Can we get to the details later?
Yes! If you're eager to get started but don't know exactly what you want yet, we have an easy way to get things going. If you give us some general information and guidelines about the project, we'll take the basics for now and fill in the blanks as we move forward. Many customers allow us some creative license to put the framework of the movie together based on our experience with these types of projects. With a little guidance from you, we should be able to get pretty close to what you're looking for. If that sounds good, simply complete the Quick Order Form on-line and e-mail it to us. We will contact you upon receiving the order.That's it for now. With that information we can get started.
DETAILED DVD ORDERING GUIDE AND INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT: if you plan on sending in an order, please call us at 866-616-7556 or e-mail us at info@timesofyourlifedvds.com so we know it's coming.Step 1: Which package do you want?
Decide which package you want: Silver, Gold or PlatinumStep 2: Worksheet & Order Form
Print out the slideshow order form below based on the package you select. Review the worksheet, order form and these instructions below before actually completing the form. They will guide you through the process of gathering your information and materials.If you're not sure how to complete the form, please feel free to contact us at our Toll Free number and we'll go through the process with you on the phone.
Select the order form for your package
Step 3: Gather & Organize Your Materials
Collect and organize the photos, slides and other materials you want in the slideshow. The best photos are landscape-oriented (i.e. horizontal), in focus, clean of foreign materials and in good condition (i.e. not ripped, wrinkled, etc.).We'll do our best to include just about anything you want, regardless of the condition of the material, but please keep in mind that the better the quality of the photos and other materials you supply to us, the better the quality of the DVD will be. Remember that Times of Your Life DVDs performs only minor photo enhancement. If a photo is too badly damaged and we're not able to use it, we’ll let you know beforehand.
If you have loose photos, put them in the order you want them presented in the DVD and number them in case they somehow get out of sequence. Either mark the back of the photos very lightly using a pencil, or put a Post-It note on the back. Do not use a Post-It note on the front. Keep the photos together with a rubber band.
Do's and Don't for sending up your photos:
DO
- Put the photos in the order you want them shown in the video
- Write the photo number on the back, in a corner, very lightly using a pencil or pen (1, 2…121, 122)
- For photos with captions, write the caption on a Post-It note and stick on the back of the photo
DON'T
- Send us photos in random order in an envelop expecting us to put them in order for you. Photos will be returned.
- Write the photo number on the back with a magic marker!!
- Tape the photos to a sheet of paper
If we receive photos that are very poorly organized or are taped to pieces of paper, additional charges may apply because of the extra work required to get everything in order or because if the additional time required for scanning.
If your photos are digital, put them in the order you want by changing the file name of the photos to a number sequence. Most photo management software packages allow you to make a “batch” change to change the file names quickly. For example, files can be changed to the following: 001.jpg, 002.jpg, 003.jpg. If you have trouble re-naming the files, please let us know and we'll help. Once they’re in the order you want, there are a couple ways to get the photos to us:
- We send you a link to an on-line file sharing site. Photos can be uploaded to the on-line drop box. You upload the files and we can download them from the drop box.
- Burn them to a DVD or CD and send it to us. If you’re not sure how to burn them onto a CD/DVD, give us a call and we’ll help.
Once you have all the materials, please do a final count of all the items. If you have videos, the total time of all video needs to be determined.
Step 4: Music
Music is a key factor in creating the right mood for your DVD. Check out our list of suggested songs.Copyright laws regarding music are tough and are enforced. Times of Your Life DVDs only obtains music legally and requires that customers do the same. Our DVDs are created for private use only. We send them to you with the understanding that they are not intended for public presentation, you will not charge a fee for people to view them and they will not be duplicated or used for any other purpose other than for the customers' private use.
If you provide us with the music, we can accept and use only legally-purchased CDs. No home-burned music CDs or files will be accepted. All music you send us will be returned to you when the DVD is completed.
When we provide the music, we purchase the music only from legal, legitimate internet sites. Currently, iTunes is the only on-line music provider we use. Any music purchased for use on your DVD will be deleted after the DVD is complete. We also use royalty-free music when available and appropriate.
Step 5: Complete the Order Form
Complete the order form as thoroughly as you can. If there are areas of the form that you can’t complete, don’t worry. We’ll work through the form together. You may enclose additional sheets with any information you think relevant to produce your slideshow. Please note that a signed Customer Agreement must be returned to us prior to work beginning on your video. You can mail, e-mail or fax the form back to us.Step 6: Final Quote
Once we receive your order form, we’ll put together the final price quote and give you a call to review it. When you approve the cost, we will send you an invoice. A 50% deposit is required before your project is started.Step 7: Send us your stuff!
We know the materials you send us are very personal and important to you. That's why we encourage you to properly package and protect your photos, slides, negatives, videos, music/photo CDs and printed materials.When sending us your materials, we strongly suggest using a service that provides a way to track packages and confirm delivery. Using regular mail service without tracking capability is NOT recommended. For normal orders, the Post Office has several low-cost services that provide tracking capabilities and delivery confirmations, like Priority Mail. If you have requested rush service, you should use an overnight service like FedEx, DHL or USPS Express Mail.
