all posts tagged “business”
The show went on sale at noon on Saturday, December 10th. 12 hours later, we had over 50,000 purchases and had earned $250,000, breaking even on the cost of production and website. As of Today [the 13th], we've sold over 110,000 copies for a total of over $500,000. Minus some money for PayPal charges etc, I have a profit around $200,000 (after taxes $75.58). This is less than I would have been paid by a large company to simply perform the show and let them sell it to you, but they would have charged you about $20 for the video. They would have given you an encrypted and regionally restricted video of limited value, and they would have owned your private information for their own use. They would have withheld international availability indefinitely. This way, you only paid $5, you can use the video any way you want, and you can watch it in Dublin, whatever the city is in Belgium, or Dubai. I got paid nice, and I still own the video (as do you).
I really hope people keep buying it a lot, so I can have shitloads of money, but at this point I think we can safely say that the experiment really worked. If anybody stole it, it wasn't many of you. Pretty much everybody bought it. And so now we all get to know that about people and stuff.
The New Common Craft is Now Live!
Posted by: leelefever on August 9, 2011- 1:54pm
Categories: business, New Common Craft, ourwork, strategy, website
It's true! We just launched our new website and business. Here’s a quick review:
Common Craft is now a video subscription service. You or your organization can become a Common Craft member and have your own online library of all current and future Common Craft videos for use in classrooms and on the web.
Membership features include:
- Instant access - your own growing library of Common Craft videos
- Sharing tools - easily embed, display or download any video
- Worry-free membership - no extra fees for features or views
- Influence - suggest and vote on future video titles
- First crack - be the first to see and show new video titles
- Premium content - access members-only resources
- Mobile - Web-based videos play on mobile devices
- Languages - Most videos are available with voice-overs in 8 languages
- Info, facts and figures
- Embedding options for “The Common Craft Way” video
- Images for blog posts
- Our press release
- Key pages on the new site
It’s taken years and lots of discussions with our fans to understand the answer to the simple question: what is Common Craft for? We’re just a small company, we don’t have a research department or salespeople pounding the pavement. We have to learn from what people say online, in email, discussion and phone calls. The summary of this input has helped us define the future of Common Craft and the new direction we’re taking this summer.
For example, just yesterday we received messages that help us see how the videos are being used:
Twitter user Susannah Hall (@hellolibrary) wrote on Twitter:
@leelefever just want to say THANK YOU for all your work on CommonCraft videos. I have learned a ton & will use in my new high school library.
Lisa Shofnos, President, Computer Training Associates, wrote in email:
CommonCraft's clever explanations - and cute graphics - make it easier for me to provide effective computer training for older adults who are using computers for the first time. Thank you for this fantastic tool!
We see these messages almost every day and from them, one big idea has emerged: Common Craft is for people who educate others. Whether they’re librarians, corporate trainers, teachers, bloggers or consultants, our videos helps these professionals do their job more efficiently and effectively.
It’s this insight that has prompted us to rethink what tools and services we provide to people who use Common Craft videos. The new Common Craft, out this summer, will be focused directly on serving the needs of teachers, trainers, bloggers and businesses who need better ways to educate others online and off - it’s what Common Craft is for.
If you would like to be notified when the new Common Craft launches, sign up here.
Now, maybe we need to a video to teach ourselves why it’s wrong to end a sentence with a preposition.
Video: Social Media and the Workplace - Explained by Common Craft
Posted by: leelefever on November 29, 2010- 4:00pm
Categories: business, Common Craft Video, Explanation, paperworks, social media
Today we’re publishing a new video called Social Media and the Workplace - Explained by Common Craft.
As so many of you know, Social Media and especially sites like Facebook and Twitter are changing the way that organizations think about external communication. Our goal with this video was to help organizations see how the environment is changing and highlight what they can do to be a productive part of it. This video uses an example that highlights a reaction to a crisis, but the message is meant to be applicable to any situation.
Like all Common Craft videos, this video was produced with educators and influencers in mind. It can be licensed for educational and corporate use.
We’d like to thank a few folks who gave us feedback on the video along the way. Jake McKee, Bill Johnston, Chris Brogan, Julie Szabo and Darren Barefoot, among others.
Two Interviews - Art Heroes Radio and New Media Radio Hour
Posted by: leelefever on September 23, 2010- 5:00pm
Categories: business, buzz, Explanation, Interview
Over the past week I've been fortunate to have been interviewed by a couple of great folks.
Art Heroes Radio with John T. Unger (about 1 hour)
John and I go way back. Well, as far back as SXSW three years ago anyway. John is best known for his fire bowls, but he does a lot of tech work as well. He's also really interested in the art community online, small business and making a living via art and creativity. in the interview we talked a lot about the process of making a Common Craft video - what we think about and how we approach the ideas. We also discuss our Explainer Network and working closely with those that some may call "competition." I really enjoyed the time with John.
New Media Radio Hour with Rey Ybarra (about 30 minutes)
Rey Yberra is based in LA and has interviewed 100s of authors, business people new media pros. Rey and I talked about the evolution of Common Craft and how we got started. We also talked about our goal of being a small company and looking for ways to scale our business without hiring a whole team. We also talked about why integrity is so important for a brand. Rey is a real pro and I really appreciate the interview.
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I really enjoy the interview format. If you like to interview me for your podcast or website, please just use the contact form to get in touch. Thanks.
Richard Byrne over at Free Tech for Teachers has been one of our biggest supporters in the edu-blogging world and was kind enough to highlight a few of our videos in a recent post called "Three Common Craft Videos That Should Be In Your Training Library." In this post, Richard states:
I like Common Craft videos for the clear simplicity of their presentations. For that reason I actually purchase copies of the videos to save on my hard drive. I encourage you to do the same if you use their videos for trainings.
Apparently, this post caused some of his readers to ask an important question: Why would I buy something I can use for free? It's a question we hear from time-to-time and I think that Richard's response was one that we really appreciate. In a follow-up post called Why Pay For a Free Video? He re-posts his answer from a previous post:
A couple of days ago I Tweeted that I was buying a copy of Common Craft's video Wikis in Plain English. The fact that I bought anything may come as a shock to some readers. After all, this is Free Technology for Teachers and you can watch all of the Common Craft videos for free at various places on the Internet. So why did I purchase Wikis in Plain English? I purchased a copy of it because I will be conducting some workshops over the next few months in which Wikis in Plain English will be useful. Since I will be getting paid for those workshops, using the free version of the Common Craft videos would not be right. Put another way, Lee and Sachi put a lot of their time and effort into the production of their videos, for me to profit from their work without paying for that work would be like stealing. Therefore, I bought a copy of Wikis in Plain English and will purchase other videos from Common Craft as needed. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people that haven't come to the same conclusion that I have and have abused the work of Lee and Sachi Lefever. Because of those abuses, the newest Common Craft video is not embeddable although you can still view it for free on Common Craft.
At the end of the day, we've made the choice to share less than half of our library on You Tube. In making that choice, we've left the decision up to the individual educator about how to proceed. Are happy for educators to use the YouTube versions, but we also want people to know that the videos we license do offer benefits that you won't find with YouTube. Just to name a couple, they are high resolution and look great on projector screens. Further, they don't have any ads or watermarks. They are designed for workshops and presentations and we work with schools on licensing all the time. Here's a case study.
We always appreciate educators who do choose to license videos from us, for whatever reason. It helps us keep making videos. We also understand that educators cannot always afford licensing and hope that the YouTube versions can be an option. In which case, we only ask that you help spread the word about our work and value it provides.
Verisign is one of the most trusted names in the web security world and they've become a great example of how Common Craft videos can be put to work to educate customers. Web security is often taken for granted and many people and organizations don't really understand what makes a website secure, or how to tell. Our video makes it simple for non-techies.
As you can see above, we've licensed our Secure Websites video to Verisign for use as part of the their SSL Information Center. We worked with them to create a custom version of the video that includes their brand at the beginning and end. Any Common Craft video can be customized in this way.
I highlight this relationship because it's a great example of how Common Craft videos can be used as educational resources. This video happens to explore web security, but the same situation could be true for banks who want to educate customers about Phishing Scams or the basics of Investing Money or tech companies that need to explain Cloud Computing to novice users. Customized or not, our videos are built and licensed for these purposes.
Case Study: Common Craft Videos and a School District
Posted by: leelefever on April 5, 2010- 5:00pm
Categories: business, Case Study, licensing, ourwork, schools
Among our favorite licensing customers are teachers and school districts. We take a lot of pride in making videos that are used to educate students and staff. From time-to-time, we ask school systems for feedback and information on how the videos are used. Below you'll find a short case study about how this system is using the videos. The school system prefers that we not use their name in this post, but the information is from their technology coordinator:
Please tell us the basics of your school system. Size, location, personnel, public vs. private, etc.
We have 30 schools that serve over 16,000 students. We have approximately 1200 teachers and 2100 total staff.
How did your school system find out about Common Craft videos?
We found your work through YouTube/TeacherTube while creating/offering Professional Development on Web 2.0 tools a few years back. We primarily streamed the content, but as we began developing an online hybrid course for our 6th grade students, we looked deeper into your offerings and purchased licensing for the Social Media Pack to include in our course. Our 6th grade course is part of the traditional Fine Arts/Phys Ed rotation – otherwise known as Specials in other school districts.
Who is the target audience for the videos? How do they react to them?
Our target is wide range – staff and students. The primary target would be our 6th grade course. The initial videos – blogs & wikis – are not used too much anymore due to our spectacular trainings (haha). Every time they are shown – the staff and students really enjoy them and certainly meets their need of learning without all the techno-garble.
What problem do the videos solve?
They really help solve that introduction and defining “the what is this thing” in clear and simple to understand terms. Too often us ‘techies’ get too confusing so this allows them to watch and learn in a non-intimidating manner (with a good chuckle or two). Since we have them in our LMS, they can review them anytime they need.
How are the videos displayed or shared? Intranet? LMS? DVD? etc.
Primarily our LMS – Moodle at this point. We are looking to move to Angel (budget willing).
Who (in terms of job title) is in charge of the videos and their use/distribution?
Me J Coordinator for Educational technology
What would you say to other schools and school districts about getting the most from Common Craft videos?
These videos are a great for delivering introductory explanations to new technologies in a clear and easy to understand way. I would not say "simple" – because that would imply the lack of content. Each video is full valuable information presented in a fun and engaging way. Students really like that ‘old school’ animation and gets them thinking on ways they can use those same techniques in their own introductory film-making. ‘Experienced’ staff members like them because they are not confused with all of the techno-garble and confusing terminology.
If you're a school district or teacher interested in Common Craft videos, we offer a 20% discount. Just contact us for the discount code. Also, school districts are only required to purchase a single Site license for the entire district. Site licensed videos can be shared on an LMS or intranet as long as access is limited to students and staff. More info here.
Welcoming Two New Members of the Explainer Network
Posted by: leelefever on September 20, 2009- 5:00pm
Categories: business, Explainer Network, Explanation, network, video
We're so excited to have two new members of our Explainer Network of custom video producers.
Lilipip is a Seattle-based company that has been making videos for years. They're seeing new opportunities in the world of animated video explanations and we think they'll be a great fit for the Network. From their listing:
We make animated videos about your product, service, or concept. We’re an “Open-Source Creative” team with transparent pricing and processes – featuring global artists with a wide range of styles. Follow Lilipip on Twitter.
Here is one of Lilipip's most recent videos:
Animated Explanations is based in Brussels, Belgium and focuses on the European (and global) market for explanatory videos. They have extensive experience in making complex ideas easy to understand in video form and we're happy to have them in the Network. We're especially excited to have European representation in the Network. Follow them on Twitter @instruxion. From their listing:
Animated movies, interactive tutorials and instructional videos in attractive formats and any language.
Here's a sample:
How to find a new job using LinkedIn? - Animated Explanations
The Common Craft Explainer Network is a group of video producers that specialize in making custom explanatory videos. The Network currently has six members that represent a number of skills, styles and formats. If that chunk of text on your home page just isn't doing the trick anymore, contact an Explainer Network member.
Yaay! We have a page on Wikipedia. Now what?
As you may know, Wikipedia pages tend to evolve over time as users contribute new information and we're excited to see the Common Craft page evolve. But first we're hoping to build on a solid foundation - and we need your help. The information that's there is a good start, but it can be better.
As the owners, it's not kosher for us to edit the page, so we'll be adding suggestions to the "talk" section over time (a few are there now). If a Wikipedian deems the information verifiable, unbiased, accurate, etc. they should feel free to update the article. Of course, the hope is that information in the article grows organically. We hope you'll consider lending a hand!
If you don't know what a wiki is, you might check out Wikis in Plain English.
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