New artist video hosting platform FrameRate aims to take on Vimeo
Two animation and motion graphics industry veterans have launched FrameRate, a new video hosting platform “built for creative professionals who care about craft”.
The platform, which is now in open beta, aims to give artists and filmmakers a more focused alternative to services like Vimeo and YouTube for sharing their work.
A new video hosting platform for artists, created by CG industry veterans
Founded by Justin Cone, former communications director at design and animation firm BUCK, and Motion Array co-founder Tyler Williams, FrameRate aims to give creatives who have fallen out of love with existing video hosting platforms an alternative way to share their work.
According to Cone:
“FrameRate exists because the platforms that once served the creative community have moved on: Vimeo pivoted to enterprise, Instagram and YouTube are chasing the TikTok model, and there’s no longer a great home for people who make highly crafted work and want to connect with others who do the same.”
The site aims to offer the features you would expect in a professional hosting service, including “highly customizable video embeds, client review tools, robust privacy controls, and community features like custom collections, time-stamped comments, and direct messaging”.
A free account lets you message users and comment on videos: to upload videos, you need a paid subscription – you can find current pricing here.
The site has only just entered open beta, so it will take time to build up the reach of existing services, but there are already some well-known names on it, including GMUNK and Artjail.
Aiming to do something the industry needs
I don’t normally include my own opinions in CG Channel stories, but I think they’re relevant here.
I use existing video hosting services daily to look for CG shorts, VFX breakdowns and demo reels, and the experience has become more and more frustrating, particularly with Vimeo.
I now have to use a VPN to access Vimeo’s search feature from the UK, and for a while earlier this year, the search results were so full of junk that I considered giving up on the site entirely.
Other hosting platforms are better, but they aren’t focused on creative work in the way that Vimeo was 10 or 15 years ago, and I think the industry needs something like that again.
I don’t know whether FrameRate will be that something, but it’s worth checking out.
Visit new artist-focused video hosting platform FrameRate online
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