The PeerTube content bootstrap fund

PeerTube is an excellent project which aims to create an open and decentralized video “tube” for hosting video content with distributed governance and community-driven development. Chocobozzz, with the help of dozens of contributors, has put in the hard engineering work to build a great platform, and now we want to see it filled with content.

Notice: the first round of applicants has been processed. Check back in later - we may ask for more applications in the future.

To help make this happen, SourceHut is committing $5,000 to bootstrap content on the PeerTube network. This money will be used to help new content creators start making videos for PeerTube. We’ll pay for some equipment to get you started: cameras, microphones, video capture cards, and so on, whatever is appropriate for the kind of videos you intend to make, plus a $200 budget to spend at your discretion on the first few videos. Need a nice camera? A couple of nice microphones for conducting interviews? A drone for capturing footage? Let’s make it happen. You’ll also be set up on Liberapay so that your audience can help you build a sustainable lifestyle.

If you have an interesting hobby to share, in-depth knowledge on a subject to teach, or a talent you’d like to show off, or a great idea we haven’t thought of, please send an email to sir@cmpwn.com with the subject line “PeerTube bootstrap application: <your name>”. Include a short summary of who you are and why you want to apply, and details on what kinds of videos you’d like to make. Tell us why open culture is important to you.

The following conditions apply:

• You must not already be regularly publishing content on another platform. We’re looking to fund new content creators, not existing ones.¹
• You can only upload videos to PeerTube - not to YouTube or anywhere else.
• Your videos must use a Creative Commons license, like CC-BY-NC-SA.
• We expect you to make at least 5 videos. If you decide video creation isn’t for you after that, we’ll take the equipment back and you’ll be off the hook.
• Once you start earning at least $20/month on Liberapay, we’ll split the ongoing cost of hosting evenly among all creators: currently $45/mo. You will never be expected to pay more than 25% of your Liberapay income; SourceHut will cover the rest.

Our instance is at spacepub.space. We’ll handle the technical administration of the server and set you up with the resources you need to get started, and together we’ll create a community of open-culture creators who support one another to produce a vibrant commons. Let’s help make PeerTube a great platform!