https://images.pexels.com/photos/34140/pexels-photo.jpg?cs=srgb&dl=blogging-business-coding-34140.jpg&fm=jpg

Steemgigs

I made a couple of post's on Steemgigs a few weeks ago when the platform first launched, and I was super, super excited. I made a offer for basic stock footage music videos, visualisers and lyric videos here and a advert for picture slideshows and short promotional videos here.

The Platform has only been live a few weeks, and with the idea behind it, is already showing the potential to overtake popular freelance marketplaces like Fiver, and rightfully so, I will explain further on this later in the article. With it being brand new, I knew not to dive into it with the same expectations I had from previous work on Fiver. I knew the set up was different, and things would take time to get going.

A month later and I've still not had any sales. I guessed it's probably going to e a lot harder than I originally thought, and I'd probably need to put the time and SBD into promoting my offer to draw attention to it. Wrong. I hadn't made any sales, because, it was impossible to make a sale through Steemgigs due to the website layout. I wrote a whole post about it here. And the only response I received, was telling me what I knew everyone would be saying. "It's in alpha give it a break."

To be honest though, that's not our problem? They knew they were releasing the website, they've had more than enough time to make sure it works, I mean come on, no, I just can not simply accept the excuse "it's new". The website should have never been released until it is at least useable for it's advertised basic functions. Yes you can upload gigs, but what on bloody earth is the point if there is no way to purchase a gig through the website, hmmm? If anyone has worked out how you can do this, please do let me know. I've been stretching my head over it.

Anyway...

Avoid Fiver Like The Plague

I'll try not to talk too much about myself, but here's a little background for you. The only income I have, is what I earn. No, not from going to work and repeating the same task every day, but by actively seeking new projects to get involved in. Over the last couple of months, this is all I have been able to dedicate my self to doing, it is how I get by. Freelance work. I was delighted when I found fiver, it was easy to set up and I made some amazing offers.

I put everything I physically had into that website and over 3 weeks was logged on to it full time pretty much. I was promoting my gigs everywhere in every way possible, and I have a load of musical friends from. my musical background, and I was still struggling to get purchases? Why? Because no one trusted somebody offering a music video for a fiver. And rightly so.

At first, I was dubious about under selling my work, but I convinced myself it would be OK with all the extras and add ons. I got my first job and I was so excited! It was from somebody in New Zealand, me being in the UK, I was thrilled my work would be reaching that far. And this is the result below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDdIg1Aush0

The DJ sent me $20. It would have been around £14. I thought, hey I'm new, I'm still learning. That's cool. But it wasn't until I got a friend to purchase the cheaper gigs I was offering, and I attempted to cash out that I realized - I'd been royally fucked. Literally. I did a total of 3 orders on fiver, 2 out of 3 they guy could have just given me the money in real life, I live with him ffs. The grand total I received from 3 music videos? £15.

THANKS FIVER. That £15 was so worth 3 weeks of my life. FUCK YOU, FIVER FUCK YOU. And fuck you further on top of that for charging my account £6 and closing it for no apparent reason. Your customer service is diabolical and it's more than clear you only care about one thing and one thing only, ripping everyone off.

Don't Believe Me?

I wanted to purchase some stock footage for a project, and noticed Fiver had a lot on offer. I came across a seller, offering a bundle of 500 stock footage clips for like £10 or something. I thought that sounded crazy compared to the other offers I've seen on that site and checked it out. Clicking on the comments from people who had bought the gig, I noticed someone stated "Waste of money, All of the clips could be found on Creative Commons website under public domain". I looked at the clips he was advertising, and found them all on pexels. This is against the law, and is theft, because when you download free stock footage, you click an agreement agreeing not to resell the footage. I reported it to Fiver 3 months ago, it was still up last month, but they've taken it down now.

HOWEVER there is still gigs like this, breaking the law by reselling footage they DO NOT have the rights too. This moron even dobbed himself in it that what he is doing is illegal, by including a royalty free agreement sheet, I am assuming from the website he purchased the stock on, where it states in full terms how he is licensed to use the footage.

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/29751185_1996535733707159_1969421495_n.png?_nc_cat=0&oh=1f9ec8ac3766828016c7e6b21f258739&oe=5AC19BAF

Screenshot from the licensing contract, saying he can not resell the footage

> "I can provide you HD stock video footage's of your choice which would be 100% free from copyright restrictions." - From the gig's decription.

That means anyone that purchases this gig, is breaking the law and can, and will most likely, be sued for copyright infringement. I also know this is not his PDF written by him for the purpose of this gig, because it addresses the seller of the gig, Effort6, as a customer at the begining of the contract.

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/29920424_1996535740373825_2001558927_n.png?_nc_cat=0&oh=bfc605841e03667a9fd1dcf7c114d5f0&oe=5AC18FC4

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/29750376_1996535737040492_1184219230_n.png?_nc_cat=0&oh=d7ecc3d48ba3150156683d7c64eb5b36&oe=5AC0CD9A

And yes, I am aware this is the internet, and also 2018 so this sort of thing happens all of the time, and the blockchain is no different. But THIS is theft and can get innocent customers in a lot of trouble. It's not fair, and it's not right that Fiverr are getting away with hosting so much illegal activity.

Did I Forget To Mention It Took me 6 Attempts to Try and Claim My Money?

They really did not want me to get that measly £15, that I had to wait over a month for it to become available anyway. My bank transfer was rejected because it has to be a minimum of £50, and for some reason Paypal was just not having any of it. Why do we have to wait over a month for our own money to be cashed out? It's fishy. I just don't trust Fiver, especially after hearing multiple people claim they have had their funds stolen and accounts closed for no reason, and having £6 stolen from myself.

And That's Why I'm On The Blockchain

Steemgigs may not be up and running properly yet, but when it is I am depending on using it to my full advantage in every way possible, to make up for my shitstorm with Fiverr. But until the mean time, I'd like the opportunity to offer my video editing services to anyone needing any kind of project done, big or small.

I can do anything from creating music videos out of stock footage you will have the rights to use, to putting together promo videos showcasing your artwork or product, to funny videos as gifts for friends and family. Please drop a comment if you need any kind of video work.

My long term goal is to build my SBD up and buy myself a decent camera and editing equipment in the future, so any work you do need done, will be towards a good cause! Comment if interested in anything and we will discuss the details. My prices are flexible and will work around you.

Here is some of my previous work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfmjs37UBmo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KkLHJWPIWw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l711XX6zYrQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u13QTcJzaY

Thank you for reading my article! Please Resteem if you might know anyone that would find this information useful. All Images used either licensed under public domain and from pixels or a screenshot of the websites.