Changes!

You think they will not say? Maybe you are right.

I know I am right.

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Elements can only be for a small selection of hand picked authors, if it was open to everyone the business model would collapse. There is simply not enough income to distribute. Just think about how hard it is to earn money here on the market when the gates are open for everyone.

As these selected authors currently are having huge market shares on Elements their income should be more than “additional” they should really be laughing all the way to the bank by now if the system was fair.

Since this thread is about general changes I would also like to speak up for our fellow Elements authors (I would be surprised if they disagree on these points):

  • Implement different price options for different clients, this really is a no brainer. This also protects the market in the long run.
  • Implement higher rating in the point system for music. Music has only 5 item points now and is rated lower than video templates (30% ish lower). In comparison AJ´s biggest competitor have recommended prices for music 30% ish higher than for example After Effects Templates. The problem probably arises if Envato takes the very unhealthy AJ recommended prices at the market as a measure for music value.

@gballx I completely forgot about one author who is also on the Elements (I will not mention his). Maybe he will reveal to us the secret of the Elements someday. :wink: I am very curious to find out how profitable it is or not.

If I got an invite I would accept but with a selected portfolio to begin with.

I would really love to see updates in the upload process:

  1. Get rid of Flash uploader, switch to HTML5
  2. Automatic preview generation (optional)
  3. Automatic MP3 and ZIP generation.
  4. Templates for different genres (descriptions, options, prices etc)
  5. Store thumbnail images on the server (not need to upload it everytime)
  6. Preview of the Item page description (after all HTML markup)
  7. Tags picker with favourite tag list.
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Don’t make sweeping statements just yet. There needs to be a at least 3 to 5 months of data before anyone can confirm that music producers can make “meaningful” additional income from Elements without harming their efforts on the standard, 1 license at a time, general market. Additionally, you had to be invited to join when it was in “for envatos beloved, favorite pets” mode, but now anyone can apply.

If you want to be part of the long term problem, get on board with subscription. The model still lacks in basic business ethics, it’s structure is in direct conflict with what music producers want: Customers Buying 1 music license for each project/ video/ film/ advert, etc…

If you want to participate in the demise of the individual sync license and give all control to the communistic “controlling authority” sign up for elements. Again, it’s always stupid, mis-informed and desperate music producers who destroy our business based on fear of missing out. This is why you see so much stupidty and ignorance with certain writers not joining PRO’s - thinking they are getting a competitive advantage in the market place. 100% ROYALTY FREE! …Yep…that is real dumb…

Write good music and define your worth on a track by track and license by license basis. It is essential for our long term sustainability. Again, while this may sound cruel…I really do hope those that joined elements shoot themselves in the foot and suffer from declining sales on the general market. They signed up for the “Dark Side” of this business. All you can eat for $16.50!!!..How pathetic!..SAD!

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Thanks for your reply regarding this. I am now at a complete loss as to what to do regarding my continuation with Audio Jungle since I have tried my best to provide as diverse as possible portfolio that has tracks that could be used by buyers. I have tried to produce high quality music in as many genres as I can (excluding corporate) but I wonder now if that is realistic for me. I have seriously considered the Elements thing since I would need the additional income as I have a progressive chronic illness (multiple sclerosis) that has ruined my teaching career and my mobility is strictly limited. I completely understand your viewpoint and where it comes from.

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Sorry to hear about your illness and how it affects your work. If I had your portfolio (which sounds really outstanding BTW) and sales were unsatisfying, I would consider going non exclusive and raising prices more both on AJ and other markets.

Personally I´m going non exclusive at the beginning of next month and hope this will increase my income. If it does not, I will convert back to exclusive later. I just feel its very worth trying as long as my income here on AJ is not going through the roof. With ADP you also have the possibility to compensate for loss of commission. If you decide to apply for Elements it also does not matter if you are exclusive or not, you´ll get the same cut.

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Very Sorry mate, I hope you get well! In your scenario I do hope you find a new income stream. It is very tough to grow one’s revenue on this market. My total annual revnue has been flat for 3 years. Had it not been for ADP, my revenue would have declined 20% from 2017 to 2018. This is why it is so important to nail down those claims at PRO’s for TV spots.

P.S. to all UK folks, Please tell me how do I approach the PRS to pay my PRO, and then ultimately me performance royalties for these TV spots. These are ON AIR now in England.

For now, I sent an e-mail here informing them of these usages and airplays I detected from TUNESAT.

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I am sorry to learn of your MS @gballx. Several friends and co-workers I’ve known over the years have had to cope with multiple sclerosis, so I am familiar with the illness and the challenges it presents.

And while we’re discussing challenges, this pales in comparison to your health troubles, but it certainly isn’t getting easier to stay afloat here at AudioJungle. I echo @SteelSound’s comments about ADP. 2018 marked the first year in six where my earnings declined - but ADP softened the fall a bit.

The statistic that is most troubling is the extreme decline in sales of new tracks. I uploaded about the same number of tracks in 2018 as in 2017 ( three or four more in ‘18) but sold 52 percent fewer new tracks in 2018 than I did in 2017.

Changes?

It would be great to see increased promotion of the marketplace / sync license sales and more emphasis on targeting customers / agencies / businesses with budgets for media production.

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I’m UK based and in the process of joining PRS atm. Damn system is so complicated and such a mess! As far as I can tell they work with the US PROs so you shouldn’t need to do anything… but due to the industry being so complex you can expect to be waiting years before finally getting paid from an overseas royalty collection. Good luck speeding it up though!

I wish you recovery! Sport, proper nutrition, more fresh air, morning runs and more inspiration to you in your work, and then any disease itself will disappear!

It’s all about reaching the right people at the PRO to inform them that a TV spot is running with your music and then filing the claim form. I need the name of the person at PRS that has the job title: “Director of international royalty payments”…or something along those lines.

You don’t just throw darts at a situation and pray for the best. You find the exact body at the PRO who is responsible for processing music usage claims on TV spots. Please, I am asking some UK writer send me the name of that PRS employee in a private message if you know it.

It’s really really hard… I’ve sold 40 broadcast licences in the USA last 3 years, and have had 0 payment here in the Netherlands… It’s a touch one… The PRO organisation want’s proof. I can’t give it to them, cause I don’t know anything. And the buyers have not filled in my name + IP number on the broadcast sheet (bastards!)… This could be a goldmine… But it’s hard earned cash that goes… NOWHERE!

R/M.

btw I have had money coming in from Europe, quite ok!

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I found a contact at PRS and my PRO needs to open up the claim with PRS. PRS will pay SESAC, then SESAC will pay me. The PRS international inquiry e mail worked. I now have a name of someone who can actually help with the “case” or “claim”. I actually spoke to him (A PRS international “Analyst” from London) on the phone. That’s how you get things done:

  1. Find the PEOPLE, actual human beings that can personally look into the claim.
  2. Motivate someone at your own PRO to open up the claim with the foreign PRO (PRS in my case)
  3. Connect everyone in an e-mail. - I just did that
  4. Confirm a claim has been processed - SESAC better do their job!
  5. Continue to follow up with more and more e-mails over several months until you get paid. - Absolutely I am on a mission to collect my performance royalties!
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Hello to all.
I would like only the author (but not all) to see the number of sales of item and paws.
Perhaps it would not be bad to introduce the coefficient “Number of sales / Number of items in the portfolio (excluding Packs and Kits)” The author could see this, and this coefficient could affect the position of the author’s items in the search. A low coefficient value leads to a low probability of the appearance of items in the upper part of the search results. I think it will motivate authors to create better products, eliminate “conveyor” and reduce the queue.

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Absolutely, you have to be stubborn to get your money. It’s money that belongs to us. I finally got BMI to take a look into a handful of commercials and documentaries which haven’t been reported. I’ll let you know how well this goes.

I have also to agree with your second post, that little rant. It’s all true, but the truth hurts sometimes.

Regarding @gballx. Sorry to hear that, you’ve always been a fun and honest guy on the forums. Keep it up.

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Haha, yeah, 2019. Who’s still using flash? :smile:

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