Vimeo Tip Jar and Creator Services ⇒

Vimeo just launched a new series of enhancements they’re calling Creator Services, starting with “Tip Jar”:

Vimeo Tip Jar allows your fans to show their appreciation for your videos with small cash payments to you. By giving a tip, you’re not only telling a creator how important their work is to you, you’re also giving them the resources to make more of it.

Early next year they’re introducing a pay-to-view option. Ever since Louis C.K.’s “Live at the Beacon Theater” experiment, filmmakers have been invigorated by the potential of self-distribution. The biggest hurdle, it seems, is conceiving of a hosting and payment pipeline for videos. Vimeo appears to have removed that obstacle. 2013 is looking like a big year for digital distribution.