What Makes a Classic Christmas Movie?

It’s a Wonderful Life, The Grinch, Elf, Love Actually – we could go on. It’s that time of year again. Whether you’re open about your love for Christmas movies, or you prefer to keep them as a guilty pleasure, we can all agree that there’s nothing better than popping on one of the classics and sticking your feet up to watch them in front of the fire. That is why, in today’s blog, we’re looking into what makes a classic Christmas movie.

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To Love And To Cherish…

People of every age often say their wedding day was the best day of their lives – and it’s also a day for people of all ages across a family to come together in a shared experience. But as traditions shift from generation to generation, it’s not always easy to pass on the memories and the moments which have gone. What better way to relive the memories of wedding days gone by and early married life than by converting the cine film to DVD so everyone can enjoy it together? Continue reading

Cine to DVD – How it Goes Hand in Hand With Your Resolutions For 2018

January is the perfect time to start afresh, which is why so many people make resolutions at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. You’ll obviously want to stick to these – even if you don’t quite know how to make them all come true! It just so happens that the solution could lie in the easy process of transferring your old home movies from cine to DVD.

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Transfer Your Old Films As The Perfect Gift

The act of giving a gift is a glorious one, and the look on the receivers’ face can make it all worth while. But sometimes gift shopping can be a real nightmare. Trawling through hectic shopping centres and browsing online for hours can be stressful, and you may still not find the perfect gift. Whether it’s a wedding gift, an anniversary gift, or it could even be your anniversary, you want a personalised, lovable and forever lasting present.  So, what could be better than a transferred home video?

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Get the Best Out of Your Home Videos

Making memories is a wonderful thing, but to make them last forever you can record these special moments to watch for many years to come! However, these days, home videos are becoming less and less popular due to the fact that people are more interested in recording mini video clips on mobile devices which either don’t make it further than their phone memory or get deleted to make room for other media.

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Why You Should Convert Your Old Home Videos Before the Christmas Period

Although many of us don’t want to admit it, now that Halloween is over, people are already starting to go a bit mad for the festive season. With Christmas movies already appearing on our TV screens and the first Christmas song allegedly already played on the radio, it’s hard to avoid the Christmas spirit.

However, although the festive period is still a good month and a bit away, we think that it’s the perfect time to transfer your Super8 to DVD. Why we hear you ask-well, let’s find out!

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A Guide to Creating Movie Magic

We’ve spoken a lot about preserving your memories- it is, after all, one of the best ways to keep everything preserved in stunning quality. But what about creating those memories in the first place? Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to the brilliance of the home cinema.

movie slate and film reel on wood
 

There’s a lot to take in when creating your very own of cinematic experience. There’s so much awesomeness and creative excellence to capture,  and here we will give you an amazing checklist to accompany your home made movie experience!

 

Setting the mood

 

Woman with remote control in front of TV set
 

Have you ever walked into a screening of the latest blockbuster and had this immense excitement building from the tips of your toes right up to your hairline? Have you felt the air vibrate with a car explosion or been so immersed with the actors on screen that you haven’t realised your dad has been stealing your popcorn? Well, you can blame all of that on the mood. Here’s a few tips to help you recreate it:

  • Plunge the room into darkness. Switch off the lights and draw the curtains; let nothing but the glow of the TV illuminate your friends and family

 

  • Set up the seats so you can easily see the screen – the last thing you want is a crick in your neck halfway through your master piece

 

  • Have a bowl of warm popcorn and a can of your favourite drink at hand – trust us, you’re going to want them.

 

 

Creating a home movie

 

Armageddon
 

Now you’re all ready to go, you need a movie to watch. Although it may be very tempting to watch the latest release in the comfort of your own home, there’s nothing more entertaining than watching the best, the brightest, and the funniest members of your family and friends on the silver screen. So, to get you started on your movie making adventure, here are a couple of pointers:

  • Plot; before anything else, you should have a plot in mind. From the Adventures of Mr Tibbles the Cat, to a comedy about the neighbours’ tomato garden – your creativity knows no bounds in your plot.

 

  • Finding the best actors to bring your movie to life is very important, and of course some of the very best home movies are made with the people you love the most. There’s nothing wrong with letting your younger siblings play adults and your friends two years older than you play children!

 

  • Finding the location to shoot your movie is the best part of film making! Whether it’s in a field, a quiet street, a rain splattered wood or a cordoned off a section of your own home; performing different scenes in different locations will make your movie look all the more professional!

 

Sound

 

Hollywood and Clapperboard
 

Background noise and the howl of the wind through your microphone can spoil the ambiance you may want in certain scenes. Though in some cases this can’t be helped – unless you want to fork out for an external microphone – you can always adjust the background noise on your computer. Where sound is concerned you can also add in sound effects; a car horn or a dog barking can create that all important cinematic experience you’re striving for!

 

Watching the film

 

DVD, Popcorn and Cinema Stub
 

Once you’ve finished your masterpiece, once your actors have read their last lines and you’ve touched up the final scenes with state-of-the-art sound effects and animations, it’s time to watch your movie. Computers can create an unclear image when transferred to the TV – or from your video camera to the screen – and, for your movie master piece, that is the very last thing you want to happen. Transferring your magical 8mm Cine Film to DVD is the best way to preserve your movie and deliver a top quality picture to your home cinema.

So now you have your crystal clear homemade movie, your homemade cinema and your popcorn at hand, it’s time to sit back relax and enjoy the film. Cine2DVD can help you to turn your homemade movies into a real cinematic experience, so contact us today on 0800 592433 for more information.

Go Fetch: Pets in Your Home Movies

On this blog, we often chat about the importance of family and friends in your home movies. You know the sort of thing: Granny Smith’s impromptu disco-fever dance, Uncle Mike’s debauched 40th birthday party. But we’ve always neglected our four-legged family members – until now.

Yep, for the whole of April it’s National Pet Month. Bet you didn’t even know that was a thing, right? Our furry friends sometimes make the best home movie stars, for those faces they pull, the guilty slinking after chowing down your diner while your back was turned, the fact that maybe – just maybe – they actually understand every word you say (And still pay no attention to it!).

 

Celebrate Colin

National Pet Month isn’t just an opportunity to get your favourite critters on film today; it’s also a chance to celebrate those pets who are no longer with you – remember Fluffy the Doberman? – or remember little Colin the Tortoise in his prime, before he sagged with every step. And what better way than by holding a home video pet night, converting the old cine film to DVD or USB and gathering everyone – yes, even Kitty the cat – to watch those old pet clips back?

 

In fact, it doesn’t even need to be a straight film conversion. With a little bit of editing, you could turn it into a highlight reel, remember all of your pet’s best moments in a single home movie. And with some titles and a bit of music, like the kind we can put onto your DVD, you’ll have an excellent way of immortalising your animals.

 

Perfect Pet

Of course capturing those perfect pet moments can be super-hard – and that’s another great reason to get those old film reels put on to USB or DVD. After all, you spent so long waiting to film your pet to do that weird head-bobbing shoulder dance it does, wouldn’t it be nice to see it again? Not only that, but you’ll also be able to watch them wherever you are, without setting up that antique projector in the front room. Oh, and then there’s the fact that you’ll be able to share Roger the Rabbit with everyone, not just on the big-screen, but on the computer screen too, by uploading it to Youtube and the like.

 

Ready to see your pets in action? Then we can lend a hand! Our pro team have been transferring old films to digital formats, so you can be sure your memories are in safe hands. If you’d like to know more, simply contact us on 0800 592 433 and we’ll be delighted to help.