[MacDV] Re: Problem converting 8mm film

[Mark M. Florida]

(kind of off-topic, but...)

I was one of the original (pioneering) production techs on a project to 
help people make a life biography, and it includes interviews and 
digital preservation and archiving of photos and video.  It doesn't 
cost a thing if you buy one of their pre-arranged funeral packages, 
though.  They own a famous old cemetery in Hollywood with some 
old-school movie stars.  Maybe some of you have seen their thing on 
HBO?  I haven't been with that company for a few years (it was managed 
VERY poorly), and I'm glad to say I have nothing to do with their 
website (which is awful in my opinion), but here it is:

http://www.forevernetwork.com/

It just sucks that a project with such vision and financial backing 
(they're part of a huge life insurance company) can botch up a project 
through bad management and screwed-up politics (resulting in the awful 
web site and current production practices).  I guess my main thing is 
that I share the vision of helping people preserve their memories 
(photos/video), but I don't have the resources to start my own similar 
company.  So I do what I can to at least make sure I have the media 
archive under control for my own family... that's enough work for me!

I lost my grandpa this past year to cancer, and I was perpetually 
trying to start the archiving of his old home movies to DVD.  I'm sorry 
to say that he only got to see a couple of rough transfers on VHS 
before I had all of the kinks worked out of the transfer process.  But 
I *do* still intend to get the darn things transfered.

Just some thoughts.  Guess I had to get some stuff off my chest.

- Mark


On Wednesday, January 22, 2003, at 08:49  PM, Shirley Kehr wrote:

>
>
> Maurice Kay wrote:
>>
>> On Tue, 21 Jan 2003 16:51:22 Steven Rogers wrote:
>>
>> I urge those who have family history to preserve to start interviewing
>> family members ASAP while they are still available to contribute.
>>
> Ditto. And don't wait until their own memories fade as well. I sent Mom
> some pictures and asked questions, but she could no longer answer many
> of them. And now she's gone too.
>
> Shirley