While we're not exactly sure what will come of it, Thriving Archives now has a Fan Page on Facebook. At the moment we're mainly posting links to stock footage industry news items and inviting friends from the motion content industry to become fans. Please drop by the page for look. Fans encouraged to post updates as well.

Thriving Archives founder David Seevers has joined the Executive Council of FOCAL (The Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries International Ltd.), a not-for-profit professional trade association representing commercial film/audiovisual, stills and sound libraries as well as interested individuals such as facility houses, professional film researchers and producers working in the industry.

Thriving Archives founder David Seevers will present an overview of the Footage Customer Survey: Non-Fiction Producers USA at the next meeting of the Association of Commercial Stock Image Licensors, scheduled to take place on April 28th, 2009.

Thriving Archives has just released the Footage Customer Survey: Non-Fiction Producers USA, a comprehensive and detailed market research study exploring the attitudes and perceptions of footage customers.

San Francisco, CA - February 2, 2009 - Thriving Archives is pleased to announce the release of The Footage Customer Survey: Non-Fiction Producers USA, a new study examining the attitudes and perceptions of footage customers from the documentary film/non-fiction program making community in the United States. The Footage Customer Survey provides critical insights into what matters most to these footage customers; which footage companies are doing the best job of meeting their needs; and overall levels of customer satisfaction. 244 participants completed the survey online between April 23 and October 2, 2008.

The 122-page report is packed with of eye-opening, practical and action-oriented findings. By providing a clearer picture of what motivates footage customers and prospects, The Footage Customer Survey will help footage executives better meet customer needs and desires; determine where best to deploy resources; more effectively position themselves within the market; and enhance their overall competitiveness.

Survey Overview and Research Objectives
The Footage Customer Survey assessed customer perception of the relative importance of, and satisfaction with, the following six key attributes:
· Footage Quality and/or Selection
· Reasonable and/or Flexible Pricing
· The Availability of Online Tools
· The Quality of Customer Service
· The Availability of Broadcast Quality Digital Footage
· The Availability of High-Definition Footage

The survey also drilled down to explore the relative importance of various components underlying the six key factors listed above. At this more granular level - whether asked about pricing, customer service, online tools or search practices - participants indicated a strong desire for simplicity, transparency and self-service. The message, it seems, is that footage companies need to make it very easy for footage customers to access their collections, remove as many roadblocks as possible, and the let the customers take it from there.

The Footage Customer Survey also examined how leading footage companies within each footage category (including News, Premium Stock, Archival/Newsreel and Sports) are performing. Based on the results, it appears that footage providers looking to position themselves as leaders in the delivery of any of the six attributes tested have a very good opportunity to do so.

The Footage Customer Survey: Non-Fiction USA is now available for purchase. The price is $625.

Footage Buyer Survey to provide insight into footage buyer preferences and help footage companies better serve their customers. Participants to receive discount footage coupons from major footage suppliers.

San Francisco, CA - Thriving Archives is pleased to announce the launch of the Footage Buyer Survey – Non-Fiction USA, an independent market research study examining the things that matter most to footage buyers.

The Footage Buyer Survey is open to documentary filmmakers, producers of non-fiction television programming, footage researchers and other members of the non-fiction film & video production community in the United States who have licensed or obtained footage within the last three years. Respondents who fully complete the Footage Buyer Survey will receive three discount footage coupons, each from a major footage supplier.

“The Footage Buyer Survey is designed to help footage providers understand what footage customers care about, what they don’t, and who is doing the best job in meeting their needs,” said Thriving Archives founder David Seevers. “By participating in this study, respondents will provide the critical feedback footage suppliers need to better serve the footage buying community.”

Built around an online questionnaire consisting of 45 mostly multiple-choice questions, the Footage Buyer Survey explores the importance of specific footage industry practices, services and features; examines how the leading companies in the industry are performing relative to these key practices, services and features; and determines levels of customer satisfaction.

The Footage Buyer Survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. A link to the survey can be found at www.thrivingarchives.com.