======Understanding Geminars======

====What is a Geminar?====

A //Geminar// is a conversational video space.

Unlike traditional webinars or live sessions, a Geminar is designed to be:

  * accessible at any time
  * open to people joining and leaving at their own pace
  * focused on discussion rather than performance

People come to a //Geminar// to watch, think, and talk — not just to attend a scheduled event.

====What Geminars is designed for====

//Geminars// works best for:

  * educators sharing knowledge
  * professionals explaining tools or ideas
  * business/product marketing
  * creators building thoughtful audiences
  * teams discussing material asynchronously
  * communities that value conversation over broadcast

If your goal is engagement; not just views, //Geminars// fits naturally.

====What Geminars deliberately does not do====

//Geminars// intentionally avoids certain things:

  * It does not host videos by default
  * It does not enforce fixed schedules
  * It does not control or repackage your content
  * It does not monetise views or attention silently

These are deliberate design choices.

//Geminars// focuses on interaction; //not// ownership of content.

====How videos work====

//Geminars// does not take custody of your video files.

As an author:

  * you host your video wherever you choose (CDN, private server, etc.)
  * you provide an MP4 link when creating/editing a //Geminar//.
  * //Geminars// simply plays the video inside the //Geminar// page.
  * All viewers get to chat with each other on that video.

This means:

  * you retain full ownership
  * you decide how and where your video is hosted
  * your hosting credentials never pass through //Geminars//
  * The bandwidth for showing the MP4 will be consumed by the host of that link

If you prefer, we also provide optional tools to help you upload videos directly to your own CDN — without you sharing credentials of that CDN with us.

====How interaction works====

Interaction is the core of a //Geminar//.

Each //Geminar// supports:

  * a live chat space (messages persist)
  * contextual discussion tied to moments in the video
  * an optional “Beckon Author” mechanism, where viewers can request the author’s presence

This makes //Geminars// feel alive even when people are not present at the same time. As viewers come and go, some of them can //beckon// you (the author). If at least three people beckons the author, a notification is sent to the author to join -- who can come and either chat with other viewer and/or start a live audio/video conference that the current viewers can join at that moment.
====Who pays for what====

Watching //Geminars// is free. Payment is a pay-as-you-go system. So you can always suspend usage of your //geminars// by not refreshing the credits. New users get 300 credits free (1 credit = Rs 1 Indian Rupee)

Costs arise only when interaction happens:

  * chat messages
  * author fetch requests

Authors can choose:

  * to pay for interaction themselves
  * or to pass the cost to viewers
  * or to add a markup and earn from engagement

This keeps the platform fair:

  * quiet videos cost nothing
  * active conversations pay for themselves

==== Responsibility & content ownership ====


Authors are responsible for:

  * ensuring they have the right to share the video they link
  * complying with applicable copyright and usage laws

//Geminars//:

  * does not claim ownership of your videos
  * does not redistribute or resell your content
  * does not place any advertisements
  * provides a transparent complaint mechanism if concerns arise

Clear ownership reduces confusion for everyone.

==== Getting started in 5 minutes ====

  * Create an account
  * Create a //Geminar//
  * Paste your video’s MP4 link
  * Add a title and description
  * Share the Geminar link

That’s it.

People can now watch, chat, and engage — on their own terms.

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