Having already revolutionized the royalty-free image market with a micropayment model offering images from USD 1, iStockphoto® will add audio tracks to its stock portfolio beginning in September 2008. It will become the first stock provider to offer photographs, video footage, vector illustrations, Flash files and audio together on one website under a single payment model.
iStockphoto is now seeking composers, artists, musicians and audio engineers to submit tracks featuring music, speech and voices, instrumental and ambient sounds, and sound effects. In the future, the iStock community of more than three million members will be able to purchase these tracks for between one and 25 credits, depending on complexity, and incorporate them into websites, video footage and presentations. The contributing artist will receive 20 to 40 percent of the revenue from each downloaded audio track.
iStockphoto launched its micropayment business model in 2001. It not only drove the company’s enormous growth but also proved to be an excellent source of income for contributors, some of whom earn their entire living from it. In the past year alone, iStockphoto paid more than USD 20 million to its artists in revenue shares.
“Ultimately, our customers are looking for new and exciting ways to communicate their ideas effectively,” says Bruce Livingstone, founder and CEO of iStock. “By adding audio, we can now provide customers with the complete range of multimedia tools they can use in their work.”
Conditions for iStock Sound Submissions:
Applicants for sound contributions can find an introduction at http://www.istockphoto.com/audio_1.0_intro.php and take a short test there. If successful, artists may submit three audio tracks between five and 30 seconds long for approval. Once confirmed as contributors, tracks may be up to four minutes long. Every track is reviewed individually for quality and legality before being approved for sale. Members of any performing-rights organization are not eligible to submit audio work because this would conflict with the concept of royalty-free content. PRO members can instead submit contributions to iStock sister company Pump Audio at http://www.pumpaudio.com.
Artists can immediately become exclusive contributors and receive a share of 20 to 40 percent for each track sold, depending on total download numbers. Further information about the upload process and various music and sound categories is available at http://www.istockphoto.com/audio.php.
Clip Sizes and Prices
Size: Simple sample
Royalty-free clip price: 1 credit
Equivalent cost from: USD 1
Size: Complex sample
Royalty-free clip price: 5 credits
Equivalent cost from: USD 5
Size: Simple composition
Royalty-free clip price: 15 credits
Equivalent cost from: USD 15
Size: Complex composition
Royalty-free clip price: 25 credits
Equivalent cost from: USD 25
