VideOccasions transfers 8mm, Super 8mm and 16mm films, silent or with sound, to MiniDV tape then to DVD or to your external hard drive or Flash drive.

Film is transferred to tape through the use of an Elmo film chain, a device similar to that used to show movies on television a decade ago. Your film is projected into a box full of lenses and mirrors, which in turn projects the film out to the video camera of choice. For those technically inclined, you'll find the details here.

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Think of transferring your old films to tape or DVD as a rescue and recovery mission.

You're probably bringing old film to VideOccasions because (a) you don't have a projector with which to view it; (b) your film contains scenes from your childhood that are valuable to you and the film is "really, really old;" (c) you want the work done at a reasonable price; and (d) you prefer to deal with a reliable local company.

The film we see at VideOccasions is often in pretty sad shape. Transferring it to tape or DVD won't improve the image quality, but it will prevent further deterioration. Since we don't know what images on the film are important to you, we capture what's on your old film warts and all. Parts that you don't want on your DVD or tape can be edited later.

We can't capture what isn't on your old film -- crisp color when color has faded; sharp focus when the original is out of focus; steady shots when the photographer bounced the camera around while shooting.

So please understand: what's on the film is what will be on your DVD or tape. If there are water spots and scratches on the film you bring us, they will appear on your tape or DVD. If the film stock is curled or creased, the damage will probably show up on the tape or DVD. If the dye colors have faded, the color on the tape or DVD will be faded as well.

Film Speed, the "Keystone Cops" effect, and Sound Distortion:

Old film -- especially 16mm film -- presents another problem. The standard frame rate today for projecting film is 24 frames per second (fps). In years gone by, however, film enthusiasts sometimes shot at slower frame rates. When projected at today's standard, figures shot at these slower speeds appear to move about the screen in an unnaturally rapid manner. Sound also suffers, changing in pitch depending upon the original frame rate.

At VideOccasions all 16mm film is transferred to tape and DVD at the standard frame rate of 24 fps, 8mm and Super-8mm at 18-20 frames per second. Since we had no control over the speed at which your film was intended to be projected, we can assume no liability for transfers in which the movement of figures appears to be unnatural. Projection speed also affects sound, and since we have no control over how the sound was originally recorded, we can assume no liability for the quality of sound in the transfer from the film to digital format.

If you'd like to discuss the options available for adjusting film speeds , adjusting sound distortion, and for the image enhancement of old film, please contact VideOccasions at 425-641-4811 between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Pacific (Standard or Daylight) Time, or send us an email.

Making a DVD -- "burning" in the jargon of the trade -- is a continuous process, while projecting 50 foot reels of movie film is a discontinuous process. Each small reel of film is placed on the projector and projected to its end. Then the projector is stopped, a new reel of film is put in place and the process is repeated until all the film has been projected.

So it isn't possible to transfer film directly to a DVD. It must first be captured onto video tape.

A decade ago film transfer was almost always to VHS tape, (often wrongly called "VCR" tape). Today we usually transfer film to digital tape -- miniDV tape rather than VHS tape. The digital information on the miniDV tape is then read into the computer and a program in the computer "burns" the DVD. Or, for those wanting a VHS tape to play on their VCR, the miniDV tape is used to produce a high quality VHS original.

Remember: DVDs must be created from a tape master. If you plan on having your film transferred to DVD, we recommend that your film be transferred to the miniDV tape format, as this will keep the transfer process digital throughout and assure the highest image quality.

Old film tends to be very brittle, and the less it is handled the better. Since it has been tightly rolled on its spool, very little dust or dirt will have found its way onto the film surface. Therefore, film is transferred "as is;" it is not cleaned or lubricated prior to the transfer.

On large spools of film, if splices separate during transfer the film is re-spliced so that the transfer may continue.

If there is a sequence in which the reels of film are to be transferred to tape, please number the reels accordingly. Mark directly on the reel with a felt pen, or use a small piece of masking or paper labeling tape. Do not use "Post-Its," please, as they are likely to fall off in shipment or handling.

1. The cost of film transfer is $0.15 per foot of film. An explanation of film length appears in the chart below.

2. Spooling Charges:

We occasionally receive 16mm film that has been returned from development on a small plastic spool but has not been spooled onto a projection reel. In order to transfer this to digital tape the film must be rolled (by hand) onto a projection reel, then rolled back to the processing spool once the transfer has been completed.

Because of the time involved in the spooling and re-spooling process, an additional charge of $0.15 per foot will be added to the base charge of $0.15, bringing the total to $0.30 per foot. This spooling charge can be avoided if you bring in an empty projector reel with the order.

3. Tape Charges:

• In addition to the charge of $0.15 per foot of film transferred, there is a charge of $7.80 for each one hour MiniDV tape used.

• The tape charge for transfer from MiniDV tape to VHS video tape is $15.00 (maximum 2 hours).

• All tapes are "Professional" grade, and are provided by VideOccasions for the transfer.

4. DVD Charges:

• DVD charges are in addition to the cost of film to tape transfer and tape charges. The charge for a two hour DVD master is $40.00, for a one hour $20.00.
  A full listing of DVD charges may be found elsewhere on our web site.

• The charge for transferring from digital tape to an external hard drive is $15.00 per hour of tape transferred.

  For orders of 25 or more DVD copies please call for a price quote.

Film Reel Size and Approximate Footage 3"Reel=50' 5"Reel=200' 6"Reel=300' 7"Reel=400'

VideOccasions can place titles between each reel of film should that be desirable e.g., "1930-1940", "1940-1945: The War Years", etc. The minimum charge for this service is $40.00, plus $20.00 for each quarter hour of editing time beyond 30 minutes.

VideOccasions can add music to your project before it is transferred to DVD or tape. Music can be provided to VideOccasions on CD, audio tape or 78 and 33.3 rpm discs. We cannot download music from the WWW for use on your DVD. The minimum charge for this service is $40.00, plus $20.00 for each quarter hour of editing time beyond 30 minutes. We estimate at least 3 hours labor, at $80 per hour, for adding music to a two hour DVD.

Very often old film contains out of focus material, sections where the camera is bouncing so much that you can't tell what's going on, places where only feet and street were photographed -- in other words, footage that you'll probably want to removed before sharing copies with friends and family.

• Information regarding editing your film transfer can be found in VideOccasions' Film Transfer Editing Tips

• Talk to us at VideOccasions about the numerous editing options available to you, and be sure to look at the information contained in the "Editing" section of this web site. Select "Editing" from the main menu.

Most of our out-of-area customers ship film and tape to us via the U.S. Postal Service, although we also receive shipments via UPS and FedEx and other major carriers. We suggest that regardless of the method you choose to ship your materials you request “tracking” of the package so that both you and the carrier will know at all times the whereabouts of the tape package.

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Turn-around

Turn-around is usually one to two weeks. We move projects along as rapidly as possible, but film transfer is done in real time and large orders can slow down the work flow significantly.

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Rush Orders

Rush orders of small quantities of film usually can be accommodated in emergency situations. The charge for rush order conversion is $0.20 per foot. Call us at 425-641-4811 if you have a desperate need.

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