topic such as this undermines this service.

If you have any objections to posting on the site I would be happy to hear them.

Best Regards,
Chris Wright
Studentfilms.com

Wow! Chris! If you're being honest about the number of hits per month then you should have no problem getting some donations to the site for ad banners (I'm referring to prizes for a competition).

You're basically saying about 480,000 - 600,000 hits per year; of those about 240,000 unique IPs. That's pretty damn impressive.

Again, I don't believe these numbers, but if I'm wrong and you're telling the truth, then why don't you have Canon, panasonic, sony, apple, or the lot of 'em advertise here with prize/promo packages? I mean you can't say they wouldn't be interested in 1/4 million onlookers a year...

- C. Davis
President, Alabama Film Club
Owner, Yellow Hammer Films

I am definitely being honest about those stats. It's an average but they are pretty accurate.

While they are pretty impressive to me - they pale in comparison to Google. I think they get 1,000,000 a day or something crazy like that.

But yes, Avid has advertised on the site before. I am looking into the possibility of getting advertising with Apple as well.

However, advertising isn't really the holy grail for the internet anymore. Sites cannot exist on it alone.

But for sponsoring a contest - It is always a possibility. I will continue to look into it - although for now I need to concentrate on improving the current version of the site with the upcoming stats and other new features. One step at a time.

Those stats ARE pretty impressive for an audience for one's film. All the more that one should submit to the site!

The viewing stats for the films on this site are anywhere from 300-1400 unique IPs per month depending on the film. These stats will be available for everyone to see as soon as that feature is integrated.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

You're missing my point... I'm saying 250,000 different people each year that is 100% your target or very close to your target audience it worth a computer/camera/software... (ie. they get a banner for a year if they donate an item for a competition). You still get to charge (now justified) a fee to submit to this site...

Because everytime you tell someone they're are undermining the concept of this site by linking from the forum, you're lying...

I always thought the point of this site was to get your films reviewed or looked at... If you put a link trough the forum, you're doing just that... for free... I call it "a good idea". now, give them a reason to put up hear... and that's where my point comes in...

Well I've recieved devastating news today so. I'm going to - bye.

- C. Davis
President, Alabama Film Club
Owner, Yellow Hammer Films

The point of the site is not just to get your films viewed. It's also to get reviews and feedback and the opportunity to discuss your and/or other films with many other fellow student filmmakers. Linking to other sites does not allow all that to happen, and therefore undermines the site.

_________________________
http://www.jswfilms.com/

Furthermore, it's a heck of a lot more expensive to make your own site (server, url, etc) than send a film to Studentfilms.com to be hosted and everything.

_________________________
http://www.jswfilms.com/

not for people who already have that stuff (i.e. me) but i'm still putting mine on here when it's done, the visitor numbers alone are worth it!

Stirling | Dueling the Fates @ Zomp

damn. you were shot down! But personally i think that the "undermines the site" comment is a little harsh. I mean, didn't Tizzy link his trailer, which was hosted on Zomp, from the message board? I don't think anyone cared. I suggest that we all lighten up.

--alan

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http://www.alandenton.com
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quote:

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Originally posted by titaniumdoughnut:
not for people who already have that stuff...

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Let me get this straight...you're saying that if you already have web space and a URL, that its cheaper to host films yourself than send them here?

Hmm. I have a website myself, and last time I checked, I was paying $160 a year for hosting and about $30 a year for my URL. That's almost $200 a year for the works. Also, last I checked, I was paying $20 a year to have my film hosted on this website.


I rest my case.

_________________________
http://www.jswfilms.com/

My main point was that people linking their films instead of submitting it to the site robs the site of the very income that it needs to survive.

If everyone didn't submit to the site and just linked to their films there wouldn't be a Studentfilms.com.

I believe that the site provides an excellent service - even without prizes for people since it does open up your film to a very large audience that it wouldn't have otherwise.

Perhaps the $20/film per year is too high. I am open to suggestions on this matter.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

20 is nothing compared to most sites.

yeah, $20 for a whole year online? thats a pretty good deal. Especially since most film festivals have submission fees usually over $20 and there's a chance your film will not even be shown!

-TacoWagonProductions

$20 isn't too high- well perhaps for a 1 or 2 minute movie, it might be.

However, I would like to see bigger resolutions added. Though I know implementing this would be tough.

I didn't realize that the site is struggling to get by. I think i'm gonna put up some flyers at my school tomorrow.

--
Clyde
www.partypooperfilms.com

LONG LIVE STUDENTFILMS.COM!!!!!

" . . . Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . but as for me and for my house, we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15

i think you guys got me all wrong.
Please, dont get me wrong, I love this site.
I just thought that since I have been posting here for a bit, and sometimes refer to the things Ive done, I'd put my link up so maybe people could check it out.
I had no intentions of undermining this site in anyway. I'm sorry if you took it that way, Chris. it wasnt what I meant at all.

And JW, send me a private message. I'll tell you where you can most cheaper web site hostage if you need it.

Well...sorry again, folks.

Thats fine Bamfer...No worries. It was mainly the first line of "I was going to submit to the site but..." that started the whole thing.

If you ever would like to submit your films I'd love to host them on the site.

The site isn't struggling... submissions have gone down a bit recently however which is why I was wondering if people were put off by the price to submit.

Studentfilms.com isn't going anywhere. I'm always trying to make it better.

Party Pooper - I've added an enlarge framesize option...is this what you had in mind?

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

speaking of freeloaders.....

*couch*Why looky here*cough*

-TacoWagonProductions

Chris, just a thought. Since most (some?) of the members here are students and do not have a lot of experience or knowledge of online retail sales, perhaps some of the more reputable online merchants would be interested partnering with SF. It could serve two purposes: (1) help offset some cost and/or provide equipment; (2) would help the members that might get 'bitten' by the many, many unreputable merchants trying to steal their money!

I often see quite a few posts from members who want to know "who should I buy this from", and adding a couple reputable sponsors could assist in many ways.

And not just video sponsors - prop retailers, etc. could also be used.

Just a thought. And though I have no films on the site (I'm not a student), I think $20/month is an excellent bargain.

Good luck.

Mark M
Sugar Free Productions

quote:

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And though I have no films on the site (I'm not a student), I think $20/month is an excellent bargain.

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Ah...but it isn't $20/month. It's $20/film for an entire year of hosting!

5 cents a day for hosting your film on the site.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

[This message was edited by Studentfilms.com on December 08, 2003 at 07:45 PM.]