Preparing To Order
There are 3 main elements to consider as you get together your package to send us…
#1 Picking out your pictures and ordering them.
#2 Deciding on which music goes over which pictures.
#3 Writing out your title and picture caption slides
In simple terms, it’s that easy. We take that package and do the rest. If need be, check out our instructions for preparing your package step by step below. Contact us at any point in the process if you have questions, and we will do our best to guide you through.
#1) Preparing Your Pictures And Ordering Them
The best way to organize your photos is by file name. Each picture on your computer will already have a file name that was assigned by the camera when you took it. If you scanned your photos, a file name would have been assigned at that time. The file naming format that works best for putting your pictures in order is 001.jpg then 002.jpg then 003.jpg and so on. Whether you work with a Mac or a PC you should get your pictures into a folder first, and then go from there.
If you search for “rename” in your computers help file, you will get simple instructions of how to complete step one. If you make a mistake, and forget to label a file correctly at first, don’t worry, you won’t have to start all over again. Just add a lower case letter like “003a.jpg” after your 3 digit number and we will get it in the right place.
Once you have all your picture files in a folder and in the right order, burn a CDR of that folder and its files with your favorite burning software, or with your operating system. Again, if you search for “burn” in your computers help file, you should get simple instructions for making a burned disk.
#2) Deciding On Which Music Goes Over Which Pictures.
There are 2 ways for us to get the music for your own customized video. You can send us your music cds with the songs you want on them, or for a small fee, we can purchase a song for you through iTunes. Once you have decided on the songs that you’d like to use, please fill out the song section of the order form. We need to know which song goes for which set of photos, as well as what point in the song you’d like us to start at. For instance, maybe you’d like a specific song to play over 015.jpg through 020.jpg, and your favorite part of the song is the chorus that starts at 1:27 seconds. With the photos file names, the song name, and what part you’d like us to use, we can put together a captivating sequence that becomes greater than the individual pieces.
#3) Writing Out Your Title And Picture Caption Slides
This is a really easy step. Just decide on what you’d like to say during your movie. You may want opening and closing phrases only, or you may want to label specific photos or groups of photos. As with the music, fill out the order form with the specific phrases that you’d like in your movie, and where you want them to appear based on which picture files you choose.
After all your preparation, we will expect to get…
- A disc of pictures from you
- Some of your music CD’s / A list of songs that you’d like from iTunes
- A completed order sheet.
Again, contact us if you have specific questions while preparing your order that you don’t see the answers to here. We want your preparation to be as easy as possible, so let us know if you get stumped, and we’ll try to help.
Download our ORDER SHEET to get started