Would be great if B-roll.net could pick up the slack and start a stolen gear forum or something. Free classified ads would be my other dream.
Kevin's dream was to not lose money from creating, designing and maintaining B-roll. One of those ways was paid classified ads.
Even at it's height, there was very little money generated by B-roll. Kevin did it/does it as a labor of love. And yet, even as most all of this is free, on his time, someone wants even more for free.
List your gear on Ebay. It's not free. Sell it through a broker. Still not free. Sell it on Craig's List......and deal with a bunch of people asking you to take 15% of the asking price, and 90% of those are tire kickers at best.
So my suggestion is that YOU start a stolen gear list (free) and classified ad list (free) and then a year from that date, lets have a conversation about free.
Kevin has spent a lot of money out of pocket for this site. Yes there are a few banner ads, and they do not generate enough to money for the server space. Kevin does all the admin work, while maintaining a full time job, caring for his wife and child, and trying to have a life outside of television once in awhile.
Those B-roll parties in Vegas? Not a cent went into Kev's pocket.Figure in the time he spent arranging it, along with a couple other guys (Andy, Stewart) his wife, and it lost money. Companies came to help pay for the beer & food, gave a little product away, but had no interest in paying for ads. The audience is mostly guys that don't buy gear, they use whatever their employer provides. And funny-when the free food and drink Broll parties ended, the number of people showing up for "buy your own" suddenly dwindled, and fast.
This isn't intended to bust anyone's balls. But Kevin has spent an inordinate amount of time on this site, and honestly, I've no idea why at this point. Kevin has shown an incredible loyalty and spirit in building this site, and over the years, as Facebook, and other forums have developed, it's hard without a full time staff to keep one going. I have friends that do it full time and it is hard work.
B-roll started at the dawn of the Internet Age. Kevin was at the forefront of what has become an enormous tool for learning and communication, as well as an enormous time suck with cat videos and Kanye memes. As time as gone by, many websites have shut down due to lack of interest and most importantly-lack of revenue.
B-roll is Kevin's 1st child. I understand why he's reluctant to kill it, but I also don't understand why he still keeps it going. Since he does, I am very appreciative of it, and have in past bought a classified when selling something. Which BTW, sold to a Broll user.
I suggested to Kevin a few years ago, make it a paid membership. I offered to be the first to sign up, and that offer stands. Yet Kevin wants to keep it free to join and participate.
Wikipedia is currently engaged in a fund drive, much like the 23/6 efforts of PBS. Kevin has never done a Go Fund Me, pledge drive, or in anyway asked for people to just send money for this.....he just does it. For FREE. So asking for a 'free classifieds" or add a stolen gear list, you're asking Kevin to take time out of his life to do it. For free.
I've met a lot of great people here....Douglas, who has helped me immensely the last few years, with a great many things, Run n Gun, whom I now work with on a semi regular basis, and Nino, who I finally got to work with last week. NeckTie Boy, whom I've had breakfast once a year for several years, and Ken, one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and and incredible DP. And a lot more.
Most of all, Kevin. A guy that made all that happen, on his own time.... for free.
I'm sure I'll get some pissed off responses to this, but I don't care. But overtime I see someone here whining that the site is "dead" or "dying", why doesn't Broll do "this" or "that", I thought maybe it's time everyone knows why.
Gentlemen start your flaming. After all......it's "free".