Sounds too good to be true...?
 

Recently I was contacted by a production company in Canada - I'm in PA - about designing, hosting and setting up the billing for a site he needs designed. No up front costs etc. I buy the domain name, host it on my server and even do the billing - yet he provides me the content...

I told him that I would be willing to do it for 40/60 after expenses of hosting, taxes, fees etc.

The deal seems to good to be true for me - I'm in the process of drawing up a contract before I show it to an attorney - but I know I have to be missing something here?

Thoughts? Any concerns that I should have?

I work by myself and have no one to bouce stuff off of...?!

-Rob

who does the billing ?

It is ok if it is you or a third party, if it they are doing it then i wouldn't accept.

He wants me to do it with whomever I choose - I guess I send him the checks each month?

Sounds too good to be true but doesnt seem like you have a whole lot to lose even if you give it a shot.

Could be true.... If he has no experience and has money and just wants someone with experience to do the rest...

as long as it is legal...

What's so great about this deal? He gives you content that he already shot, which isn't making him any $$$ now anyway and you do all the work... putting up a site is one thing, but how are you going to make $$ from it?

Not sure if we are going to do monthly subscription or pay per view? Haven't gotten that far yet. He says he has 1000's of hours of content - just doesn't care to or want to do it on the web. He's a producer - not a web geek...

I'm worried as I have never met the dude - just typical anxiety - but if he sends me the files and I upload them to my server and control the billing - can't see where I lose?

It is all on the up and up - no grey material - these are mostly amateurs from his previous stuff - so I guess there can be 2257 - but the new stuff is shared with Adam & Eve who is going to release it on DVD - he just wants to do the web part...

so how are you going to make $$ from it? You will setup a site, and then what? You will market it, drive traffic to it, setup affiliate program, provide customer service, etc?

Yeah pretty much do it all.

Haven't thought about customer service? As in billing complaints etc?

Someone signs up, forgets the password and so he can't login, some other guy is on a mac, and the wmv videos you have in the members area don't play for him, some other guy is in china and the site loads slow for him, etc... just general customer service not just billing problems...

sounds ok.

lets face it thats how avs sort of operated.

the problem will be if you do not get the sales he expects.

the fear i would have is that he has not got model release and stuff for each actor.

you have to rely on him that his stuff is all legall.

I'm with woj on this one. Anyone can drop a template on a prebuilt framework/site and import content. That's the easy part.

The marketing and the maintenance is the hard part and he's doing... nothing?

Not sure where the too good to be true part comes in...

Yeah, asking for the documents to demonstrate he has the rights to the content and the content meets legal standards would be a must do.

Make sure the agreement is valid and thoroughly accounts for most scenarios. For example what happens in the event he wants out? Can you keep the domain name you've been branding and just find another content provider? Who owns the domain and the brand? Make sure he can't just use you to build a site for him and then dump you with nothing after it is done and he learns the ropes enough to manage it on his own.

I know what your saying about the too good to be true part - guess I have never worked this way before. It's always been chasing the client for $ and decisions - etc.

As far as the marketing, we have an in with Adam & Eve that will help us get traffic - they sell the video - we do the online part. Can't get too much into that without blowing my nut. By the maintenance is a concern.

Are ther companies to hire to deal with that? I want to do the 40/60 after costs i.e NET...?!

So if we hire a C/S company to deal with tech issues - it will come off the GROSS....

I fear partnerships with people I know. Partnerships with a random stranger from outside of the country? Proceed with extreme caution.

I like this

Sounds like you have something solid and secure going on already. I wouldn't touch this proposal unless I knew the other party for years - even then I'd be very hesitant.

Could be the deal of a lifetime. Could be a way for terrorist cells or drug cartels to funnel and launder money.

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes...

Hard to say...

How is the content? Does it look good? Pics too? Amateur or high quality? Has he sold it before or can the content be found on other sites?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster on both ends. Do you have any experience runing a pay site or an affiliate program thehornydog? It's a big job and requires some expertise and money especially in this day and age. You're essentially signing yourself up for a very time consuming undertaking even if you already have some experience in it which it sounds like you don't. As for the producer's part he's being awfully reckless and trusting to let some stranger handle his site, domain, and billing. How did he find you and why would you entrust you with that aspect of his business? You better make sure that you both have realistic expectations for each other or the whole thing is going to end in acrimony very quickly.

Is this with Josh?

He and I are both friends with Bree Olson - we were hooked up through her.

As for the rest - experience is something that one aquires by by rolling u their sleeves and doing the job. I'm not worried about that part.

Don't know a Josh?

The content is with A-list porn stars shot with Adam & Eve ent - his other stuff is amateur

Taking into consideration your reliable, trustworthy, and honest reference - I will retract my last post. This post and your statements are carrening wildly out of control - worse than me, even.

You originally said: Some guy wants me to run a paysite for him. I have no idea who he is and I don`t trust him. I`m all alone...

Now you say: I know everybody this guy knows, I trust them all, and he comes with the highest recommendation possible. His honesty is above reproach, and I have a grainy old pic of Bree Olsen that will prove - beyond a shadow of a doubt - that this guy is an upstanding member of the BROmmunity.

I`m not even going to bother quoting the twists and turns you`ve added since your original post.

Caveat emptor. Que sera, sera. どうもありがとう Mr. Roboto.

..........

Never said I know everyone he know's - I know her and he knows her. Other than that - I never met the guy. So yeah - I have no clue who or what I am dealing with.

Just looking for some input that's all. You're looking too much into things. I posted the pic cause I like it/her - she's awesome..!

I have no intention of putting in 500 hours of work to put together everything and then have him not live up to his end of the bargain - and me try and track him down with a bill in my hand for $10k for services rendered.

The fact of the matter is this, I need to put my ducks in a row - I got some great feedback from folks on the 2257, the copy fo the contract up front to see how the content is licensed - etc.

To me - the whole thing seems a little shady right now. But I do know people have done business over oceans and made money.

I turned to GFY - hoping that someone had similar circumstances?

So far I am out $11.70 for the purchase of a domain name......

His side of the deal is to provide the content and that's about it? So he'd be your content provider.
I wouldn't be too concerned about him not living up to his end of the deal if his end is
just providing the content. It shouldn't take long to figure out if he's handing over the
content or not. I would be more concerned with whether it makes sense to split the
earnings with your content provider. Look at how much it would cost to buy content to
start a somewhat similar site and what update content would cost. Would you rather
buy content, or give the content provider 40%?

Better make sure the 2257 docs are in order.

Seems if you're controlling the billing and you can get a handle on CS (which really shouldn't be that difficult), 2257 is the only question left.

Don't be afraid to think outside the box to make a deal. I have a free mainstream Thought-For-The-Day site with four writers. I built and maintain the site. Each writer gets his own page and we split the ad space on each page. One uses his to promote his book with an Amazon ad, I set up Google AdSense accounts for two others, and made a permanent banner link for the other to promote his church's website.

Yes, that's a totally different scenario. My point is simply that just because you're not working the same way you're used to, don't let that stop you. What's the worst that could happen?

As long as he has 2257 docs and you can sign an iron-clad contract and you control the domain, I would do it. Also get all the content and documents up front before you begin.

get more info..legal 2257 etc
how old is the content..what niche

why not just use something like our feeds and build your own mega site?
for tours, members area etc.
charge monthly..1000's of hours of content he will give you?...that is like 500 dvds worth tops.

Most successful membership sites have access to thousands of dvds.
however, maybe you are doing just Japanese teen creampies....or hairy Japanese teen creampies...small niches like this, can get away with much less content.