Why Should You Transfer Your Old Film to DVD?

As you know, Cine 2 DVD Transfers specialise in transferring 16mm and 8mm film to DVD. We have over 30 years of experience in helping thousands of people retain important and personal memories from their lives.

It’s become almost impossible to watch cine film, which means that so many people are faced with losing treasured memories from their childhood. We hate the thought of this happening, which is why our service helps to keep your memories alive in a more accessible form – DVD.

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How to Choose the Digital Camera for You

We at Cine2DVD love nothing more than to transfer cine film to DVD in an effort to store your precious memories on a more permanent format. However, when it comes to actually capturing the footage, there is so much choice out there in the way of digital cameras that it can often be hard to even know where to start. A digital camera is an investment, so there are certain things you need to consider before you purchase your gear.

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Why is Nostalgia So Important to Us?

It’s happened again hasn’t it?

You’ve taken a walk into town and something has triggered a memory. Something small, something you can’t quite place. It’s reminded you of that summer evening when your dad stood with an umbrella over the BBQ, determined that the coals would catch flame despite the rain. That’s the memory that’s taken your feet in the direction of the shops for BBQ food. That’s the memory that makes you smirk to yourself as the cars and strangers pass you in the street. It’s a small memory, but when you’re having a bad day, it’s the small things that keep you smiling.

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Stop. Motion Picture Time!- Creating a Stop Motion Animation Movie

Have you ever made a flick book?

You know, when you make a series of doodles in the corner of your page, over a series of pages and then you flick through the corners and your doodle looks like it’s moving?

If you have, congratulations! You’ve started on the long, addictive road of stop motion animation!

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Giants of Film-making: Celebrating Super 8

Hollywood and Clapperboard

For a while it looked as though more technologically advanced formats were going to take over, leaving little room for the pioneering types of film that came before. Luckily these fears turned out to be entirely unfounded – lovers of high quality cinematic equipment are only too eager to embrace the roots of the medium, turning to formats such as Super 8 mm film to recapture the mood of times gone by.

In fact, far from being obsolete Super 8 is still championed by many of the world’s best known and best loved movie-makers. Back in 2011, director J.J. Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg proved the point by making Super 8. The clue is definitely in the name on this one – following a group of kids as they battle to film their own home cinema epic, this movie plays tribute to its namesake, the Super 8 film stock that got incredible talents like Spielberg and Abrams started while they were still children.

The role-call of famous directors who started out filming no-budget home movies on Super 8 film is impressive – from David Fincher to Peter Jackson, via Tim Burton and Michael Bay. And it certainly isn’t all about dabbing our eyes and getting nostalgic about the film’s history, as directors and cinematographers are still finding ways to incorporate Super 8 mm film in modern movies.

In the 1991 drama JFK it was used to help capture the atmosphere of the historical period being conjured up, while Ben Affleck used it to add an edge of realism to one of Argo’s crucial opening scenes. Similarly, Oldboy has flashback sequences that were shot on Super 8 to help capture the desired mood – and as a keen proponent of the format, director Spike Lee already had his own personal Super 8 camera to use for the scenes.

Many colorful DVD lying upon each other - landscape format

With so many benefits and so much love from the movie world, we certainly won’t be saying goodbye to the Super 8 format any time soon! If you’re keen on making your own retro-styled films, or still have footage left over from when Super 8 was big the first time around, we can convert your 8mm Cine film to DVD, enabling you to share it with friends and view it at your leisure. Contact us today at 0800 592433, and we’ll be happy to discuss all of your needs!

How Do You Shoot Yours?

When it comes to shooting home movies, you may well have your stars (Well, your family and friends), and your action (Like Adel’s 18th birthday, or Verity’s hen-do) – but how the devil do you shoot them?

 

Glad you asked! That’s precisely why we thought we’d take a look at the different types of camcorders – from the older models to the fresh and funky ones on the market today – so you know what sort of kit you’re dealing with, and what kind you’ll want to invest in for the future.

The 8mm Craze

8mm had been about, in one form or another, since the 1930s. In 1963, Zapruder’s Zoomatic 8mm captured the assassination of President Kennedy. But the format really took off with Kodak’s 1965 invention, Super8, and it wasn’t too long before handheld movie cameras were everywhere. The main downside to these was the lack of microphones, meaning the soundtrack to your film was just the haunting flicker of the projector. Chances are, if you have old film footage from the 60s and 70s, then it was filmed on 8mm or Super 8.

 

VHS Hits

Ah, the old favourite, the VHS. Shortly after the format hit the mainstream, VHS camcorders came on the market, allowing everyone to film Kirk and Sherri’s wedding – with sound! But these beasts were heavy, so hardly fit for lugging around on your family holiday to Florida. So naturally, the companies adapted, creating S-VHS and Video8, which were smaller – and meant the camcorder could be smaller too.

Maximum Love for Mini-DV

Probably the most successful of all the cassette-based formats was Mini-DV camcorder. Unlike the VHS camcorders of yore, these really were handheld, and because of that, their popularity was widespread. Everyone from documentary filmmakers to your neighbour had one of these to capture great moments.

 

The Digital Revolution

As we entered into internet age, digital become a serious, if slightly more expensive, recording format. DVD cameras allowed folks to record directly on to disc – although this came at the expensive of picture quality, which was compressed. This was followed by HDD camcorders that converted the film instantly into a digital format; flash drive camcorders followed after – although these are terrifically expensive when compared even with hard drive versions.

The Future

These days, the digital revolution continues at a pretty sturdy pace. Now we can film in high definition, but pretty soon 4K will overtake even the traditional HD models. And then there’s the possibility of 3D camcorders going mainstream – the technology is out there, and even certain models available, although they’re more likely to be used by professional filmmakers, rather than capturing Olivia and Grace’s birthday party!

 

So, how do you shoot yours? If you’ve got older footage, we offer an awesome service that can effortlessly transfer 8mm film to DVD – ensuring that your memories stay with you long after a format has become obsolete. To find out more about our services, all you need to do is contact us on 0800 592 433. We’d love to hear from you.

Remember, Mum’s the Word

March 15th – that’s a date for your calendar. No, it’s not just the ides of March, although if you happen to be Julius Caesar, do take care. It’s also mother’s day, or Mothering Sunday for those who prefer an extra 50% more letters with their events.

But how about, this year, not buying your dear ol’ mum the token box of chocolates and a bottle of Baileys? After all, she’s your mother, so she deserves something a little more special – like a video of all her greatest hits: the time she burnt the turkey at Christmas, that tipsy dance she did at your wedding, the moment she first laid eyes on her first grandchild.

Maybe you’d like to see her face when all the family members speak to the camera about how awesome she is, or gather the grandkids to perform an expertly choreographed rendition of absolutely any scene from Oliver! These are all glorious moments that she’s sure to treasure forever. Also, you’ll be her favourite child for the whole day, so that’s a bonus.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure that whatever your footage, your mum looks great in them. On this blog, we like to offer up ideas for creating great home movies, so here are a few filming tips, to ensure your lovely mum looks a million dollars (which she’s totally worth, of course).

Show Her in Her Best Light

Lighting can be a tricky issue when it comes to camcorders, especially for those shots filmed indoors. If you’re shooting inside, you do, at least, have an element of control over the lighting. Switch on as many lights as you can; don’t simply rely on overhead lights as they can cast ugly shadows over your subjects, and leave their faces in darkness. If you’re shooting by a window, position yourself with your back to it – otherwise you’ll end up with a silhouette of your mum and miss out on her beautiful smile. Likewise, if you’re filming outside, shoot with your back to the sun, to really capture her best side.

Put the Focus on Her

Your camera comes with all manner of jiggery-pokery, right? So why leave it on auto-focus? It might seem like the easiest choice, but you’ll regret it when you come to view the footage and see that weird zooming blur as the camera attempts to focus on two things at once. Have a play beforehand and figure out how to precisely focus your camcorder manually. That way you can capture exactly what you want, without losing crucial moments because the camera’s got confused by the foreground and background subjects.

She Wants to See You Too

Just because you’re behind the camera, it doesn’t mean your job is done. It’s easy to forget that just because you’re there, it doesn’t mean you’re there. When watching your home movie back, your mum’s going to want to see you too; she’s not going to want to just listen to your ghostly voice monologuing in the background. Hand the camera over to someone you can trust, and make sure you’re in at least a couple of shots. That way your home movie has all the key players taking a starring role. You’re just as important to your mum as everyone else!

Now you’re all set to give your mother a gift to really remember! And if you’ve got footage from way back when, we’ll help you transfer it on to a digital format to be enjoyed by the whole family. We specialise in converting 16mm, Super 8 and 8mm film to DVD – creating memories you’ll want to watch again and again. Want more information about our services and products? It’s easy – simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and our dedicated team will be delighted to assist with all of your queries.

Memories by Media

It’s interesting, isn’t it, just how you can tell when a moment was captured, simply by studying the image in front of you. In fact, with a keen eye, it’s possible to effortlessly judge just when those memories occurred.

It’s not just down to those really awesome shoulder pads you were rocking in the 1980’s, the 90’s curtains hairstyle, or those blood-constraining skinny jeans for the millennium. It’s more about the image quality. Seeing the difference between analogue pictures and those shot in digital is easy.

Consider this scene: a family gathering. These days, if we’re capturing this moment, we’ll be filming it with our smartphones – and then it ends up plastered all over social media, but that’s another story. The average smartphone today has a minimum of around 3MP, which means some serious digital clarity when compared to yesteryear.

Travel back ten years, and the cameras would be shot in VGA. VGA – or Video Graphics Array – was a pretty basic camera type, with a resolution of 640×480. So you’ll definitely notice the difference already. Even if you were using a dedicated digital camera in the early 2000’s, chances are it would only be around 1.3MP. So you’d still be able to judge just when it was you made those memories, based on quality alone.

Dash back even further, to the 90’s, and digital is pretty much unused, at least by most. That’s when we used film, creating images on 6×4 roll film, or using disposable cameras. In the 1980’s, the 35mm was king. As technology advances, we’ve grown used to great picture quality. What once seemed like the height of image clarity just keeps on getting better. Simply by looking at your photos and video films, you can easily date the time it was taken, which is pretty amazing.

Here at Cine 2 DVD we’re passionate about bringing the best quality images to you. That’s why we specialise in converting 8mm film to DVD. So all you have to worry about are those tie-dye t-shirts you thought would never go out of fashion. For more information about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0800 592 433 or email info@cine2dvdtransfers.co.uk and our pro team will be delighted to assist with your enquiries.

Common Shooting Mistakes (Part Two)

Getting to grips with technicalities of home videoing can be more than tricky, especially if you’re trying it out for the first time. Your friend’s epic birthday party, your baby’s first babbling words… these occasions deserve to be captured in films that show off the beauty of the moment more than they show off your dodgy camera skills! Luckily it’s easy to fake it as a pro, if you just avoid a few common pitfalls. We already took you through a selection of the most frequent mistakes, but here are a few more to make sure that you really get the best out of your home camera!

 

Don’t Shake and Shoot

Keeping a steady hand is one of the surest ways to make sure that nothing detracts from the content of your video. Shaky shots often distract the viewer – and you don’t want to be held responsible for causing motion sickness when you finally share your video with family and friends. A little accidental wobble here and there can be excused, but many videographers find that once the power starts going to their heads they’re suddenly finding excuses to experiment with motion shots at every opportunity. It can be fun to move around while filming, but remember that stillness and balance can also be serious virtues when it comes to making home movies.

Avoid Accidentally Hitting That Record Button

Unwanted shots are exactly that – unwanted, and once they start cluttering up your video you’ll find yourself with more shots of Grandma’s feet than baby’s first steps. It’s all too easy to accidentally hit record, and it can be disappointing to find yourself with a lot of unintended footage. Luckily, this problem has a very easy fix: the camera’s viewfinder will always tell you if you’re currently recording, so keep an eye on it and make sure that you’re only filming what you really want. As an added bonus, you’ll find that less accidental recording makes for longer lasting batteries. Win!

Remember That Everyone Makes Mistakes

As much as this advice can help you take higher quality videos, there’s nothing worse than spending so much time worrying about getting the perfect footage that you end up missing the moment that you were trying to preserve. Mistakes are made by everyone – the best professionals with the greatest track records still find themselves messing up from time to time. As you practice filming and start to perfect your art, you’ll find that those mistakes get fewer and further between, and you’ll learn how to shrug it off when you do find yourself with that unwanted shot or little bit of shaky footage!

However polished your footage is, the most important thing is that once you’ve got it recorded you have it to keep forever. We specialise in transferring 8mm Cine Film to DVD, meaning that you can store your films in a format that is easy to watch, share and treasure. To find out more, contact us at 0800 592 433, or email info@cine2dvdtransfers.co.uk.

Common Shooting Mistakes (Part One)

No doubt about it, shooting all those awesome moments can give anyone a real buzz. Whether it’s baby’s first steps, seeing your kid off to his school prom, or your daughter’s big day, any amateur filmmaker is going to be excited. But that way madness lies! Ok, not really madness – but certainly some errors which you may live to regret when it comes to watching and re-watching those moments on the small screen. So let’s take a look at a few common mistakes we’re all guilty of when shooting those precious moments, starting with…

 

Zoom-Zoom-Zoom

The zoom function on camcorders is pretty handy, allowing you privileged access to shots you might miss out on, getting up close and personal with your newly christened baby, say. But that doesn’t mean every shot requires a hard zoom. Or any zoom for that matter. It can totally distract from what’s actually happening – sometimes we need to just let the picture itself tell the story.

Auto-Mode is Auto-Pilot

Ok, we know we just had a pop at the ol’ zoom button, but really, that camcorder is a nifty little machine with some seriously cool bells and whistles. It may be easier to film with just auto-focus switched on, but when your kid’s walking down the aisle the last thing you want is for the screen to go blurry. Or watch the colour bleed out because you haven’t calibrated it properly. We definitely suggest checking out all you can about what your camcorder does, so you can capture those shots perfectly.

Eye-Level Lacks Creativity

With a video camera it’s sure easy to just point and shoot, right? After all, it’s in your hand, and you’re standing, what more do you need? Well, by just shooting at standard eye-level you may be capturing everything as you see it, but you’re also missing out on tons of really great shots. You can afford to be creative, especially if it means recording something that might otherwise be missed. Get down low, get up high, get as much range as you possibly can – not only will it make you feel like the next Spielberg, it’ll also let viewers see the whole scope of the event. And that’s more to make it memorable.

Here at Cine 2 DVD Transfers we love helping you relive those awesomely special memories. That’s why we specialise in converting cine to DVD, so you can re-watch those moments time and again. For more information about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0800 592 433 or email info@cine2dvdtransfers.co.uk and our team will be glad to assist with all of your enquiries.