Create a Family Keepsake with Home Movies and Photos! 

Finding just the right holiday gift for family and friends can be stressful , especially if left until the last minute.  

 Here are a few ideas for Holiday presents your whole family will love and 10 reasons why you should start now! 

Home Movie Transfer is one of our most popular services. Time and the elements take a toll on your priceless old movies. They need to be transferred digitally to Gold Archival DVD so that you and your loved ones can enjoy them for generations to come! Home Movie DVDs can include music, titles, chapter markers and menus .

Another popular gift is our Photo Video Keepsakes.   We  take your favorite photos and slides and produce a one-of-a-kind family movie  , complete with titles and your favorite music.

One of our most popular services year-round is Video to DVD transfer  . We’ll digitally transfer all of your VHS, 8mm and Mini DV tapes onto a convenient and long-lasting Gold Archival disc – complete with menu and scene selection  .

We’ve compiled a Top Ten List with the advantages of starting now to put together  your one-of-a-kind  Holiday Gifts!

1. The best gifts take thought. forget the coffee mug  with the tag still on it to someone else. Come  to us loaded with photos, tapes and movies and, most of all, brimming with ideas! If you start thinking now there’s no telling what your creative mind will come up with  to make a unique Holiday present .

2. Some of your material might be kept  across the nation. Where’s that one photo you always loved? Maybe across the states  . Where are those old movies? In Aunt Edna’s attic ? Now is the time to start gathering the cherished  memories that you need to make your project the very best!

3. Last minute = Stress. Especially with creative, unique gifts. Contact  us now and give yourself the time to genuinely do it right. You and your family are worth it!

4. Price Savings. Call us today to see what kind of early bird specials we can offer you!

5. Forgot someone on your list ? No problem! The earlier your project is complete the sooner a last minute “oops, I forgot about…” is only a DVD copy away!

6. It’s  fun! You’ll have a ball, all summer and fall, creating your masterpiece and avoiding the mall.

7. Someone else might think of it . Don’t get “scooped.” DVD  gifts are great ideas that need to be acted upon now!

8. Because setting your mind on the Holidays now, will keep you stress free when the time is closer .

9. Room to be creative. We see it all the time. One great creative turn leads to another. You need time to revise and realize even better ideas.

10. Did we mention the price break? Be an early bird and take advantage of our specials !

Home Video Studio – Portland specializes in video editing, video to DVD transfer, DVD and CD duplication, photo/video montages, Super 8mm, 8mm & 16mm home movie transfers, 35mm slide transfers, video tape repair and much more. Whether you need one DVD copy tonight, 20 copies tomorrow, or even 200 copies next week, we can serve your needs. 

The first rule of genealogy is to begin with yourself.  Work from what you know to the unknown, assembling evidence each step of the way.

Next, collect data from your immediate family .The elders in the family do not live indefinitely regardless of age or health and it is important to record everything that they can remember.

Whenever conceivable, conduct a one-on-one interview.  Let your relatives know that you are coming , as well as the type of information you are seeking .  With permission, use recording equipment.  Take accurate and clear notes .  Prepare for your interview by making a checklist of questions to remind you to ask the three key  questions:  who, when and where . These questions will increase your genealogy know how and family tree research .

However, be prepared to follow the lead from the person being interviewed .  There will be surprises along the way ; beflexible with your interview style and be open to the discourse and the stories that may follow . If one can’t interview a relative personally , write a note that is personal in tone .  If the letter  goes unanswered, a phone call may be necessary .  Writing may be difficult for an elderly person who might be interested in sharing information.  If this is the reason , a phone call will be helpful.

It is important to recognize that not everyone will be as interested or excited about family history and genealogy .
Use photos as a tool .  Often photos refresh the memory, and unlock fragments of family data long forgotten.  

Reassure people that you will be careful with the material loaned to you .  Respect the information they loan to you.  Often relatives are reluctant to lend a family treasure , so be prepared to photograph memorbilia whenever they cannot be taken from the home .

Offer to share your research .  Keep your word .  After entering compiling data on  a family history sheet and pedigree chart , send  the information to the person who has shared with you   the information .

Be  certain to ask if there is a family bible and where it might be .  Family bibles can contain information about   marriages, births and deaths carefully written on pages inside .

Ask if others in the family has researched the family tree . If so, ask how you can obtain a copy

Family heirlooms often contains clues :

• places and names are printed on the backside of old photos .

• Written messages on the inside of a book commemorating a birthday or a vacation .

• Family scrapbooks that contain newspaper obituaries and articles , concert programs , graduations and plays .

• Monogrammed silver.

There are an endless variety of family artifacts :

• Certificates and other family records – birth baptism, confirmation , marriage ,  death and burial , wills, divorce and lawsuits . 

• Adoption papers

• Diaries

• Memorial Cards

• Report cards  

• Obituaries from old newspapers

Develop a method to organize the material . Organizing what you have collected is difficult if you don’t have a method .  You will want to create a filing system using both electronic and traditional techniques.  Use binders or folders with the surname as the label, putting items relating to that surname together. Later when you have time , go though each folder or binder carefuly, extracting pertinent information.

Make sure to cross reference your paper files to your electronic files .

Don’t forget to backup your family tree research in another location .  Many invaluable family collections have been destroyed by fire or water , as well as simply by the apathy of others who did not know they were handling did not know the value of the irreplacable family artifacts .