Topic: Patreon

http://www.patreon.com/

So Jack Conte just announced his latest project, Patreon. A crowd sourcing funding platform for content creators that make content on a regular basis. And as someone who is currently trying to live in that world, and has every intention of staying in that world and growing there, this is very interesting to me.

Basically unlike kickstarter where you raise funds to a goal to fund one large thing, Patreon lets you pledge a small donation for every video the creator posts, allowing you a simple easy way to donate to a creator you enjoy and want to support.

Very interesting model, I'm curious to see how it plays out in the long run.

Watch Jacks explanation video, he does it way better than I do.

Thoughts?

Last edited by BigDamnArtist (2013-05-08 06:15:34)

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Patreon

So this is kinda like a podcast having a paypal button and not asking, just sayin' ?

Extended Edition - 146 - The Rise Of Skywalker
VFX Reel | Twitter | IMDB | Blog

Re: Patreon

Not really, basically every youtuber worth his salt has a donate link somewhere on their channel and says "Not asking, just saying" in some form or another. Hell, even I do. The problem is that it's a one time thing. It's something the fan has to go out of their way to remember to do if they want to do support the artist.

Patreon is more like a voluntary subscription fee, I guess is the best way to put it, (It's early and my brain still isn't awake so that might not be the best way to put it). But it's a way for fans to say "Yes, I would like to support you on a regular basis." and not have to be constantly donating manually. Honestly Jack's "Kickstarter for continuous projects" is probably the best way of putting it.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Patreon

BigDamnArtist wrote:

And as someone who is currently trying to live in that world, and has every intention of staying in that world and growing there, this is very interesting to me.

What're your plans? the game play through or something else?

Extended Edition - 146 - The Rise Of Skywalker
VFX Reel | Twitter | IMDB | Blog

Re: Patreon

You can alreayd donate regularly and automatically, it's called Paypal (which most people use to make the donation in the first place).

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. - Carl Sagan

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Re: Patreon

Alright, well now that I'm actually awake, that last post was made literally 5 minutes into the process of procrastinating waking up to go to work, here's a more well put together argument for it.

Warning: I'm about to get a little froo-froo sentimental about online media, so if you don't believe in that or it turns your stomach, probably best to look away.

Online media, content creators, youtubers, all of it is all about community, at least the good ones are (yes yes, no true scotsman whatever). Whether it's Nerdfighteria (Too many projects to list, but the fact Hank manages to run DFTBA.com, a site specifically selling nerdfighter and online media based products, that says a lot also, http://www.projectforawesome.com/), PhillyD's nation (One of the few self sustaining internet shows ever), the Harto's (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hello-harto), or even the place we used to call DiF, everything about being online and being an actual part of the online population is about community. I mean look at us, we all came here for much the same reason, because we liked listening to Teague, Brian, Dorkman and Trey argue and rip apart movies for 2 hours. But out of that we've grown a place where I can spend 10 minutes talking to someone on the other side of the planet (sorry Bullet, i don't actually know where you live hmm) about web design in the middle of the night, a place where (given enough time) we can make a movie about a million people going a roadtrip, without ever meeting any of the other people in the movie. None of that has anything to do with the podcast, but we do it cause we're a community of people that enjoying doing shit like that.

Now to bring it over to Patreon. That's also about community, or rather it's something that could be embraced by a community, (as clearly Jack Contes community has, he's currently sitting at over $1700 donated per video). It's something they do together, it's a movement by the people that are a part of that community to get some shit done and help out the person they like watching. While ALSO being a place where Jack can give back to his community and engage with them outside his videos and vlogs (In the form of the patronage rewards).

It's about creating that 2 way street of interaction that serves to bind the community of Jack Conte fans closer together. It's something they are doing as a group.

You don't, no, can't, get that by saying "Here's a paypal link, if you want to, you know." That's an isolating event, it's just you and your paypal account.

And before you go saying, "Well then it's just a con job to get people to pay you so they can feel good." I'll remind that on more than one occasion this community right here has sacrificed a LOT to help out the guys. Just last week a bunch of people gave the guys a couple hours of their time to make new episode images. Before that, the (I'm blanking on the name) but mass effort to catalogue quotes for the DIF video. I mean we all did that, for them. It's not money, but it's as good as. And doubt that could have happened this community didn't exist and everyone in it didn't go "Alright fuckers let's do this, CHARGE!"


Alright that's my rant about why I think Patreon is an awesome idea for the way the world of youtubers and online creators is, take it or leave it, there it is.

Last edited by BigDamnArtist (2013-05-08 23:23:14)

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Patreon

Faldor: I'm not really ready to announce anything definite yet, not out of any you know idea of ssh secret, I just don't wanna be mouthing off about something I haven't finalized yet. But anyways, I'll be contineing my let's play channel for sure, and soon, I'm going to be starting some new stuff. And once I've got things finalized on my end, I'll be starting up a channel for my production company.

At the moment the plans for that are similar to what FeddieW or Corridor Digital are doing (Releasing small films on a somewhat regular, monthly or so, schedule) although I'll be focusing more on narrative driven projects (less explosions and video game references, more story...but still a few explosions and video game references...cause you know, they're still fun), more like the Lizzie Bennet Diaries (Although nothing on that scale for a while).

And then from there who knows. I have ideas, but nothing I want to share <coy smile>

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Patreon

http://thedevilspanties.com webcomic has something similar, where a $5 monthly subscription gets you extra content. When David Willis ended one web comic and started another, he kept the first going on a subscription only basis for those who REALLY wanted more. So, it's not a new idea. Something that other creators can use so they don't have to set anything up themselves, that would be new.

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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Re: Patreon

I don't agree at all that everyone paying money = greater sense of community. Shared interests bring people together and community simply develops over time and frequency of discourse. If the podcast/forum/chat charged you to become a member, would any of us still be here?

This 'new' model sounds like any other club in any other activity, pay us and you'll get stuff or be treated special. And who cares about an 'isolating event'? You still do it and money still gets to where it's supposed to go. Is this therefore going to be about bragging rights - where it shows all the other members that you gave money and how much you gave?

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. - Carl Sagan

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Re: Patreon

Just for the fun of it, I signed up today.

http://www.patreon.com/invidfan

It's... well, to be honest, it's definitely still under construction. There isn't even any way to link my page there to my actual page, the one with my content. I'll keep you informed as to if this things works for stories, as opposed to videos.

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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Re: Patreon

I now have one sponsor on Patreon, donating $1 for every chapter I post. Whee!

http://www.patreon.com/invidfan
https://www.wepay.com/stores/invid-fans … -bookstore
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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