One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is to take video and photos that I have of my kids and edit them together with a relevant popular song.
These projects can be easy and fun to do. They make really great Christmas and birthday presents, too.
So, you’re wondering…where do I start? There are many different ways to do it. As a professional, I’ve always had the luxury of having professional editing software at my fingertips, so my family has gotten used to the occasional tear-jerking video scrapbook. During tough times right out of college, my parents were blessed to get numerous video scrapbooks as gifts…and they cherished each one.
Before you get started, you should know that video scrapbooking can be very time-consuming, especially if you’ve never done it before. Start with plenty of time to spare before your deadline to avoid sitting in front of your computer at midnight on Christmas Eve just to find out that your DVD burner needs to be replaced. Trust me, I’ve been there. Give yourself a few weeks to complete the project comfortably.
First, if you’re lucky enough to successfully get the video into your computer, that’s half the battle. Then you’ve got to have that perfect song. Depending on the project, it could be the song of the couple’s first dance, the favorite song of the individual highlighted in the video, or just a song that fits the subject matter. And a word of advice; “Who Let the Dogs Out” should be avoided at all cost in the video of your furry friends!
Now that you have all of your key elements, a standard computer program like Moviemaker or iMovie will work for a basic memoir video. These are simple and easy to use video editors that can get the job done and usually come installed on newer computers.
Once you get your video and song in, the rest practically does itself. You can pick clips and have them transition with slow dissolves to create a sentimental mood, or use fast cuts to signify excitement and energy.
Once you’re done with that part, you can add the finishing touches like titles.
Then, burn a dvd, wrap it up, gift it…and watch their eyes light up. Most people love memoir videos. They are a very personal gift and the recipient will always appreciate the time involved in such a project.
As always, you can always gather all of your videos and pictures and dump them onto the desk of a professional. Prepare to have a quality product in the end, but in some cases it can be expensive, because such projects become very time-consuming unless the “professional” knows the family in the photos very well. However, there are some things you can do on your end to avoid the high costs associated with hourly rates of the pros.
Video scrapbooks are worth the expense, though. You never forget the feeling of watching an empty-nest mother and a father remember past times with their grown children…and that it was all made possible because you took the time to put those memories to video.
docent~prodigy 