Uploading Your Files

Know Your Dashboard: My Uploads

Hey there Pond5 Artist! Let’s get you familiar with the My Uploads section of your Pond5 Dashboard. This guide will explain the ins and outs of filtering your files, define file processing statuses, and show you where to find Clip Details, Tech Data, and Sales Data for each of your uploads.
 

Finding Your Dashboard

Hover over your profile picture, scroll down, and click on ‘Uploads’.


 

Navigating Your Uploads

The dropdown menus at the top of your UPLOADS page allow you to search, sort, filter, and efficiently manage your files.

There are multiple ways you can filter your uploaded files:

  • Search — Use search to quickly locate a single file or group of files based on the criteria you set. Enter an Item ID or a keyword found in the Title, Description, or Tags and click SEARCH. Matching results will populate under Clip Details below.
  • Status — Refine your files based on their progression through the upload process. Narrowing by status helps you quickly identify items that are missing required data or need your attention. (See File Status below for more detail).
  • In Collection — This dropdown menu will list all the custom collections you have created. Use this filter to display only items inside the selected collection.
  • Max Per Page – Here you can select your preference for the number of items displayed in the file details section of your UPLOADS page (up to 800).
  • Type — This filter allows artists who contribute multiple media types on Pond5 to narrow their files by media.

 

Example: Filter by Upload Search

We’re looking for all items containing the keywords “Grand Canyon” inside a collection called “National Parks”.


 

Clip Details, Tech, and Sales Data

Below the filtering options, you will find three tabs, CLIP DETAILS, TECH DATA, and SALES DATA. Each tab contains corresponding information about every file you upload.

  • Clip Details — Find the unique Clip ID, Title, Description, Release (attached model releases), Tags, Price, and Status (see below for more detail).
  • Tech Data — Shows the unique Clip ID, Original Filename, File Size, Tech Details (Resolution and file type), and Date Uploaded.
  • Sales Data — Displays the unique Clip ID, Title, number of Sales, Revenue, Page Views, Bin Adds (total number of times an item has been added to a Collection), Cart Adds (total number of times an item has been added to the cart).

Clicking directly on an item ID will open the Edit Page for that individual Item.
Clicking directly on an Item Title, Description, Tags, or Price will allow you to edit that information and immediately submit the updated data.


 

File Status

Your files will be assigned to one of six status levels based on their progression through the upload process:

  • Processing — Once your work has been uploaded, our system processes information about the file itself. This includes the resolution, file type, file size, clip duration (if applicable), etc. This is when duplicate files are detected and thumbnails are automatically assigned. Note: you always have the option to edit your thumbnails later.
  • Needs Edits — When your items have the Needs Edits status, they have been uploaded and processed but have not yet been submitted to a curator. Make sure you add all the required metadata, such as title, description, and keywords. Once you’re done, you must send them to our curation team by selecting “Submit” from the Actions menu and clicking “EXECUTE” at the bottom of the page.
  • Pending Review — This status indicates that your files have been submitted and are being reviewed by our curation team. Each file is reviewed one by one, so this step can take a few days. Wait time is affected by many factors such as queue size, seasonality, and holiday closings.
  • Online — Everyone’s favorite status, this indicates that your files have been reviewed, approved by a curator, and are available for purchase on Pond5. Congratulations!
  • Rejected — Oops! It can happen but don’t worry. Rejected files are often due to glitches or unsupported formats. (This can be avoided by reading our spec requirements). If you have items in Rejected status, check your inbox for details and information explaining the reason for rejection.
  • Returned — If your files are “returned”, action is required. You’ll find the specific reason in your return note from the curator. Your file may be missing required metadata, or contain metadata in a language other than English. Alternatively, completed model or property releases may be outstanding. Learn more about our requirements for Model and Property releases.
  • Pro tip: If you need more detailed information, check out our article on the Needs Edits or Returned Status.
     

    Actions: The dropdown menu explained

    You can apply any of the following Actions to your files:

    • Submit — Send file to curation for approval
    • Add To Collection — Add selected files to an active collection. See our guide on Pond5 Collections.
    • Apply (4k) Footage Template — Apply information from a 4K template, which you can create and edit on your templates page.
    • Apply Footage Template — Same as above.
    • Apply Image Template — Same as above.
    • Apply Music/SFX Template — Same as above.
    • Attach Release — Attach Model and Property releases to your items. See our guide on attaching releases.
    • Batch Edit Footage — Edit more than one of your videos at once.
    • Batch Edit Images — Edit more than one of your images at once.
    • Batch Edit Music / SFX — Edit more than one of your audio files at once.
    • Change Thumbnails — Choose your own clip thumbnails.
    • Copy Metadata from Item — Helpful for items that are visually similar or contain the same subject matter.
    • Delete Rejected — Remove rejected files from your dashboard.
    • Detach Release — Detach Model and Property releases from selected items.
    • Remove from Collection — Delete files from a collection you created.
    • Set Downconverted HD price — Set price for an automatically-generated, downconverted HD file created from your 4K video.
    • Set Image Type — Mark your uploads as illustrations or photos.
    • Set Price — When setting your prices, consider how much buyers typically spend for each media type. Visit the Data and Trends section of the Contributor Portal to see the Median Sold Price for each media type (click on the media type you want to know the median price for and scroll down!)
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    Using the On-Site Uploader

    Using the On-Site Uploader

    Log in to your account and go to your UPLOADS page. To begin uploading your media, simply click “UPLOAD NEW FILE.”

    Click “CHOOSE FILES” and select your files to upload, or drag and drop them into the space labeled “Drag and drop files here.” Your upload will start automatically and you will be alerted once it’s complete.

    Once the upload is completed, your files go through our system, where they’re scrubbed for metadata and low-resolution preview files are created.

    If files are rejected by our system, they will display as “Processing Failed” at the top of your Uploads page, with a message for the reason.

    Files that are accepted by our system will first appear in your Uploads page in a “Processing” status. Once the status displays “Needs Edits,” your uploads are ready for editing, meaning you can start tagging.

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    Using the FTP Uploader

    To upload files via FTP, you need to first set a password for the FTP uploader. The password needs to be at least eight characters long and different than the one you use to log in to Pond5. (You can reset it anytime from your FTP settings or the “Upload New File” pop-up.)

    To navigate to your FTP Settings:

    In your Dashboard, click on “ACCOUNT,” then “FTP.” You can see your FTP username and choose your password here.

    Make sure you have a suitable FTP client installed on your computer. If you do not have one, we suggest a file-management tool comparable to FileZilla.

    Open your FTP client and enter the following information:

      Host: ftp.pond5.com

    Username: (your username)

    Password: (the FTP password you set)

    Port: (leave blank)

    Connect to the server. When you see the message: “Status: Directory listing successful,” you will know you have signed on successfully.

    You can now start uploading by dragging items from your desktop to the remote site window.

    Model/property releases should be put in the “Release” folder.

    After the upload is completed, your files go through our system, where they’re scrubbed for metadata and low-resolution preview files are created.

    If files are rejected by our system, they will display as “Processing Failed” at the top of your Uploads page, with a message for the reason.

    Files that are accepted by our system will first appear in your Uploads page in a “Processing” status. Once the status displays “Needs Edits,” your uploads are ready for editing, meaning you can start tagging.

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    Uploading Issues
    • Depending on the amount of uploads we’re receiving, it can sometimes take some time for files to process.  Please give your files at least up to a few hours to appear in your Uploads page.
    • Check your internet connection. Slow or unreliable internet connections can cause problems when trying to upload to Pond5. Confirm that you have a strong and secure connection before uploading your files.
    • Try using another browser. Certain browsers tend to work better depending on your machine. We recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari. We do not advise using Internet Explorer
    • Read the media specification page. Before uploading your files, check out Preparing Media For Upload  to make sure your files are correctly prepared.
    • Check your Uploads Page For files that have failed processing. If files are rejected by our pre-processing system, they will show up in ‘Processing Failed’  status above any media files that have been accepted by our system.
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    Can't See My Uploads

    After your files have successfully uploaded, they will appear on your Uploads page.

    If the files cannot be found on the Uploads page, ensure that your status is set to All.

    To view files that have been recently uploaded or still need metadata added, choose Needs Edits from the Status dropdown.

    For more information on the Needs Edits status check out this article.

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