Tips for Creating the Perfect Slideshow:
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Having a general idea of where you are going with your video before you begin will make the rest of the planning process easier. Before rummaging through 
old photo albums, you must be clear on the purpose of your video album.
A few questions to ask yourself: About how long do you want the video to be? Do you want your video to include photos from the person(s) entire life or is the video going to focus on a specific aspect of the person(s) life, such as a hobby or a special family occasion? Would you like your video to be funny, sentimental, or both? What do you want the audience to feel when it’s over? Are captions necessary for the audience to understand the photos? For wedding video albums, do you want the groom's childhood photos to be separate from the brides' or intertwined?
PHOTO INSTRUCTIONS
You have two options for submitting your photos. Many clients prefer to scan their own photos or have them scanned at a local photo lab (Wal-Mart's photo labs usually have the best prices). You can also send your physical photos to us to be scanned ($ .50 per photo).
If you are scanning your photos:
1. Thoroughly clean the scanner with a dry T-shirt or cloth every 5 scans. If the scanner is not cleaned, dust particles and fingerprint smudges will be scanned with the photos. This is especially crucial when using a public scanner at a local photo lab.
2. Scan each photo and save it in JPG format. Save each picture with a 3-digit number indicating the order that you would like it to appear in the video (e.g. 001.jpg, 002.jpg).
3. Put your photos for each section/song in a separate folder. Number each folder in the correct order for the video.
4. Send us a CD-R of your images or submit them via e-mail.
5. Important: Set the scanning resolution as high as possible (we recommend setting the resolution at 300 DPI or higher). Photos scanned at a low resolution may appear blurry or "digitized" on your computer screen. Before sending your scanned photo files, carefully examine each one. If the photos are distorted (if they do not look exactly like the original photo), rescan them at a higher resolution.
DO NOT:
1. Do not scan photos that are cut into shapes (circles, hearts, stars, etc.)
2. Because your TV screen is horizontal, it is best not to crop horizontal photos vertically. If at all possible, do not crop/cut horizontal photos into vertical photos.
If you are sending photos to be scanned:
1. Number each photo in the order you would like it to appear. (Place a numbered sticky note on the BACK of each picture or write the number with a pencil.) Do not rely on placing the photos in the correct order in the package as they may shift. Do not put sticky notes on the front of your photos - as they will be damaged by the sticky residue. Do not tape your photos onto sheets of paper.
2. Place your photos into Zip-lock bags labeled by their section/song.
3. Your photos will be returned to you when your video album is shipped.
DO NOT:
1. Do not send photos that are cut into shapes (circles, etc.)
2. Do not rely on placing the photos in the correct order in the package as they may shift during shipment.
3. Do not tape or glue photos together or to sheets of paper.
4. Do not put sticky notes on the FRONT of your photos - as they will be damaged by the sticky residue.
5. Do not write captions on the back of photos (see below).
IMPORTANT NOTE:
It is very important that your photos be numbered and well-organized. Photo sorting is $25 per hour . The average charge for sorting excessively unorganized photo collections is $50 - $75, as the reorganization can be extremely difficult and time consuming.
CAPTIONS
Adding captions to your video album is a great way to make it entertaining and help the audience follow the story being told.
To add captions to your video album:
1. Fill in photo number and write the caption next to it. For example: Picture #005 - He always thought he could dance!
2. Do not write captions on the back of photos or in the filename of digital images - all captions must be submitted together in the form provided.
3. Unless you're using an important quote or poem, keep your captions short and sweet! Fewer than 10 words works best.
HINTS FOR CHOOSING PHOTOS
1. Choose photos that evoke emotion or cause laughter.
2. Choose actions shots.
3. Choose close-ups rather than far away shots.
4. Remember, you will only be able to include a limited number of pictures from each time period. If two photos are similar, consider eliminating one of them.
5. Organize your photos chronologically (Before they Met, The Early Years, Our Family Grows, etc.) or by theme (Family Time, Friends, Hobbies, etc).
HINTS FOR CHOOSING MUSIC
1. The music you select will set the mood of your video album. If possible use both sentimental and upbeat songs so your video album can inspire laughter and tears.
2. Make your video unique by including favorite songs of the person that you are creating it for. Are there songs or artists who are especially meaningful? Do you know of lyrics that fit especially well?
An Important Note:
In most cases, it is necessary to edit your music selections to fit the number of photographs in a section. If you wish a song not to be edited, please specify. If you wish there to be audio pauses, or would not like songs to cross-fade into one another, please specify when ordering.
WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE!
Once we’ve received your order form and spoken with you about the details, we will agree on a "checkpoint date." On the checkpoint date, we will an appointment to confirm all the details of your video (number of copies, music, etc.) We allow a 30 minute window for changes. After that, a fee of $30/hour will be charged.
After you receive your video:
After you have received your video album, any changes must be discussed with your Design Consultant. The additional charges will be discussed at that time. Errors on our part are always fixed at no cost to you.
Note: Once we’ve incorporated music into your video, changes that affect timing are especially time-consuming, as the music would have to be re-edited. Changes that affect music timing may come with additional charges that can be discussed with your consultant.
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