1: Does AMRS videotape weddings?
No. Wedding Videography is a highly specialized
field these days and most good wedding videographers focus specifically
on weddings. It should be remembered that in addition to the filming of
the wedding day events, a tremendous amount of editing time goes into
creating the finished product, leaving little time for other services.
However, if you have a wedding already on videotape and need assistance
editing and creating a final DVD, AMRS would be happy to assist. We also
give
referrals. Please call or email for more
information.
2: What should I know about DVD-R
compatibility?
Recordable DVD-R is a great format for
recording and sharing information of many types. The truth, however, is
that not all DVD players are capable of playing all types of DVD discs.
The reasons are many and quite technical in nature, the short answer is
that currently, DVD-R and DVD+R formats are rated to be compatible with
all computer DVD drives and most consumer type DVD players. Some DVD players
will play one brand of disc but not another, others are sensitive to the
speed that the disc was recorded at or the method used in the recording.
So how does AMRS handle this problem? We use only top rated Verbatim and
Taiyo Uden brand DVD-R discs, not because we endorse them, but because
thorough testing has shown that these DVD masters, when created properly,
are simply the most reliable. In the increasingly rare circumstance where
a finished DVD will not play, AMRS will replace that disc with a DVD+R
disc recorded at a lower speed. About 95% of the time, this will correct
the situation. However, it must be noted that there are simply some DVD
players that are not at all compatible with recordable DVD discs and in
that situation, we simply recommend that the DVD player be replaced with
a new model. See question #10 for more information.
3: What is the film transfer process
used by AMRS?
For 16mm movie film, a single telecine
film transfer is used for professional quality transfers. For 8mm and
Super 8mm films, AMRS uses a proprietary method developed on-site that
effectively eliminates any problems associated with film transfers such
as "flicker" contrast ratio and color correction. Since a picture is worth
a thousand words, we recommend that you contact us for a free demo DVD
of our film transfer process in order to see for yourself how your home
movies can be beautifully transferred to DVD at an affordable cost.
4: What type of events will AMRS
videotape?
We will videotape a variety of events
ranging from school athletic events to dance recitals and insurance videos.
We do not videotape weddings (see question #1 above). Please call us when
planning your event to discuss the many options available.
5: Are combination packages available
for shooting, editing and DVD authoring / duplication?
Yes. Please contact us directly for more
information.
6: What is a Dual Format DVD?
Dual Format DVD is a term used at AMRS
to describe a Photo DVD disc that will allow you to view your pictures
on a standard television set in high quality, using a DVD player in the
same manner as a slide projector. However, it is also a DVD-ROM disc that,
when inserted into a computer DVD-ROM drive, will give you full access
to all of the picture files for use with any other program. Dual Format
DVD is a great way to archive and view family histories or any other type
of presentation.
7: Why do I need a Highlight Reel?
Highlight Reels are a very effective way
for an athlete or performer to showcase their skills and college athletic
departments need them in order to evaluate potential applicants. Our philosophy
is that the Highlight Reel should look professional but not be over-produced.
In other words, it should not be an elaborate, expensive production looking
like a music video. A simple and direct video containing 5-10 minutes
of highlights and a good photo of the student athlete, combined with any
statistics and pertinent contact information is much like a resume in
that the objective is to grab attention and get an interview scheduled.
AMRS has produced many Highlight Reels for local athletes and performers
and we would be happy to show them on request. Note that some sports may
also require the inclusion of complete game tapes, for instance, basketball
and hockey. Coaches in this area will need to evaluate the athlete on
complete game performance, however, a good Highlight DVD is still the
recommended starting point. Highlight Reel videos can also contain helpful
tools such as freeze frames with arrows and masks, to accent players in
a formation for easier identification.
8: What is meant by the term "DVD
Authoring"?
Authoring is an industry term relating
to the elements that go into the creation of a DVD-Video disc such as
file encoding, customized menus and placement of chapter points. An authored
DVD disc can be as simple as one video linked to a PLAY button on a blank
page to complicated menus containing multiple pages, graphics and interactivity.
AMRS can assist you in the production of your final DVD under either circumstance.
9: What exactly is "CD Mastering"?
Briefly, because this could be an entire
publication in itself, Mastering is the process of assembling the final
tracks for an audio CD. It can be as simple as placing the finished tracks
in the correct order with track markers, to complicated evaluation and
equalization, tone matching, compression and other techniques required
to make the finished CD correct as a completed set of recordings. Typically,
the Mastering Engineer is employed as a Quality Assurance Agent as well,
offering a fresh set of ears to the final recording process. The role
of the Mastering Engineer has evolved quite a bit from the days of record
pressing and vinyl.
10: What is the difference between
duplication and replication?
Replication is
the process of mass producing CD and DVD products by physically stamping
the discs out of plastic, after a glass master is made. Duplication refers
to the process of creating the discs on a CD or DVD recorder, or "burning" the
discs. Replication is recommended for high volume orders, usually over
1000 pieces, where as duplication is usually preferred for small runs
and fast turn-around. It should be noted here that duplicated DVD Video
discs are currently compatible with most but not all consumer style DVD
players.
11: How can I determine how much
film footage I have?
Just measure the reels. The most common
sizes are 3" (50 ft.) 5" (200 ft.) 6" (300 ft.) and 7" (400 ft.).