Research an Online Aggregator.

Research an Online Aggregator
MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 600 WORDS
You must base this on the company that I chose to do my discussion on, the information on that assignment will be uploaded so that you can see what company that I chose. It was a gaming company, called Third Dimensions and the game that the company created will be within that paper. That paper is for reference so that you will know what to base this assignment on.

Overview
In the last few years a new kind of distributor has emerged called an aggregator. Everyday, new aggregators are popping up, or opening their doors to independent filmmakers, TV producers, and unsigned artists.

An aggregator is a company or individual who literally aggregates indie project titles to distribute to various online platforms.

Enter aggregators, who function to resolve these obstacles, who aggregate enough products to present a catalog to these platforms. So now, instead of being presented piecemeal, Indies are presented as a full catalog, making it a much more attractive proposition to a sought after platform like iTunes.

Please download the attached assignment and research an online aggregator. This assignment will help you figure out which one you might use for the product in your Course Project.

Instructions

Research an Online Aggregator

In the last few years a new kind of distributor has emerged called an aggregator. Everyday, new aggregators are popping up, or opening their doors to independent filmmakers, TV producers, game developers, and unsigned artists.

An aggregator is a company or individual who literally aggregates indie project titles to distribute to various online platforms, VOD services, or simply aggregates, or collects content.

Aggregators exist because online distribution platforms, such as iTunes and Hulu, do not have the capacity, at least at this time, to select indie titles one-by-one. This essentially shuts the independent out of platforms such as iTunes. Enter aggregators, who function to resolve these obstacles, who aggregate enough products to present a catalog to these platforms. So now, instead of being presented piecemeal, Indies are presented as a full catalog, making it a much more attractive proposition to a sought after platform like iTunes.

Apple’s iTunes: Since Apple does not deal directly with independent filmmakers or recording artists, if you wish to know more about how to submit content to Apple iTunes and which aggregators they work with, please visit their website at http://www.apple.com/itunes/content-providers/

As the middleman, many of the most important services an independent artist can expect from an aggregator include: portal specific encoding, metadata, delivery of all files, trailers, and artwork, E&O insurance, and legal vetting.

This assignment will help you figure out which aggregator or curator you might use for getting your product onto online platforms for distribution.

The Assignment

1. Pick the company. Below is a sample list of aggregators. After researching several of these companies, pick the company that you feel would be the best one to help with the online distribution of the product you chose for your Course Project and pitched on the first discussion board. (Note: If you would like to research a company that is not on this list, please get approval from the Course Director before you start the assignment.)

2. Research. Thoroughly research this company’s business model, policies, procedures, and the pros and cons when compared to some of the other aggregators. Think critically when analyzing the information. Why would this company be the best choice over others for helping with online distribution for your product? Make sure to mention how you compared and analyzed one company against another and include a reference for all of the places you found your research on these companies.

a. Is there a specific criterion the content creator must meet before the company chooses to work with a content creator, or will they distribute anyone’s product?
b. What rights will they require? What rights can you keep for self-distribution?
c. What are the services the company offers an independent content creator?
d. List all of the online retailers where the aggregator will distribute your
product. Do not simply write “worldwide.”
e. Are there any fees for setting up an account with them?
f. Who sets the price on your product?
g. What is the revenue split between the aggregator and the content creator?
h. What are the reasons why you found this aggregator helpful or interesting
that would make you want to work with them, over the others, on your Course Project?

Much of your research can be obtained by visiting the website for the company. (Try looking at the bottom of the website under Company Info or in the FAQs.) You may also want to call the company and ask them directly, or register with the company to get access to more information about the services they provide. Also try a Google search to see what comes up about them.

3. Write a 600-word overview of the company and why you chose this one over the others.
a. The first paragraph must briefly introduce your product and the aggregator you chose to handle the online distribution.
b. Write the paper in narrative form using APA Simplified Guidelines. There is an article in the References called APA Simplified Guidelines that you should read. Write all of your assignments in EMD following these APA guidelines.
c. The answers to the questions above should be woven into the narrative of the paper. Do not simply retype the question and answer it.
d. Make sure to mention how you compared and analyzed one company against another. Include a reference for all of the places you found research on these companies.
e. Be very careful when using content taken from the Website. Use quotation marks, block indents for passages over 40 words long, and insert in-text citations into this paper. Reference every source, including individual web pages.

The following tools can help you automatically format your References page: • http://www.bibme.org
• http://www.easybib.com
• http://www.citationmachine.net • http://www.ottobib.com

The Full Sail Writing Center is always available to help you improve your writing skills. You can contact them through their links on Propeller.

4. Review Rubric. Make sure to review the Rubric (below) for all of the grading criteria for this assignment.

5. Submit assignment to Turnitin. You can view the Originality report within a few seconds after submitting to Turnitin. You may turn this assignment into Turnitin as many times as you like before the due date on FSO, although you will only be able to submit once in a 24-hour period.

WARNING: Do not copy and paste any content from a Website without providing the appropriate in-text citation, formatting and reference.

Consequences for plagiarism are harsh.

Sample List of Aggregators who work with independents:
Tunecore – http://www.tunecore.com/
CreateSpace (amazon.com) – https://www.createspace.com/
CD Baby – https://www.cdbaby.com/
ReverbNation – www.reverbnation.com
Distribber – http://www.distribber.com/
Catapult – http://www.catapultdistribution.com
New Video – http://www.newvideo.com/
Cinetic Rights Management – http://partners.cineticrightsmanagement.com/ MoPix – https://www.getmopix.com/

For a web series, please consider the following:
Blip.tv – www.blip.tv
My Damn Channel – www.mydamnchannel.com
YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/creators/partner.html

For the gamers, you may prefer to discuss some of these online game distribution platforms:
Steam – http://store.steampowered.com/about/ OnLive – http://www.onlive.com/
Gaikai – http://www.gaikai.com/
ZDNet – http://downloads.zdnet.com/category/2012/ Indievania – www.indievania.com

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You must base this on the company that I chose to do my discussion on, the information on that assignment will be uploaded so that you can see what company that I chose. It was a gaming company, called Third Dimensions and the game that the company created will be within that paper. That paper is for reference so that you will know what to base this assignment on.

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I will also upload the FULL instructions for the assignment, that will be clearer than these.

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YOU MUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS COMPLETELY AS THEY SAY ON THE PAPERS THAT I WILL BE UPLOADING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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PLEASE ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ON THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT I WILL UPLOAD!! PUT THE ANSWERS IN THE CONTENT OF THE PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!