Planning the Perfect Video

Planning is the perfect slideshow takes time and effort. Below is a planning checklist that you can follow to guarantee that your video will be a timeless treasure that will be watched for generations to come.

1. Length of your video. How long do you want the video to be?

2. Choose your timeframe that you want the video to cover. Most of our clients choose to have the video span the lifetime of the featured character. We have had some that want specific periods of time covered, others want special moments or "themes" covered such as "sporting career". If doing a Bride and Groom video, do you want their lives shown simultaneously or separate. We have done both types of Videos. To see the difference, view Rick and Heather (separately) and Jim and Megan (simultaneously).

3. Ask yourself these important questions when choosing the photos for the video.

• Will this photo look good in the video? Avoid photos that are extremely dark, grainy, scratched or torn. Photos that have been cut in an odd shape for a scrapbook will not work well in a slide show.
  Photos that are horizontally oriented (landscape) look better on screen than photos that are vertically oriented (portrait).
• Is the photograph clear and not blurry? Blurry photographs are hard to correct and the larger the image, the more blurry the photo appears.
• Is the photograph too bright or too dark? Although some corrections can be made here, if the photograph is too bright or too dark, you may loose quality in the photograph.
• Is someone or something blocking the main focus of the photograph? Unwanted objects or big heads in the way of the main focus of the photograph detract from the photo and does not give you the best quality slideshow.
• Is the photograph in focus? What you see is what you get – magnified.
• Does the photo evoke emotion, reveal personality or show real action in addition to posed shots?
• Does the photo show facial expressions rather than far away shots?
• Does the photo interest the audience?

4. Organize your photos by year or by timeframe. For example if your slideshow is going to span the lifetime of a person, organize your photos by year. Make separate piles for each year.

5. Select the best photos. The pictures are now organized, but chances are that you will have too many. Go through the pile of photos again and pick only the best quality photos. If the slideshow is going to be seen by an audience ask yourself these questions:

• Do I have more than 2 photos of a specific category?
• Are the pictures similar enough that one can be put aside?
• Do you have 12 photos taken in 1987 and 4 taken in 1988? Try to keep the years as close to even as possible.
• Are there a variety of photographs of other people that might be viewing the video? Do you have photos of the subject with Grannie, Grandpa, Aunt Jane, Uncle Tom? We have found that the audience is far more entertained if they too are included in the production.Everyone loves to see themselves on the big screen! It will make them feel a part of your special event and keep their interest peaked to see who will be showing up next. In addition, include credits in the slide show when applicable. Give credit to mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers, sisters, friends, bridal party, and anyone else to whom credit is due. Click here to view our wedding "credits" video.

If you still have trouble cutting down the amount of photographs, ask for help. A mom choosing pictures of her child tends to think every picture is worth showing. Ask dad for help, or a close friend you’ll be amazed at how much they can cut down the amount of photos to go in your slideshow!

6. Music. We can testify from past experiences that the right or wrong music can make or break a video. Ask yourself what you want the audience to feel. Happy, funny, nostalgic, etc. The success of your video falls in the choice of the music you select. Choose music that means something to you or the person you are creating the slideshow for.

Check the length of the music to the number of photos you want to use and the type of slideshow you are choosing. How much music do you need? Upbeat, fast-paced music requires more photos to look good (plan on 4 seconds of music per photo), and slow-paced peaceful music requires fewer photos (8 seconds of music per photo). You may want to plan for a medium-paced video where each photo stays on the screen for about 6 seconds. Include the appropriate amount of music for your slide show. If the amount of music is too long for the number of pictures we will either have to increase the duration of the photos or fade the song out early. We will do our best to find a good point in the song to fade out. Use the chart below to help you plan how many pictures to include with a song.

We can accept song selections on music CD's or MP3's that you own. Please obey copyright laws on the music you send us, and understand you have agreed to be responsible for copyright compliance with this order. To avoid copyright issues, all music must be purchased. If you do not own the music we can purchase it for you. Our price is $1.00 per song. We will return your music CD's to you when the DVD is shipped.

7. Video Clips – We have found that simply adding a couple of short video clips can break up and really add to your slideshow. Once you find the video clips you want to use, write down the information and where the clip occurs in the video.

8. View Samples. Videos are much easier to create when the client has a clear idea of what he or she wants. If there is a sample on another website, or if you have seen something on YouTube, then let us know and we will do our best to recreate that video. Choose the style of video that works best for you and for the event that you are creating the video for.

9. Send us your photos! Make sure that you take care in sending the materials to us. Larger photos have a tendency to get bent, so place 5x7's or 8x10's between pieces of cardboard. Make sure the photos and other material is packed tightly to avoid moving around inside the box. When packaging your photos place them in baggies. This will protect them from any possible water damage and also works great for separating your photos chronologically. You should also place your discs or videos in baggies. And always insure your package. Although lost or damaged mail is a rare occurrence, it’s always best to be prepared. And always opt for priority mailing services. The less time in the mail – the better.

Your time and effort is now finished. We will be in constant communication with you and you'll have a good idea when to expect your slideshow to be finished. Forever And A Day Production creates unique and creative slideshows for every occasion. We will notify you when your order is complete. We are more than happy to work with you during any step in the process to incorporate your personality and ideas into the DVD to create a multimedia masterpiece you will want to show to all your family and friends. Your satisfaction is our main goal.