Preparing for Your Project

To Do List

• Get media together for project
  • Get pictures and/or video you want to choose from
  • Get favorite or meaningful song list (with play times)
• Choose pictures and/or video
  • Think of what best represents your project
  • Keep this rule of thumb in mind: 5 seconds per picture
    • Therefore, if your song is 3 minutes 25 seconds
      ((3*60)+25)/5 = Roughly you need 41 pictures
  • If doing a "life" video remember to keep in cronological order
  • Pick photos of life changing events and/or photos that will make people feel emotion
  • Becareful to use good quaility photos unless you need a photo restored or repaired you really want to use
• Choose song or songs
  • Think of what best represents your project
  • Song should be meaningful to the person, or give a message to them
  • Think about how the song fits the pictures
  • If you have a lot of pictures, you will need more than one song
  • Song(s) must be in mp3 or on cd and not in copyright violation
  • We can purchase song if available and will be added on invoice
• Assemble other items for video
  • Example if items needed: names (spelled correctly), birthdates, graduation dates, wedding party names, etc.
  • Write your message for the beginning or the end of the video
• Prepare pictures
  • Order you pictures in the order you want them displayed in the video
    • If you are using slides, please pencil mark number; do not touch photo
    • If using photos, you can use a small sticky note on the back with number
    • If using digital photos, make list of files names in order, or rename in order
      • Use a 2 or 3 digit code. (i.e. 001, 002, 003, ect.)
  • Examine if any pictures need to be repaired; note on order form
  • To save expenses, you can scan; also safer so that not lost in mail
    • Must use over 1000 resolution for anything less than 5 X 7
    • Scan as jpg
    • Make sure your scanner bed is clean
• Getting your pictures to us
  • We will send you mailing instructions
  • If mailing original photos, you must get signature delivery
  • Mail priority or Fed Exp
  • Make sure they are secure and will not be damaged in route
  • Must include song cd if using cd

Hopefully the above list shows that your preparation for your project is as equally important for a successful video as the work that we do. As a reminder: WE DO NOT SORT PICTURES AND ORDER THEM! This is probably a gift or a keepsake that will be cherished by someone. It is important to remember that we usually do not know them like you do, nor do we know the order of events in their life. We cannot stress it enough how important your preparation is for the project! Please take the time to put some thought into it.