DVD Burning Services

Producers with long-form videos (or a collection of clips that they want to sell together) may want to make their work available as a DVD through DVD on Demand services, four of which are outlined below.

From a list compiled by Scott Kirsner, the author of the Future of Web Video.

URL = http://www.scottkirsner.com/webvid/gettingpaid.htm

Description

CustomFlix, http://www.customflix.com/

Producers can sell their work on CustomFlix's own store, or on both CustomFlix and Amazon.com. (And why wouldn't you?) CustomFlix charges a $19.95/year storage fee, which is waived for as long as the work is made available on Amazon. Producer sets the price. If producer supplies an already-authored DVD, CustomFlix is offering free set-up through the end of 2006; otherwise, additional fees are involved. CustomFlix has a high-quality catalog, offering documentaries, the Westminster dog show, exercise videos, and the 1960s TV Western "Cimarron Strip."

Producer gets 35 percent of the selling price for DVDs sold through Amazon.com; on CustomFlix, producer keeps 95 percent of revenue, less production costs. (Production costs start at $7.95 per disc, and drop as low as $4.95 if a DVD sells more than 50 copies per month.) Payments arrive every month via direct bank deposit; producers outside the US get paid via check. Discs ship to buyers within three days of when they are ordered. CustomFlix recently launched a digital download service in partnership with Amazon's Unbox (see additional info above.)

IndieFlix, https://www.indieflix.com/ssl/Filmmaker/HowItWorks.aspx

Producers send IndieFlix a master of their movie (or collection of shorts), on any number of formats: DVD, BetaSP, NTSC tape, MiniDV, etc. If the producer hasn't already authored a DVD with menus, Indieflix will take care of that free of charge. Company sells full-length movies or compilations of shorts for $9.95, and producer gets 1/3 of each sale. (Individual shorts sell for $2.95.)

Indieflix pays producers via PayPal or bank transfer each month, as long as they have earned at least $10 during that month. (For foreign filmmakers, this sum is $100.) Discs usually ship within one day, and arrive within 3-to-5 days by first class mail. IndieFlix says it has plans to launch a digital download service. Very little TV or instructional video content; more geared to indie features and shorts.

IndiePix, http://www2.indiepix.net/info/submit

IndiePix requests a 1/2 inch VHS tape or DVD preview copy. IndiePix can also author and design DVDs. Site discusses retail pricing with filmmaker, and takes $2.95 per sale for a full-length movie, less for shorter films. Also, "You will have access to a secure page where you can check on the progress of your film's sales and see a `real time' accounting summary of your results." Site supports download-and-burn technology (aka "download to own.")

Lulu, http://www.lulu.com/products/discs/dvd.php

Producer can upload videos and cover art, and set the price. Lulu charges $6.50 to $7.50 to produce each DVD, based on quantity; 20 percent of any profit you collect on top of that goes to Lulu. For example, if the selling price was $17.50, and the disc cost $7.50 to produce, you would give Lulu $2 of the $10 profit, and keep $8. Producers can also choose to sell DVDs at cost. DVDs require a 3-to-5 day production time before they ship to buyers. Unlike CustomFlix and IndieFlix, Lulu does not make available trailers or previews of content. See additional info about Lulu above.