#StartupStory: Janez Vermeiren and Peri vP launch Filmer.tv

After years of discussing the challenges faced in the creative content creation space, the duo began building the platform early 2019 with the aim to create an alternative to the traditional model that would assist the industry and change the current narrative.

Filmer.tv aims to improve the current barriers to entry many creatives face when accessing the client’s briefs. The online app connects filmmakers, producers, animators, editors, and content creators to brands and clients. These brands, clients or their agencies can quite simply upload a brief to the platform and have a whole community pitch on those briefs to win commissions on digital video content, animation, TVCs, etc.

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@fylmer.tv is a crowdsourcing content creation platform that gives talented African filmmakers, producers, animators etc an equal opportunity to pitch on briefs for brands. As a brand all you have to do is upload a brief & open yourself up to ideas & treatments from an entire community of amazing creators #FylmerTv #DemocratizingContentCreation

A post shared by Janez Vermeiren (@janez_vermeiren) on Jun 9, 2020 at 11:02pm PDT

“We all know content is king, especially video content. Brands want to be able to create more content more often and speak to their audience in a locally relevant voice. That is exactly what the platform offers - a resource to create affordable high-quality local video content, efficiently.” adds Peri vP.

The effects of Covid-19 on all industries has made it more crucial than ever to be innovative and at the forefront of challenges that may arise. This platform is a disruptor. Fortunately, brands are looking for disruption right now.

Janez Vermeiren and Peri vP share more about South Africa's newest online platform.

Can you tell us a bit about Filmer.tv?

Filmer.tv is a video content crowdsourcing platform that allows brands, clients and agencies to connect with a network of filmmakers, editors, animators, and producers to create affordable, locally relevant, high-quality video content efficiently. Clients can post briefs directly to the platform, have treatments come in on their briefs, and choose a creator to produce their video content for them.

What sparked the idea? How did you get started?

Having come from the video content space, we have seen major changes taking place in the industry over the last few years. Good quality video content and film production have become much more affordable but brands don’t quite know that yet.

Brands have huge demands and an appetite for video content but dwindling marketing budgets, so a resource that can meet their demands has become more and more necessary.

We had seen platforms similar to this overseas become more and more popular with the biggest brands in the world, so we decided the timing was right to offer a platform of this nature to South African clients and creators.

What is the main purpose of Filmer.tv?

Filmer.tv has been introduced to allow brands and creators to connect and work with each other in a way that never existed in our market before. The traditional model of video content creation for brands has barely changed in decades, but content creation has significantly changed.

Filmer.tv allows brands and filmmakers to take advantage of the modern process of creating content.

It’s essentially democratisation of the industry and an opening up of the playing field. There is so much talent in SA, and brands can now post briefs and allow that talent to pitch directly and win commissions to create their social and digital content, TVC’s, music videos, animation, and everything in between.

What are some of the challenges you encountered in developing the platform?

It took a significant amount of research, development and testing to make sure the platform was user-friendly, had all the workflow needed to create a video production, as well as a structured and step-by-step approach to signing on as a brand and creating a brief, or signing on as a creator and being able to access and upload treatments on that brief. So it took us a lot of time to perfect the functionality, features and design of the platform.

Now that we're live, the challenge is getting brands and clients to recognise its value to their business, and encouraging them to adopt a new and innovative model.

It’s a disruptor. So we know that people need time to adopt it and become comfortable with doing things in a different way.

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

Bringing a new idea or business to market is always tough. It’s a process wrought with complications and naysayers. It can be a lonely place trying to get people to believe in your approach or idea. All you really can do is rely on your research, preparation, and believe that your idea is a winner and people will want it… And you should eat your vegetables.

The content creation space is very competitive. What advice do you have for content creators?

You just have to make stuff. Make anything. Shoot a music video, create a short film with your friends, pull together a team to make a spec commercial for a brand you like.

Just create as much as you can - as often as you can. Eventually, your filmic voice will come out in your work, and people will want to work with you because of the unique view you have.

In the world of branded content, everyone has gone big on User Generated Content for a while now, but even more so because of Covid-19 and the restrictions around shooting. I think audiences are bored with UGC and want to see content that is beautifully shot with production value again.

So I feel like quality filmmaking will resurge, albeit with much smaller crews and smaller types of stories. Of course, much of the content we will see coming out will now reflect a different world to pre-Covid. Brands will be much more careful about what they put out there and will truly show their ability to have a conscience.

Overall, video content has never been in more demand and so this “golden era” we are currently experiencing content and choice is only going to get bigger, more accessible, and more layered.

In my view, the world revolves around creative thinking, so good creatives will always be needed and in demand. The challenge right now is for creatives who are freelance or dependent on clients who are freezing their spend. I guess my advice would be to keep creating and find channels for the world to see your work.

The more you put yourself out there, the more you make, the more people can see what you do, the more chances and opportunities will arise for you to keep doing what you love and building your career.

The entire platform has been built from the ground up with best practices. From a technical point of view, all files are stored in private file storage in the cloud and only relevant owners on the platform can gain access if they are authenticated. And all server communications are also encrypted.

Where would you like to see Filmer.tv in the next 12 months?

I’d like to see Filmer.tv as a resource that has been embraced by brands, clients and agencies. I’d like to see us making a wide variety of high quality and creatively-charged video content for all types of clients, across all types of digital, social or broadcast channels.

I’d like to see us filling the void between brands who want more video content, more often, and creators who want to connect and create quality work for those brands.

And I’d like to see people without masks and the 2metre rule coming into our offices and having a coffee – just like the old days!