Holdframe started as a radical idea.
What if we took something that has historically had little to no value — project files that are figuratively collecting dust on hard drives all across the world — and shared those? What would happen if we collectively offered total transparency into how we work? And in turn, what if we sold these files at a reasonable rate? Would this then create a totally new and accessible learning resource for our community, offering the ability to learn from some of the world's best working artists? And by purchasing these files, what if that then helped support these artists to create more work? And so on...
That was how Holdframe started.
It was me, a simple Squarespace site, a domain, and of course loads of unbelievably generous and talented contributors. After a little more than two years, I'm happy to say that this crazy idea has exceeded all expectations!
In this short amount of time, Holdframe has:
● Been viewed in almost every country (181 out of 195... so close!)
● Processed right under 80,000 downloads (that's over 100 a day?!)
● Shared 60 amazing projects
● Generated nearly $100,000 in sales
● With over 60% of every dollar going directly to the artist
● Paid close to $70k to the artists involved
● Donated almost $10k to charity
From the start, the response to the site has been nothing short of amazing. And none of that would have been possible had it not been for those in our community willing to share their work and for those willing to download and buy it. As a proof of concept, this idea worked!
Since the launch, I've had a front-row seat to see the potential of this idea and the prospects of where it could go. With time, though, I could also see that this idea was much bigger than just myself. And that if I held the reins too tightly and made it all about me, I wouldn't just be the person responsible for bringing this idea to life. I'd also be responsible for killing it. Long story short, I needed help.
Enter Joey Korenman and School of Motion.
I've known Joey for some time now. We live in the same small town, and whether it's catching up over coffee or the countless miles we've put in together running, I've gotten to know him quite well. Throughout all this, I’ve come to respect and admire what he and the team at School of Motion have been able to do in such a short amount of time. I’ve watched them grow School of Motion from a mere blog to the industry giant it is today, and I see the hopes they have for the future and for our community at large. Naturally, when he offered to help out with Holdframe, it didn't take very long to know that this was the right direction to go.
That brings us to the present day. The good news is that Holdframe and School of Motion will now be joining forces!
Our goal is to preserve all of the things that made Holdframe, Holdframe, and to work together to see how these two brands can complement one another. And most importantly, we aim to bring our community even more fantastic work to learn from, put more money into artists' pockets, and provide even more context and more structured learning outcomes with the work we share.
We're just getting started, and we have a lot in the works. To get things kicked off, we're thrilled to introduce our first new product: Holdframe Workshops.
Joe Donaldson
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