Planning a photo video montage is easy as long as you follow the helpful guidelines below.
1. Establish a theme
Decide on the story you want to tell. Are you focusing on a specific occasion or aspect of life, or is this going to be more chronological in nature, for instance, a history of events leading up to a special occasion?
In establishing the theme, think about how long you want it to be. If it is "A Tribute to Grandma", one song probably is not long enough to share highlights from her entire life. Once you have a theme and length in mind, we can work together to come up with a title, for instance, "Our Wedding", "A tribute to Grandma", "Joel's First Year", "Ann's High School Graduation", etc.
2. Create Chapters
Determine how you want to categorize the materials by creating chapters, or sections within the umbrella theme. Each chapter = one song.
In general, montage chapters will begin with the earliest photos and end with the more recent. For example, if it is an Anniversary montage for mom and dad, with four songs, corresponding chapters might be: Ch 1: Mom growing up, Ch. 2 Dad growing up, Ch. 3 Courtship and marriage photos, Ch. 4 With the kids/recent pictures.
You can use clasp envelopes or manila folders and title each according to their chapter name and chapter number.
3. Select materials
Layout all your photo albums, loose pictures, framed photos, 8mm, MiniDV, VHS tapes and any other related memorabilia and documents. Sort though the photos, review video footage and look for materials best related to your video's theme and corresponding chapters.
Photographs
When selecting photos, try to choose high quality photos that evoke emotion, and that are not too similar to each other. Avoid photos larger than 8' x 10' or smaller than 1" x 1" if possible. Heartstrings will perform basic digital retouching, such as red eye removal and cropping to your photos as needed, however, any customized editing such as photo restoration and/or specialized retouching is additional.
Typically, photos will be displayed in a cadence of approximately 12-15 images per minute, varying between 4-5 seconds apiece. Thus, a 3-minute song will result in approximately 36-45 photographs, depending on song tempo. In deciding your number of photos, be sure to consider as well, the length of any video footage you may want included into the same song. For instance, if the combined length of video clips = 30 seconds, that would constitute 6 photos. It is okay to deviate from this rule somewhat, however too much deviation may result in images shown at too fast or too slow of a pace.
Video
Montages are not limited to photos only. Video is a great way to add interest and motion. You can have pre-selected video clips inserted into your photomontage, or let Heartstrings choose your highlights for you. You could go so far as to have edited home video throughout an entire song. Clips can be submitted on 8mm, Mini DV, and VHS tape.
Pre-Selecting Your Video
In pre-selection of video, you choose your video insertions upfront and provide them to us by identifying the clips you want included. All you need to do is review your home footage and identify each video clip as follows:
• Brief Description (e.g. Couple lighting unity candle)
• Provide digital or analog time codes - digital time code appears automatically when you insert the tape, and analog time code is measured by rewinding the tape to its beginning, resetting the time code to zero and forwarding the tape to where you want the video clip being inserted to begin and end.
• Provide location preference of where you want the clip inserted, e.g. Ch#2, between photo #020 and #021).
• Indicate audio preference, (e.g. audio "up" and under song bed; audio "muted" under song bed, audio "up" after song; audio "up" before song).
Customized Video Editing
Customized editing is available at an hourly rate. Customized editing includes editing photos and video clips specifically to the beat of the lyrics/words in a song, adding narration, creating specialized DVD menus/chapter selections, developing specialized graphics and reviewing/editing home video footage.
Scannable Memorabilia
Scannable memorabilia such as certificates, documents, newspaper clippings, awards, etc. can also be inserted into the montage. Each piece counts the same as one photo. Consider a wedding invitation for a Wedding or Anniversary montage, a baby Announcement for a Little Star Birthday montage etc.
4. Categorize Materials
Group the photos into their corresponding chapter folder and number each photo in the order you would like it to appear by placing a numbered Post-It note on the back of each picture. We advise that you not write directly on the back of your photos since impressions will show through during the scanning process. If you make a mistake with numbering and wish to include another photo later between two photos that you have already numbered (e.g. between photos 10 and 11), just label it with the number of the previous photo followed by a letter (e.g. 10A). Numbering is critical since photos can shift out of order during shipment and handling. Place photos into a Zip-lock bag within their chapter folders and label the Zip-lock bags with the Ch#. Name and Song title. If you wish to have Heartstrings choose the arrangement/sequence of photos this too can be arranged. Contact us for more details.
If you provide photos to us pre-scanned, please follow these guidelines:
• Scan all photos at a min. of 300 dpi resolution and save as JPEG files.
• Scan images smaller than 3x5 to at least 600 dpi.
• Name the file with a three-digit number indicating the chapter number_ (underscore) and the order that you would like it to appear in the video. (e.g. ch1_001.jpg, ch1_002.jpg.).
• Put your photos for each song in a separate folder, labeled by Chapter number and song that will be playing with it.
• Either send us a CD-R for mailing in with the remainder of your materials or save them as a Zip file and submit them via email to info@heartstringsvideos.com.
Again, should you prefer, Heartstrings Videos does offer pre-production services to assist you with the arrangement of your montage.
5. Select Music
Select a song to be background music for each chapter. Try to select songs that match the mood with the pictures and material in the chapter. When determining songs, be thinking of the honoree you are playing the montage for and what lyrics might fit their story well.
Provided that your montage is for non-commercial, personal use, should you choose to use copywritten songs, you will need to supply the music to Heartstrings preferably in its original store-purchased CD format. You may also use stock, royalty free music at no extra charge.
For a list of song suggestions, view our Songs page.
Once you have determined the songs for each chapter, please label your chapter folders with the corresponding song title.
6. Select Titles/Captions
Each montage includes a personalized, on-screen title at the beginning and ending of your video. Generally, the title that appears at the beginning is general, while the concluding title is a message. For example, a parent's anniversary montage may begin with the title "Through the Years" and end by saying "Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad". Unless otherwise stated, the title for the beginning of the video will be used to label your VHS or DVD disc and disc case.
Captions help to make videos more personable and easier to follow; however, we recommend captions staying more professional and informative in nature. An example would be Ch#1, Picture #007: Jonathan Jr. arrives early, weighing 6 lbs., 11 oz.
If you wish, you can add additional titles/captions for an additional charge. They can appear either on their own or on one of your photos or video clips.
7. Submit Materials
| Quick Checklist | |
 |
Send a completed order form along with your materials. |
|
Include all of your chapter folders; numbered and labeled with a title and corresponding song. |
|
Include your photos (numbered with Post-It notes), packaged in a Chapter/Song labeled Zip-lock bag or send in a CD with photos categorized and numbered. |
|
Provide Music CD's. |
|
Video footage with details regarding clip identification, placement and insertion. |
|
Any desired memorabilia that needs scanned in and details regarding placement and insertion labeled by Chapter/Song. |
Once you have completed each step above, pack your montage materials listed above, safely in an airtight box and send via Priority Mail, UPS, Federal Express, or Airborne to:
| Heartstrings Videos |
| 333 SE Bordner Dr. |
| Lee's Summit, MO 64063 |
We will send your materials back to you via certified mail when we are finished with your video.
*Heartstrings Videos is not responsible for photos that are lost or damaged in transit.
 |
| ©Heartstrings Videos - 2008. All rights reserved. |
| |