[Ginger Quill]

Our family has boxes of old 8mm film. Remember homemade family movie night? :beer: :popcorn:

I found a website that will make a DVD copy of your old 8mm reels for .10/foot.

http://www.homemoviedepot.com/

They will upload the reel online so that you can edit it by adding backgrounds, music, and select chapter titles. This sounds cool, since you can have family members view it, and everyone can add their .02 worth for the final cut. You have 30 days to edit, and they will return the original reel.

I have my guinea pig reel ready to go. I asked for a quote for 6 DVD copies to distribute to relatives. The final cost was $117. So it's about $15 bucks a copy, and you get ONE free.

I'm going to do it, but I was wondering about DVD burners. Maybe we could save some money by burning them ourselves. Does anyone have or have you used a DVD burner?

I appreciate any input, and I'll update this thread with the progress if anyone's interested.

[Plaid-Man Individual]

I did a "Family History" video last year and gave them away as Christmas presents to all my family and friends.

I converted a total of 2 hours of color 8mm films my Dad took of us kids (and extended family) growing up from 1958 to 1973 (which included 5 generations of our family history). It was easy. I recorded the 8mm film onto my miniDV CamCorder, transfered them to my computer via firewire connection, then edited and embellished the video using Pinnacle Studio8 adding interactive menus, scene transitions and text dialogs with music, and burned the final movie to DVD disk. It turned out VERY professional and was the hit of the holiday season amongst my family and our childhood friends.

Five generations of family history (as of 1973) on DVD video is something we are all very proud of (thanks to my Dad's insight)! (Since '73 there have been many additions to generation 5, and we now have 5 new additions to generation 6).

This year's Christmas presents will be the follow-up DVD from 1973 to 1979.

[Plaid-Man Individual]

As for the cost?

I already owned a MiniDV CamCorder (about $400), the Pinnacle Studio8 software was about $100, and at that time last year I spent $250 on an external dual format DVD burner. DVD burners go as cheap as 50-60 dollars for dual format internal burners today, and the double layer, dual format DVD burners go for about 150-350+ dollars. DVD disks run about 30-40 cents apiece (I recommend using the -R disks) and the storage cases are about 80 cents. I made both the case inserts and disk stickers on my computer and printer (I used maybe 1 ink cartridge). So, all total maybe $1.50 a disk, plus my time, but my final product met with my total approval because I did it myself. (You know the old saying, "if you want something done right, do it yourself!")

It's cheaper for me to do myself. It was both fun watching the films again, and also a pleasurable learning experience/challenge. Well worth my time and investment.

[Ginger Quill]

It was easy. I recorded the 8mm film onto my miniDV CamCorder, transfered them to my computer via firewire connection, then edited and embellished the video using Pinnacle Studio8 adding interactive menus, scene transitions and text dialogs with music, and burned the final movie to DVD disk.

As SmartAZ would say: "That's easy for you to say!"

PMI, I wish I had the talent and equipment to be able to do what you did. I'm sure you brought smiles and laughter to all of your family & friends. :)

That's kinda the object here with this project of mine. Unfortuneately, I have to "ship it out" :D

I'll have to check with family members on how many reels we're lookin' at having converted. I think I can find some "deep pocket sponsors" - when you find out you're on film that I possess, you are more likely to cross my palms with cash to find out what's on the reel. :D

In the event that my method of extortion fails, I may have to confer with you a bit more on exactly how you did it!

Thanks, PMI!

[Plaid-Man Individual]

You are very welcome. More than happy to help...

[Khaki in the Twigs]

Ginger Quill --go for it!

Plaid-Man --nice work! Terrific gifts!

I have a big box of family slides from '55 to '68. Once in awhile I have a photo print or two made. Would really love to have them put over to DVD--there's a local guy who does it. I just need to get motivated....

Back in '55 to '63 my grandfather had a reel-to-reel tape player he would discreetly use to record family christmas gatherings. My cousin made audio tape copies for us several years ago! This year, as I did some Christmas decorating in our home alone, I put on my walkman & listened to my grandparents, aunt, Uncle, parents, cousins, siblings & myself during dinners, opening gifts, & just sitting around socializing...many parts were humorous. Lots made my eyes wet, as most of my relatives have passed on...but what a great way to have company & reminicse for a couple hours!!!

[Plaid-Man Individual]

Things like that are very cherished treasures. And, they always seem to become more and more precious as time goes on. Hopefully our descendants and inheritants will cherish them as much as we do.

[Ginger Quill]

Update:

I received my converted DVD's the first week of February. I mailed the original Super 8mm film about 12/19/04, and it took a couple of weeks for them to upload it on the webiste, they give you 3 weeks to edit the film. That was the easy part.

Homemoviedepot takes about 40 snapshots of your film and that is what they upload, not the entire film.

I set up a family account so that everyone could go view the "film" and add their 2 cents as to what our film was all about. That was fun! We had a lot of funny conversations about remembering what happened on "that trip".

Stuff on the reel (my dad as cameraman) entailed a trip to Sea World that we took as kids with my grandparents. Gramma (deceased) and Grampa (currently a spritely 98) walking arm in arm together (that's a treasure moment), my graduation, my sister's first swim meet, and a family vacation in the family sation wagon hauling The Hobie to Lake Tahoe, where it was turtled in it's first regatta. :) Priceless! I'm sure we'll become the next National Lampoon vacation series spinoff :D

You get to make a music selection from THEIR database, which wasn't bad, and the music fit the DVD... not too hokey.

The cost was reasonable to convert old home movies to new technology. Final cost $117 - WAIT, THERE"S MORE ! we got one extra DVD for FREE! Kewl!

The Downside:

I can't play the DVD on my "home theater" DVD player. It plays fine in my computer.

So, I'm a little disappointed from that aspect of this project. The idea was to gather family around the teevee to watch our movies. Sitting in front of a computer loses a little of the ambience I had envisioned. I e-mailed the company, but haven't heard back yet,

If anyone has a solution to that problem, I would sincerely appreciate it! :)

Thumbs up: I would recommend the company if you have old film you want to convert. The film is cleaned, spliced if necessary, and returned in excellent condition!

[Renegade]

Very Cool....

Does anyone have any idea how you would go about making a digital pic of a slide? We have literally boxes of slide from '58 thru somewhere about '80 I think. I would love to put them on a CD. Or maybe make a slideshow type thing on DVD.

Anyone know how to do this?

BTW...I will have a copy of Pinnacle on my new machine...which I'm getting soon.