Frequently Asked Questions

What is TRANSTERRA Media?

TRANSTERRA is an online marketplace that brings news, documentary and multi-media from the world's frontlines to buyers around the globe.

TRANSTERRA contributors range from seasoned correspondents, local television networks and documentary filmmakers, to artists, aspiring journalists, activists and NGOs. From Cairo to Chang Mai, and from Delhi to DC, our contributors have rare access, unique perspectives, and are on the ground, where the stories are happening, producing high-quality media that cannot be found elsewhere. Their videos and images of breaking stories, historical archive footage, and feature length documentary films are available on TRANSTERRA now for immediate purchasing, licensing and full-resolution download.

From networks like CNN, and Al Jazeera, to cable channels like Discovery and A&E, serious buyers in the media and creative communities are accessing the media they need today and the new sources that they will need tomorrow.

We believe that multiple and diverse perspectives in media should be accessible to all-- to a grandmother in Tokyo, to a 7th grader in California, and to those in global newsrooms and media outlets tasked with showing their audience what is happening in the world.

What kinds of media is TRANSTERRA looking for?

TRANSTERRA is currently best positioned to market high-quality videos and photos that tell a human story. We typically seek photo essays, documentary films and raw or produced video for news or archival use. However, we are interested in any kind of quality media that you produce, and we will do our best to market it for you. The website also supports text and audio file uploads. TRANSTERRA is not looking for pornographic, hateful or otherwise objectionable media, but aside from that, the only fixed requirement is that you either own the copyright to all media that you upload, or have explicit permission to use and sell it. By using the website and uploading media, you are agreeing to our Supplier Agreement, which specifies how you are giving us the right to curate, promote and sell your media on your behalf.

Just finished a project or about to start a new one?

Wherever you are in the process, TRANSTERRA can help. Find a collaborator, a crew or a camera using the network we've built. If the project is right, TRANSTERRA has a team of in-house producers ready to help you shape your story, realize your vision and sell it. Write a short synopsis, let us know the status of the project and what you need from us. Our in-house support for projects ranges from lining up a buyer to providing production guidance and funding for our favorite ideas and contributors. We pride ourselves in helping you bring great ideas to fruitful completion. Pitch us (Browse > Pitch) the story, documentary, photo essay or other project that you are working on. We'll get back to you right away.

What is the social mission of TRANSTERRA?

We believe that TRANSTERRA's open market for global media can identify, support and distribute the world's most vital new sources of news, information, documentary and multi-media.

At TRANSTERRA, we want to learn about the world through your version of the story, and we want to share what we have learned with others. We seek the truth. Maybe not THE truth, but another truth, a countervailing truth, one truth in conflict with another truth. Somewhere among these ‘truths’ is the story that we all share. We want to reward those who tell their part of the human story and tell it well. We want multiple and diverse perspectives accessible to all-- to a grandmother in Tokyo, to a 7th grader in California, and to those in global newsrooms and media outlets tasked with showing their audience what is happening in the world.

We are like a wall of new graffiti on Mohamed Mahmoud Street, just off of Tahrir Square in Cairo. Our contributors have been waiting to access the public space-- the global stage. Our contributors are everywhere, bursting with passion, obvious talent and a thirst to be heard, but they lack ACCESS.

TRANSTERRA curates and translates the graffiti on the wall so that its global significance and universal human story can be accessed by all.

TRANSTERRA provides the access that story-tellers need, as well as the access that distributors, producers and news outlets seek.

How do I create a profile on the site?

Creating an account and profile is simple - go to sign up page here, then choose a username and password, and you have an account! Note that email addresses are not required for accounts, but we will have very limited ways to contact you without it.

To create a profile, which is essential for us to help sell your media to potential clients, simply log in to your account, then scroll over your username in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, click on "my profile," then click on "edit profile" on the right-hand side of the page. Be sure to click on "update user" at the bottom of the page to save the info that you enter. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, please see our Site Guide section, Create Profile.

How do I upload media on the site?

To upload media, simply click on the "upload" button on the upper left-hand side of any page. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, please see our Site Guide section, Upload Media.

How do I buy media on the Transterra site?

Simply create an account, then either purchase credit using a credit card, or request a line of credit for purchasing media from us. If we approve your request for a line of credit, we will invoice you once per month when you have a negative balance. Once you have credits in your account, simply make sure that you are logged in to your account, find the media you need, select an appropriate license (the usage license that you select directly effects the pricing of content), then click on "Purchase." You will instantly be guided to complete a download of the full-resolution, un-watermarked file.

For detailed, step-by-step instructions, please see our Site Guide sections below:

Adding Credit
Licensing Media

What video and formats and codecs do you accept?

Here is a word from our video encoders: We support hundreds of codecs and formats, including all of the most common ones. It’s actually probably more helpful to talk about the formats we don’t support, since that’s a manageable list. At the moment, there are only a few:

• Apple Intermediate
• HDV 720p60
• ProRes 4444
• Go2Meeting3 (G2M3)
• ER AAC LD (Error Resilient, Low-Delay variant of AAC)

Other than these codecs, which we hope to support soon, we can handle just about anything. And if you find something we don’t support, let us know-- chances are we can figure out a way to make it work. Other than these codecs, which we hope to support soon, we can handle just about anything. And if you find something we don’t support, let us know-- chances are we can figure out a way to make it work. For a full list of accepted formats, please see the this page.

What about copyright?

You must own the copyright to any media that you upload, or have explicit permission to use and sell it. The copyright to your media will always remain your own. By using the website and uploading, you are agreeing to TRANSTERRA's Supplier Agreement, which specifies how you are giving us the right to curate, promote and sell your media on your behalf.

What kind of media is available for purchase from TRANSTERRA?

We classify the photos and videos available for purchase according to the categories below. For a detailed description of what each category means, please see Products and Services. See this section also to learn more about on-demand production for media catered to your needs as well as equipment and field production services that we offer.

VIDEO ELEMENTS Breaking news, coverage of newsworthy events, interviews with key personalities, archival footage, and the list goes on…video elements range in duration from a few seconds to a few minutes. They can vary from raw to lightly edited footage.

VIDEO COLLECTIONS Multiple contributors often cover the same event. Every day TRANSTERRA’s editorial staff choose the best video and photo elements and presents them as collections.

STORY KITS Similar to a video wire, these are semi-produced news kits that include establishing shots, key interviews, b-roll, cutaways, a full shot list and a backgrounder.

PRODUCED Complete, ready-to-air news stories/packages and documentaries produced by our top-tier producers.

ARCHIVAL Just click browse, and, for example, enter a keyword like Jan25 and see what Archival video and photos TRANSTERRA has to offer.

PHOTO ELEMENTS Individual photos that range from breaking news to defining historical moments and stock images from around the world.

PHOTO ESSAYS A series of between 5 and 12 photos on a related topic or event are displayed as a collection on the site. Here is a sample.

DOCUMENTARY FILMS Browse our current line-up of Documentary Films and contact us about you would like to be involved.

STORY REQUEST Do you have a specific story request? We will produce it through our network of contributors.

STORY PITCHES Story ideas from vetted journalists on a wide-range of contemporary subjects that matter. Learn about our VIP access to contributor pitches and exclusive media.

What does Status "Approved" and "Not Yet Reviewed" mean?

APPROVED status means that media has been viewed by a TRANSTERRA staff, vetted and approved according to production standards, detailed title descriptions and the credibility of the contributor.

NOT YET APPROVED means that TRANSTERRA staff have not reviewed the media yet, so we can not vouch for the credibility or production value of the media in question.

How does TRANSTERRA license and price media?

TRANSTERRA automates pricing and licensing for videos and photos to ensure that media can be purchased as soon as it is uploaded onto the site. Once media has been uploaded, encoded and the required upload fields are complete, media is then available for licensing according to selected USE (documentary, editorial, advertising, etc.), DISTRIBUTION (web/mobile, television, cinema, print, etc.), TERM (3 months, 6 months, 1 year, etc.), and/or SPECIAL USE (independent film, NGO, etc.). Each selection directly effects the final price of the license.

What is the base price?

Contributors choose the base-price of their media according to pricing assistance we provide. We want each contributor to retain as much control over their pricing needs as possible. We believe it is imperative that contributors are integrated into the news and documentary market throughout the process, starting with the base price. On rare occasions when a contributor's media is incorrectly inflated, and the media should be seen by the world, we do exercise our right to adjust the price.

How is TRANSTERRA financed?

TRANSTERRA is financed through private investment capital with the express goal to build sustainable revenue generation and profit for both contributors and shareholders alike.

Why is TRANSTERRA a for-profit company and not an NGO?

TRANSTERRA is a for-profit company because we believe that market-driven sustainability is the only real way to empower networks of media-makers of all shades to continue telling the stories that are not being heard at a global level. In order to continue our operations and pioneer a new and less exploitative approach to international media production without donor dependence and influence, we must be sustained by market-driven revenue.

Where is TRANSTERRA located?

TRANSTERRA is a Lebanese company registered in Beirut, Lebanon under the name TRANSTERRA Media, SAL. We currently have offices in Beirut and Cairo, with additional management based in San Francisco, Austin and Washington D.C.

Can I use watermarked material from the TRANSTERRA site?

Contributors are welcome to use our lower resolution and watermarked previews from the TRANSTERRA site for non-commercial use, as long as the individual contributor and TRANSTERRA are clearly attributed.

How much money do I get for my work?

When we sell your content, you receive a minimum of 50% of any and all revenue that your media generates through TRANSTERRA. If you are an established producer or journalist with archives or have longer format, edited content that you would like us to sell for you, please contact us. We can create a custom agreement and revenue split that meets your needs.

Our default revenue split favors contributors and is based on your credibility rating. The breakdown is:

1-3 Stars = 50/50 Revenue Share

4 Stars = 60/40 Revenue Share

5 Stars = 70/30 Revenue Share

What kind of organizations does Transterra partner with on projects?

We partner with a wide variety of organizations and companies to provide high-quality produced content, support for journalistic activities, the democratization of media and training for the next generation of journalists.

MEDIA DEVELOPMENT
IREX
IWPR (International War and Peace Reporting)
Barefoot Productions

International Media Solutions

MEDIA SUPPORT
Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting

CONTENT PARTNERS
IWPR
Global Voices Online
Tehran Bureau
IREX
Small World News
Metrography
Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting

PastPreservers
ODeC – Observatoire Tunisien de la Démocratie et de la Citoyenneté
L'Organisation pour la 2ème Republique
ICIR International Center for Investigative Reporting

Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC)
Baniadam Relief and Development Organization

SAFMA – South Asia Free Media Association (Islamabad/Lahore/Kabul Branches)
IMCA – Independent Media Center Africa

UNIVERSITIES

Annenburg School of Public Diplomacy (Communication)
Central European University

What kinds of contributors does TRANSTERRA work with?

TRANSTERRA works with contributors of all stripes: seasoned professionals, local and regional news outlets, professional video and photo journalists, artists, documentary film makers, social activists, NGO trained media creators and anyone with a story to tell the world.

What kind of buyers purchase media on the TRANSTERRA website?

We are some of the largest and most renowned news organizations worldwide. To name a few:

ABC News
Al Arabiya
Al Jazeera
AOL News
BBC News
CBS Local Stations Group
Christian Science Monitor
CNN
Deusche Welle
Examiner.com
Fox News
France 24
Google News
HuffingtonPost.com
Los Angeles Times
MBC
MSNBC
Digital Network
NBC Local Media
Newsweek
New York Times
People
Russia Today
Sky News
Time
Washington post.com
Yahoo! News

What are Transterra's plans for the future?

We will be implementing constant improvements as well as exciting and useful additions during the summer and fall of 2012 as we roll out versions 1.1 and 1.2 of the website. We will continue to work on site design, upload functionality, contributor credibility expansion, localization into Arabic, French and Spanish, cross-site sharing, improved search, social media integration, video subtitling, organization pages & integrated mobile apps.

Versions 2.0 and 3.O will see the addition of crew-building functionality, crowd-funding and our proprietary Live Wire news ticker and widget.

If you have any ideas for future improvement or integration, email us email us. Remember this site is for you, let us know what you need.

What is Transterra's Privacy Policy?

Transterra Media is committed to protecting your privacy. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for information on how we collect, use and disclose personal information at http://transterramedia.com/privacy-policy

Is the Transterra website secure?

Our internet world-view is that the internet is semi-private and semi-secure at best. We do not believe that it is possible to create a fully securitized web environment. No site can guarantee a bullet-proof system to fend off the attacks of a committed individual, group or government. That being said, TRANSTERRA takes every precaution available in order to protect the confidentiality of our users information on the website and across all other internal company communications. All financial transactions and data transmissions are conducted using the latest encryption protocols. All data is, likewise, stored on servers armed with the latest in security provisions. All TRANSTERRA employees are trained and kept up-to-date on all security procedures which conform to international standards.

It is important to reiterate, however, that perfect security on the Internet does not exist, and TRANSTERRA can not guarantee that this website is impenetrable or invulnerable to hackers. If you have any further questions about the security at our website, you can send an email to info@transterramedia.com .

Can I upload securely on TRANSTERRA's website?

The upload functionality of the website conforms to the latest in http security protocols. In developing the website, we have chosen speed versus a slower https:// style upload environment. If you are in an environment where you think that uploading to TRANSTERRA directly will compromise your security, email or call us and let us work with you on a variety of highly securitized upload options that we can make available for you. Given the security risks that many of you are facing, we do not make these options available directly from the website.