A little more than a year ago, we brought you Crowd Control, the world’s largest library of Pre-keyed Alpha stock footage. We’ve been proud to see the product used in live events, broadcast and the web.
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced with Crowd Control has been delivery. The download speed is slow. We know this. In fact, most of our customer service issues are around the delivery, not the product itself. We have tried to work with our host to improve speed, but they have not been able to help us. So we’re done with them.
It isn’t fair to our customers who are paying good money for a product that they can’t get. I have lost a lot of sleep on this. Crowd Control is an awesome product – but no matter how good the product, it’s worthless if people can’t get it.
As of Friday, May 14, the Crowd Control site will go down as we migrate to a different host. We are working out the details now, but it is unknown exactly how long it will be down. We expect about 2-3 weeks, but we can’t be sure.
We are not a big company, and because we understand what it’s like for the little guy, we have tried to keep our prices very low so that you can get the job done on a limited budget. Most other companies charge six times what we do.
The flipside of that, however, is that we have limited resources, and need to find a solution that balances both speed and cost. We have over 45,000 clips (some as large as 2GB), so we have to find the best solution to make that happen. We do not want to raise prices, and will do everything in our power to avoid that.
So, what we ask from you is a little patience while we figure this out. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us @ crowdcontrol (AT) allbetsareoff (DOT) com.
In the meantime, if you need clips, you have until end of day Wednesday, May 13 to download them.
Thanks for your understanding.
61 Responses
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Good idea to over-think your hosting concept. Although I love CC – previewing the clips wasn´t always a joy. Good luck with the new hoster – CC deserves it!
When’s it back, I need some stock this week.
We may have a way to search the DB shortly. Then we can upload files by request. Working on it as a short term
i hope you guys much luck with your migration. the wait is worth it.
all the best with the new hosting, and thank you very much for the great clips you have been producing !
Is Amazon S3 an option?
Do you have an update as to when the DB search will be available? I would like to purcahse between 20 – 30 clips ASAP.
Hi, I’m regular buyer at abao. Can u pls tell me by when can we expect it to be up again ? Thnx
Waiting impatiently for CC to get back, I need ‘em for my movies sequel. Oh, & thanks for all the great tips & tutorials!
We need pre-keyed dudes!!!
Pretty pleeeze?
Any suggestions for other places to find keyed footage of people while your site is down?
We’re currently reviewing an option out of silicone valley that seems reasonable, on the surface. We’re going through the info to make sure there are no hidden fees… etc. If it works out, the speed woiuld be VASTLY improved, but we have to make sure they can handle the admin side. Beleive me, no one is more anxious to get this back on track than me. Stay tuned…
I’m looking for crowds of people and also camera wipes. Is this site a good resource for this? Is there an update when the site will be back up. I’m looking to add effects very soon.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Wow I just need a pair of clips but I I found this move. Any update so far?
Niko – we are very close, actually. If you have any questions or concerns, please email crowdcontrol (AT) allbetsareoff (DOT) com.
Have a HUGE project going right now. We’re going to have to use other sources and some in-house work.
Matthew – please contact us at crowdcontrol (AT) allbetsareoff (DOT) com.
How much longer will it be down?
the timing could have been worse !
I hope the moving period wont be long. and I really mean it better
wont be long.
hey aharon, any update on when (partial) availability is expected?
The clips are being cataloged and organized so that they can be shipped over on MANY MANY drives. I’m told we;re in the home stretch, and hope to have more news next week. If you are in need of clips – please email crowdcontrol (AT) allbetsareoff (DOT) com, and it’s possible your needs can be met. We really are trying.
Aaron, do you expect CC be back during coming days? I would need some supportive figures like in debate, arguing for an opener I am working on right now.
Wonder why my last post does not show up here..
Tom – what post was that?
Was asking when you are up again.. I am in middle of production and need some persons arguing, in debate. Would need to see them first (of course) to make sure they fit the concept..
Thanks, Aharon!
Tom
Upon re opening will users maintain their original registration and asset cart selections kept with the previous set up? Will you migrate the user accounts as they are into the new system?
Any forecast on re-opening? 1,2,3 months?
Chris – yes, the databases will preserved, although favorites may be gone. I don’t want to jinx it, but the physical migration will happen VERY soon. It has been an enormous job cataloging and reorganizing everything for faster delivery. It was over 47,000 files and 32 TB of data.
The most crucial issue upon migration is to see all the work done in prep choosing favorites over a lengthy search of months, being lost.
Please reconsider and protect the favorites issue. Will it be possible for you to generate at least a clip reference number text file so that it may allow interested members to reconstruct manually a new favorites list under the new platform?
Hi Aharon,
Will the credits that we paid for before May 14th still be available to use? Will the clips be the same prices or will there be a difference in value once CC comes back online?
Jeff – your credits will still be there for you to use. There is no plan to change the price of clips at this time.
2-3 weeks? it’s been 3 months :-/
Hi, just wondering how much longer the site will be down. Do you think it will be back up again before August?
Kai – please read this post.
http://allbetsareoff.com/2010/07/update-on-crowd-control/
If all goes well, it will be a matter of days.
Hi Aharon,
Any update on when you’ll be fully functional again?
Cheers
We’re having a minor issue with the sales mechanism. Because of an issue with an email address we have to use to get payment, I was told today that it could take 4 business days to resolve. It’s really frustrating. I hate that I am not able to give you guys what you need. You have been more than patient. I am losing my mind here.
Thank you all for your support and understanding. We are really almost there. I think this experience has made me really start to go gray.
Bummer Aharon, but I’m sure you will get this going. Can’t wait for the site to be up. I’m really in need of this footage!
Hi Aharon Rabinowitz first I like to give you abig thank for all of your tutorials it’s realy wonderfull but let me ask you one more tutorial or you can put your answer here so.
my questions is when I work on layer in after effects or short film
I need to not loss aresulation of film or layer when it makeing scaleing in acomposition what I mean is it to be same like asmart opject in photoshop when you change size of photo you will found aresulation it be same origonal one
so am be waiteing for your answer pls . thanks alot for what you doing I hope you will get agood Future very soon > thanks
Any update? I may have to just shoot my own footage.
Hey Aharon,
I can only imagine how much of a pain it is to get thousand of clips online and organized. Thanks for all your hard work! Any word on resolving the sales mechanism because I am ready to “repay” you with many purchases! Thanks
Saad – this is not the best place for this comment, but the short answer is either make the original image really big and scale it down, so that when the camera gets close it doesn’t lose resolution, or create you image as vector art (like Illustrator).
This is killing me. It’s coming down to one fricken email address not being able to be set up to receive an SSL certificate properly. We are fighting for this, but it’s mind numbing how inflexible windows servers can be. We have no choice of the address to use, and all I can say is, it’s amazing Microsoft has not toppled yet.
for maintenance purpose, be aware after you install SSL certicate in window server. make sure renew SSL before it expire, otherwise, it is fu?? nigtmare to get back the system online
Aharon! Aharon! Aharon! (Please consider those as chants of encouragement to keep on keepin’ on…I’m looking forward to the (re)launch of the site.
Just come looking for some clips from crowd control and came across all this. Sounds likes it been a complete shitfight. Good luck guys and I’m looking forward to seeing the site up again
thank’s for your answer Aharon Rabinowitz .
I was thinking before same like your answer For instance
I do scaleing picture by smart opject in photoshop to be same aresulation when I do and that work with after effects nice with image when do scaleing small or big aresulation will not lossing but I was thinking too
that you have another way for that things
and I want you to knew that I like you so much you make apest tutorials for any one and what I like in yours too . that you not keeping asecret things in after effects for your self . you did avery good things . you let all people knewing that secret in after effects . I like you man very very much . I like your tutorial .
you the pest . thank’s Aharon Rabinowitz
Just checking in from time to time to see where things stand…
Hope it’s back soon
Any word on a date of launch?
Hi, Aharon, from an old friend (although we’ve never met face to face … I think — used to talk about “The Case” back in the day.). Just know I’m rooting for you and you’re in my thoughts. I AM very gray now (for a 30-something anyway), as I have been in your spot (or a very similar one) a few times with my small business(es), and I know EXACTLY how you feel, and I FEEL for you. Don’t let it get you down — I know you, and know it won’t ever entirely drive you down. Just know a lot of people understand that some things are out of your control (especially those pesky crowds, har-har) and many of us know you always do your level best, and are striving to make this work. I for one am just happy to see the effort in getting the speed up to something “normal”. It’s a shame yes, as I’ve need stuff like others, but I KNOW it will be worth the wait. Keeping the faith in you, brother … you will do it.
Best,
Tim K.
Thanks Tim. It helps.
And I haven’t thought about the case in at least 3 or 4 days. Not kidding. It pops up in my mind a lot as one of those lofty projects I only wish I could have made real. But I was just learning 3D animation back then, and was pretty idealistic. Oh and I actually had time to play around a lot more back then. Still, I think about it. It was a short story in much bigger universe I have in my head.
Ciao Aharon, non so scrivere in inglese ma voglio dirti lo stesso che noi stiamo aspettando dalla Sicilia con molta pazienza il ritorno di CC. Grazie a CC noi abbiamo realizzato lavori di alto livello a basso budget. Questa è una rivoluzione! Il vostro lavoro da beneficio ad altri che si trovano ovunque nel mondo e che fanno il nostro mestiere. CC ha un valore incommensurabile.
bello e brutto tempo non dura tutto il tempo. Non frustarti noi aspettiamo.
Oh pain and suffering… well, I’m sure my pain and suffering isn’t nearly as bad as yours with this, but I AM in the middle of a project that could desperately use several pieces of your footage. But if the site isn’t up in the next few days/week, it will be too late, and I’ll have to go through someone else and pay a lot more with significantly fewer options for the walk cycles I need. Is there ANY way to access any of your footage in the interim? I’d much rather use your collection and give you my business.
Even if it’s not ENTIRELY altruistic in nature, I wish you the very best of luck in conquering your demons with this transfer, and I keep checking every few hours to see if you’re back up. Oh, and it was good meeting you ever so briefly on the show floor at NAB this year… hopefully see you there again next year!
And thank you for everything you do for the post-production world.
Antonio – Sono allineare spiacente per la difficoltà. Ciò è stata un incubo per noi. Stiamo lavorando duro per muoverci in avanti, ma molto questa è una questione di tempo.
Matt – Please contact us directly at CrowdControl (AT) AllBetsAreOff.com, and we might be able to help you. We are here for you, and will do what we can to help you with your project..
“and I keep checking every few hours to see if you’re back up”
…and here I thought I was the only one – lol
I echo Matt’s thank for all you do to help others Aharon. Hope you’re back up soon.
Hi Aharon!
Is there any new update on when the site is going to be working again?
thanx!
Aharon, is there a way to at least look at the library? We have some projects going on and would like to see if any of the footage on CC would work. Would save us from shooting our own.
any word on a date….
a comment about progress or your est would be helpful. If you know it will be a week or a month I can quit wasting time checking?
I was just introduced to crowd control recently, I hadn”t had a chance to use it yet. But I eagerly await it’s return. In the meantime you have many tut’s for me to study and I totally appreciate it. So I have no complaints regarding when, when, when, crowd control will return, I’m just glad that it does excist, waiting patiently.
Sincerely, Adobe Newbie
Hello? Still out there Aharon?
Can you just sell collections on DVD maybe? If not are their other sources for this kind of footage – anyone? We were thinking of making our own stock, but this would save sooo much time and I am sure Aharon would do a better job than I can.
Continuing the Discussion