Up until now, I have been recording the sounds of nature and cities in the Setouchi region and publishing them as videos on my YouTube channel " Setouchi Ambience ." One day, I suddenly began to think, "Maybe these sounds themselves have value?"
What is POND5?
POND5 is an online marketplace where creators from all over the world can sell videos, audio, photos, sound effects, and more.
Many creators, including TV stations, film production companies, and YouTubers, purchase materials from the site.
Once you register, you can use the platform to sell your own recorded audio to the world, even from Japan.
When I saw this explanation, I thought, "This might help me make the most of my recordings."
It all started with a conversation with ChatGPT
It all started with a conversation with ChatGPT, an AI assistant.
I asked, "Is there anything else I can do to reach people overseas other than YouTube?" and ChatGPT suggested the idea of selling audio materials on POND5.
I was skeptical at the time, but when I thought about it, I realized that I had already recorded many natural sounds in high quality, and it made sense to sell them as materials.
The recording of the rain was a treasure trove
I often shoot on rainy days, and I record the audio separately using a TASCAM Portacapture X8
Pochip
This means that we have a huge amount of high-quality rain sound material at hand that we have recorded so far. Among
them are the sounds of nature, such as the sound of rain in a quiet Japanese garden and the echoing sound of rain echoing through a tunnel, all of which are one-off sounds.
I thought it would be a waste to let it sit there and decided to try selling it on POND5.
Hitting the ID wall
I immediately created an account and proceeded with the registration, but I found out that I needed to submit identification.
I first tried to verify my identity using my Japanese driver's license.
Unfortunately, the result was... .
It seems that the POND5 system does not recognize a Japanese driver's license as official ID.
I couldn't help but say to myself, "That's right (lol)."
The thunder recorded at Goshoji Temple was a turning point
While continuing to film for YouTube, a turning point came
when I was caught in a thunderstorm at
Goshoji Temple in Utazu Town, Kagawa Prefecture Luckily, the sound I was recording with the TASCAM Portacapture X8 perfectly captured the strike of the lightning.
was recorded
without distortion, 32-bit/96kHz At that moment, I felt a strong desire to release my recordings to the world.
Next goal: Re-obtaining a passport
A passport is required for identity verification on POND5.
Since my passport had expired after I returned to Japan, I decided to take this opportunity to reapply for one.
In my next article, I will share my
experience of applying for a passport online, including how Japan's application system has changed as the world moves online.
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