Kat Draws
Hey, y'all-- Facebook recently announced they're launching a "Patreon killer" service.
Regardless of your thoughts on Patreon, FB's alternative is TERRIBLE!
⚠️ 30% gross revenue fee
⚠️ Automatic LIFETIME IP rights to ANYTHING you put on the service
even if you quit!
⚠️ FB wants to give discounts and freebies whenever they like, w/o creator approval, and then deduct it from creator revenue
⚠️ FB will also control WHO sees your content and how many views you have
Oh yeah, did I mention that, this being facebook, they'll control the size of your audience?
Who sees your work, how many viewers you have--it will all be directly in their hands, NOT yours.
I know facebook is pretty hated here (with good reason), but I hope as many artists as possible hear about this and stay the FUCK away from it.
Those of us who are a bit older may remember TokyoPop. That seemed like a dream opportunity for young creators-- get your work published! But it was all a scam designed to prey on people who weren't experienced enough to know a bad creator deal.
A LOT of folks got burned by TokyoPop. And this FB thing looks even worse.
So PLEASE tell your art friends!
Also, (more wisdom via Spike Trotman) NEVER, EVER sign away lifetime IP rights! That's the most important thing you have as a creator!
If you want to make money from your work, great! Put it on prints, merch! License it! Etc!
But there's really nothing that's worth complete, total, *lifetime* control of your work! Because once you've signed your IP rights away, that's IT.
@katwylder a lot of people (even fairly well known pop celebrities of Gen X era) have been stitched up by handing over their IP rights to a gatekeeper (who often doesn't then let them have/share archives of their own creations and/or even even destroys them if they cost too much to keep). There are whole gaps in my/our cultural history (of things that should be online) because of this and it sometimes takes the patience of a saint and mind of a sinner to get past some of todays "IP protection.."
corporate abuse of creative types, talent shows
@katwylder That reminds me of the talent show shit-trick. The contracts on those are very "if you're actually reading this fucking thing, the only thing you wanna sign it with is a lighter... on the end of a ten foot barge pole"...