FAQ

Image scanning: Photos, slides, and negatives.

Video tapes: VHS, VHS-c, S-VHS, S-VHS-c, video8, hi-8, digital 8, and mini DV tapes.

Film: Reels of film are outsourced for digitizing before editing by us. We use frame by frame scanning in high definition by equipment that lights the film with LEDs instead of a hot bulb that can burn aged film.

If you are looking for a straight conversion with no editing or enhancement, we recommend Zach Rosing at indyvhstodvd.com, (317) 721-6772.

Watching a custom DVD from Multimedia Memories is a completely different experience than watching a simple slideshow with background music. Not only will your pictures move, they are not limited to moving in a straight line or even at a constant speed! And one picture alone can have multiple focal points. For example, high resolution photos that capture a variety of people can enhance the story by showing only a person’s reaction before revealing what he is reacting to. Sweeping vistas can be explored in ways that seem to draw the viewer in. Video can be edited, trimmed, or split down to the precise frame. Effects can be added with the same precision, so that, for example, a vignette can close around the focal point in perfect time to the music.

For an extra special touch, consider 3-D collage effects. The possibilities are limitless.

Every project is unique and special. You will be happier with final product if I fully understand your vision for the project. A personal consultation also provides the opportunity for me to learn about the content of your media files or video tapes, the personalities of the people on them, the mood and emotions of the moment recorded. Editing the style of your movie with all that in mind will tell your story with greater depth and dimension than just the pictures or video might convey.

A custom moving photo montage from Multimedia Memories is completely different than viewing a basic slideshow or photo in a picture frame, and the end result will be better if photos are chosen with this in mind. The best montages are of moving pictures, so it’s best to have room in the picture for the viewpoint to zoom in a bit and move around. Also, keep in mind that your TV screen is wider than it is tall, so landscape orientation tends to work better. This is not to say that a close-up of a smiling face or a vertical portrait won’t make a good addition, but if every picture is a perfectly cropped frame-ready photo, the end result will not be as visually interesting. On the flip side, don’t discard a great candid shot just because you don’t like something off to the side. Just let me know, and I’ll be sure to hide that part. More tips can be found here.

Absolutely! Scanning and converting does not harm your media, and originals will be returned with your DVD. But, before you leave your media with Multimedia Memories, you will need to sign a standard liability waiver.

DVD production services run the gamut.

At the low-cost end, you will find everyone from a hobbyist with a consumer-level VCR/DVD burner to a high-volume internet shop that lets the machines do all the work. These services focus on media conversion. You will get your tapes or digital files put onto a playable DVD, usually with chapter markers at 5 minute intervals. And while the results will vary greatly based on the quality of their equipment, you will not get a custom product with either.

At the high-cost end, you will find studios that have a high overhead. They might lure you in with a low price on some basic conversion service, but to really get a personalized product, the price will go up very quickly. Some are even franchises that must charge a high fee. Their advertising might make them look professional and polished, but that’s just the umbrella organization. To own a franchise you simply need a lot of money and no prior experience whatsoever.

I’m somewhere in the middle. I have quality equipment and software for the services I offer, but low overall overhead since I’m not just trying automate every media conversion under the sun. If you have reels of film and boxes of tapes to simply convert over to digital, there are other shops set up to do just that. And I’m happy to recommend them. But if you’re looking for a creative touch and a custom product, you will find talent and value with Multimedia Memories.

One way I keep my overhead low is that I don’t spend money on lots of advertising. Instead, I’ve got a simple marketing plan: I’ll do such a good job for you, that you’ll be sure to tell all your friends.