T-shirt Contest discussion thread

[TiE_Shepherd]

Guys, how about KICKSTARTER? Let's do $1000 for 100 tee's. 30 days to raise the funds, minimum pledge $10, some could donate more if they'd like. I think that is the best way to do it and will be very organized when sending stuff out..

That's a lot of shirts to sell. Not saying it couldn't/wouldn't happen, but going through all kickstarter hoops seems like making things more complicated than they need to me. Plus if you don't sell all the shirts then you're left with nothing and have to start all over again. It would be easier (if the right person could be selected) for someone to handle everything without messing with running it through kickstarter.

Also something to keep in mind for people designing shirts. The more colors/sides you start adding the more it will raise the price with a screen printer.

I have a 4 color press I picked up for printing some shirts for a few friends on the side, but I don't have the time to get it all set up yet and wouldn't be ready to run something like this till this summer.

[1]

KICKSTARTER

Absolutely NOT!

For what we want to do here, that is about the LEAST favorable option.

[Almohada]

Yeah I just thought about it some more, it wouldn't work anyways...
I was checking out Vista Print and they have a sale for plain shirts with front design for $4.75 each!! I think the best way is if someone on here does screen printing...

[drapeama]

I can check, near from where I work there's a sport store that offers that service. To print something on a t-shirt, front and back, it wouldn't be much expensive I think. I'll make a phone call tomorow and let you know.

[1]

I recommend to use a service that Erik suggested. Everything else would not be very good, as it involves an initial investment, and someone to handle shipping etc.
Let's not make this more complicated than it is.

[drapeama]

Let's not make this more complicated than it is.

Good point. But still I'm curious to know how much it would be. I like my own concept, maybe I'll do it for myself.

[blondandfun]

well, the teeshirt idea isn't about advertising, it's more about just the members of this forum who need something to wear around the house and/or going to workout and it goes to a good cause.This "quasi-business' will have to have a purpose. If there is a purpose other that profit, like something that can be accomplished. There has to be a story. STORY people, just like in filmmaking, business is similar. Even if people wear these shirts around the house I think they will buy them if they feel like something purposeful has gone into this other than profit. Even if the money goes to educating youth about filmmaking or about promoting the arts, something like that would be nice. Or even helping out the victims of Japan, where Canon is based, would be a good cause, and I think many would buy the shirts.

[HD-tography]

Perhaps we can have that design contest AFTER doing thorough research to find out which host site offers the best rate on distribution, then link up the final design(s) to that site with any profits/commission from sales going to fund prizes for the monthly film contest here on HV20.com, perhaps with one of the t-shirts themselves being a prize, like one for the forum and one that says winner of the contest, etc. Depending on future profits, it may eventually yield some "actual" prizes one day... Until then all you good people can all buy several of them and sit around your houses in front of your computers wearing them, take photos of yourselves and post them on the forum, and think of excuses why you are not out shooting something

Or... you could always throw one on, shut up, and get out there to shoot something worthwhile! Then people on the street will see you and ask you if you are a big film producer, and you can tell them YES and that you learned everything you know at HV20.COM, thereby increasing traffic, growing the community, and selling more t-shirts so others can also discover the joys of capturing/editing HD video!

hmmm... dunno where I was going with that... but anyways, I think I had some kind of point... hmmm

[darthpaully]

Or even helping out the victims of Japan, where Canon is based, would be a good cause, and I think many would buy the shirts.

This is a GREAT concept, but honestly- it sounds like a lot of work. Let's just make a T-shirt first.... If it works out then we can up the stakes.

Plus, and more importantly, we DO have a story here. In fact many. They may not be romantic all the time, but they're there- you don't have to think too hard to come up with one...

I think most would agree that these T-shirts are long overdue, so the purpose for getting one is already "built in" for most. I think the profit part is just a simple and effective way of repaying the person who puts up the money. It's like playing blackjack at a home game- The guy with all the money gets to be the bank- and have a better chance of winning. That's the price they get for facilitating the game....

Who is our facilitator?

[darthpaully]

Perhaps we can have that design contest AFTER doing thorough research to find out which host site offers the best rate on distribution, then link up the final design(s) to that site with any profits/commission from sales going to fund prizes for the monthly film contest here on HV20.com, perhaps with one of the t-shirts themselves being a prize, like one for the forum and one that says winner of the contest, etc. Depending on future profits, it may eventually yield some "actual" prizes one day... Until then all you good people can all buy several of them and sit around your houses in front of your computers wearing them, take photos of yourselves and post them on the forum, and think of excuses why you are not out shooting something

Or... you could always throw one on, shut up, and get out there to shoot something worthwhile! Then people on the street will see you and ask you if you are a big film producer, and you can tell them YES and that you learned everything you know at HV20.COM, thereby increasing traffic, growing the community, and selling more t-shirts so others can also discover the joys of capturing/editing HD video!

hmmm... dunno where I was going with that... but anyways, I think I had some kind of point... hmmm

+1,000,000,000,000

[HD-tography]

I think the profit part is just a simple and effective way of repaying the person who puts up the money. It's like playing blackjack at a home game- The guy with all the money gets to be the bank- and have a better chance of winning. That's the price they get for facilitating the game....

Hey Uncle Paully, Card Game At My Place... Bring Your Money!!!

I would consider it but the facilitator has gotta be from the USA, cross border shipping is really getting ridiculous with our Canadian dollar being worth so much more than the greenback...

OTOH just a few seconds ago I just bought a Canon EF 28mm 1.8 USM for my T3i for under $450 USD shipped, which is less than $430 Canadian, and locally that lens is worth over $700 after taxes!!! SWEET!!! Go LOONIE GO!!! (that's what they call our dollar here, lol)

[darthpaully]

Hey Uncle Paully, Card Game At My Place... Bring Your Money!!!

You're on! How long a drive is it from California to Winnipeg?

[HD-tography]

You're on! How long a drive is it from California to Winnipeg?

Hmmmm lets see, from Roseville, CA it's 31 hours straight through on the I-80 E for 1,798 miles... see ya Saturday night sometime if ya leave in the morning! LOL I'll put the coffee on

[darthpaully]

See you Saturday.....

I recommend to use a service that Erik suggested. Everything else would not be very good, as it involves an initial investment, and someone to handle shipping etc.
Let's not make this more complicated than it is.

I just checked these out and I agree that this is the way to go. A little pricier, but we'd have all kinds of options from mugs to hoodies and it would only require uploading the designs. Done.

I suppose someone would have to be in charge of the "store" but it doesn't appear that these type of sites requires a whole lot of time. Who wants to work the register?

If we go the cafe press or printfection route then all we have to do is have the contest to decide the "official" designs. I think that it's important we don't make it a free for all, rather go with a handful of designs picked by forum memebers.

[blondandfun]

OTOH just a few seconds ago I just bought a Canon EF 28mm 1.8 USM for my T3i for under $450 USD shipped, which is less than $430 Canadian, and locally that lens is worth over $700 after taxes!!! SWEET!!! Go LOONIE GO!!! (that's what they call our dollar here, lol)

Congrats! For my t3i, I just ordered a Sigma 28mm F1.8 for $400. It will be fun/interesting comparing our lenses.

[HD-tography]

Congrats! For my t3i, I just ordered a Sigma 28mm F1.8 for $400. It will be fun/interesting comparing our lenses.

I was watching that one too used on eBay, then it hit $300 USD and I decided to just wait for the Canon... the used resale on the Canon has been steady at $450-$500 so I really got a steal on this baby... yeah I will defiantly shoot some tests with it, and may release some of my actual working footage if not too sensitive to my current project. I am also booked for trying my hand at some weddings this summer, so I will own all that footage for my demo reel, so one way or the other I'll get some actual working footage up. BIF's got one as well... great normal focal length with a cropped sensor DSLR... anyways...

BACK TO THE T-SHIRT DEBATE... So who's runnin' this show anyways... any takers?

[HD-tography]

If we go the cafe press or printfection route then all we have to do is have the contest to decide the "official" designs. I think that it's important we don't make it a free for all, rather go with a handful of designs picked by forum memebers.

Yeah, but somehow whoever works the register should be funneling the money back to the site somehow, in my opinion to go towards prizes for the resident film contest or something of the like... also, keep in mind the design should ideally be resizeable, probably one or 2 simple colors, using the "SF Atarian System" font for the lettering, and if it's an outline should have a transparent image/background.

[Erik Bien]

Tellin' y'all, Printfection: I believe t-shirts (no limit on colors) start at $16 each before quantity discounts kick in. They provide the web 'storefront' and the 'shopping cart' and (assuming we don't sell them 'at cost') will send any 'profits' anywhere we specify.

[Timbit]

I'm starting to get excited...

[Almohada]

I can't wait!

[darthpaully]

OK, so are we all in agreement on printfection then? I think it's time to get the contest going...

How about the submission's first- Not sure how to do it other than a thread and everyone gets one post to leave their entries. I'd say no more than 3 per person wiht a time limit of a week or two at most. Once the design(s) are uploaded then it's on whoever wants one. Not as communal this way, but at least I can get an HV20.com 3/4 sleeve baseball shirt without having to guy a truckload of them.

If admin's have any ideas for the contest please tell us what to do. I would say a page or site with all the designs would be cool but I don't know.

[darthpaully]

I made a printfection store today. I called it "HV20.com Gear":
http://www.printfection.com/HV20gear

Nothing there yet but it only took a few minutes to set up. As long it as it doesn't require too much extra time, I don't mind taking the reigns on this one. I have a lot interest in T-shirt designing and selling anyway so this might be the 101 course I need.

If nobody objects, let's get the contest going.... I'm going to post a "T-shirt contest" thread. I think that nobody should post except for participants- I'll say 3 entries per person- that's fair enough, and the deadline should be..... uhh, how bout June 1? That gives everyone a few weeks to get something together.

Do I need an admin approval here? Well, feel free to override me here if necessary- I just want a darn T-shirt!! I think printfection will be perfect...

[Erik Bien]

I'm not an Admin, but I'll second paully's motion and nomination. I would suggest contestants familiarize themselves with Printfection's pricing and artwork recommendations for T-shirts.

[drapeama]

Great, I'll try to think of two more designs and I'll post them in that thread for sure.
Any possibility to have more than only one design, let's say if it's not everybody that likes it? Just asking, just in case...

[Almohada]

Let's get this thing rolling... wanna have my HV20.com shirt by summertime!