02/05/2018
Our USB Cards function in so many different ways for our customers! Recently, we worked with Gordon McAlpin from Multiplex 10 Cinemas - here's what he has to say (worth the read):
"I'm an independent cartoonist, illustrator, and animator, what I'm using the USB cards for is probably a little unusual.
The project I got my Flarian USB cards for was MULTIPLEX 10, an animated short that was funded through two crowdfunding campaigns: the first, a Kickstarter campaign covering production costs, and second, an Indiegogo campaign for distribution, release, film festival submissions, and other related costs.
I offered the USB cards pre-loaded with the animated short as an alternative to producing a Blu-Ray (or a DVD, which would look terrible in the age of 4K TVs). Between authoring and printing and packaging and all of that, making a Blu-Ray is ridiculously expensive—especially for twelve minute short film! And after you've watched it a couple of times, it's basically landfill. By selling it on a USB drive, not only could my customers get the short in a DRM-free digital file, but once they copy it into their video library, the card isn't just a waste of space and plastic—they can still use it as a thumb drive!
I was immediately drawn to the USB card form because it was, well, rectangular—so I could print our short film's poster art on it at an attractive size. AND because they're so thin, I can ship these USB cards to my customers—bubble-wrapped in a rigid mailer—with just a regular 47¢ postage stamp (or $1.15 for international orders).
Since I'm a cartoonist in addition to being an animator, I exhibit at comic book conventions sometimes, too, and who's going to buy a download code for a digital copy of a short film? That's just weird. But I can definitely sell a USB card with your digital goods loaded onto it!
Indie creators should definitely look at USB cards as a way to sell their digital goods at signings or conventions. A musician could put literally every album they've produced on one USB card, you know?
The MULTIPLEX 10 animated short is available for digital download at http://vimeo.com/ondemand/multiplex10 and the USB cards are available in the Multiplex 10 store here: http://multiplex10.bigcartel.com/product/multiplex-10-the-animated-short-usb-card"