Tribute videos are relatively easy to prepare. When planning one, try to think beyond the two-dimensional confines of the old-fashioned photo slide show. Remember: virtually anything that can be videotaped can be included in a Tribute Video. That includes old photos, family movies that have been transferred to video, home video clips, newspaper clippings, trophies, mementos, and so on. Specially prepared (short!) interviews or "one-liners" on videotape can even be included. 

To achieve maximum effectiveness, a Tribute Video should be planned well in advance of the special occasion for which it will be shown. One way to get the project going is to designate one person as "producer." He or she will be in charge of obtaining photos and all the other ingredients for the video, and then be available to answer questions when our editor begins to assemble the production. 

The first step in making a tribute video is to decide how long you'd like the program to be. If it's to be shown to a group, try to hold it to no more than about 12 minutes! Each image will be on screen for about 4 seconds, or 15 pictures per minute. A 10 minute video will include about 150 pictures. Film or video clips should run no more than about 10 seconds each. Brief sequences like an athletic achievement, newlyweds, first kiss, or a great smile can be put into slow motion or freeze framed for dramatic effect. 

Be critical when selecting pictures! Generally speaking, video cannot improve the quality of poor photographs. Don't use ripped, folded, or stained photos unless they are very meaningful and no other examples of that portion of the person's life are available. Select pictures that tell a story and try to avoid picking the same sort of composition over and over. Family group photos, for example, are often composed identically year after year - the subjects get older but everything else in the picture stays pretty much the same. Your show will look better and be more interesting if the shots vary. 

Don't paste clever captions or stickers on the front of your photos. Keep in mind that because of the shape of a TV screen, horizontal photos tend to work better than vertical. Weed out photos that are out of focus, similar to other images, or simply redundant. Only include images that really say something about a given part of that person's life. Examples: A wild hairstyle period, the European study abroad, first baby, first house. Think like a filmmaker. If you have a cute picture of little Herbie in a pedal car, do you also have one of him in his high school hot rod and, perhaps, in the sports car of his bachelor days? That kind of continuity can make a tribute video really memorable. 

Now gather up all your pictures, scrapbook items, old home movies and videotapes. Check everything for quality and cleanliness and then put the items in the order you want them to appear in the video. Number each item in order of appearance. Be careful with ink! Modern photographic paper is actually plastic and some inks will never dry on it. So don't smear ink from the back of one picture to the front of another! It's a better idea to number with pencil on paper stick-on labels and then stick them on the back of the photos. 

If you do have 8mm or 16mm film that you want to include - and they really are worth the extra effort to locate - allow enough time to have them transferred to video. We always recommend transferring film to digital videotape. We can make VHS copies of the entire films for you to view at home. The digital master will offer the clearest image from which to make copies and to edit your tribute video. 

If you are including videotape(s), label each tape as Tape 1, Tape 2, and so on. Be sure to rewind each to its beginning, then press rewind again just to make sure it really has rewound completely. Then zero the counter (your VCR needs to display time in minutes and seconds) and proceed to the first clip you want to use. Log the desired clip as, for example, Tape 1, (2:18 to 2:30), Tape 2 (5:03 to 6:15). Next to the times, give a brief description such as, Herb swims with orcas. 

Though we've saved music for last, its importance can't be overstated. The right song played with cherished images can create a moving and personal experience.  If you want to use popular music, buy the CD's. Musicians support themselves and their families (and their agents and attorneys) through the sale of their music and we think they are entitled to the fruit of their labor. Remember! Videos that include copyrighted music can never be sold and admission can never be charged for their viewing. An alternative to using copyrighted material is to include music from our extensive library of production music that we pay to use. 

Ready to get started? Do a little bit at a time and you might be surprised at how much fun being a producer can be. And if you're organized, the hardest part of the whole thing will probably be keeping it a secret from the person being honored! 

So get busy! And be sure to call or e-mail us if you have questions.   Back to top