:: The Unofficial Instructions

Horizon Videography is pleased to supply you with the following suggestions on how to design your photo montage.  It is not required that you follow this four-step process, but make sure that Horizon will understand your organizational methods in order to be able to produce your video.

1. Figure out who the intended audience is.
2. Decide how long (time) your video will be.
3. Choose and organize the photos and video clips you wish to use.
4. Send them to Horizon!

“Step 1”

The design of your montage will be related to the intended audience.  A different montage will be desired depending on the size and makeup of your audience.  The types and number of images to be included will be different when documenting a personal subject versus a more formal presentation, such as the history of a business. 

“Step 2”

The length of your video may be related to the size of your audience.  If for instance, your montage will be designed to celebrate the life or lives of specific people and it will be presented to a small to mid-sized audience, then it is advisable that the length of your video be between 5-20 minutes. However, if the intent is to document the entire history of your family, or your business, this video might be several hours in length.  In general it is recommended that each picture remain on the screen for approximately 6 seconds.  Therefore, a 10 minute montage will encompass approximately 100 pictures, and a 60 minute montage, approximately 600 pictures.  Photo montages are not necessary limited to still photographs.  Video clips can be used as accents to the main ideas of your montage.

“Step 3”

The next step involves selecting and organizing your photos.  We suggest breaking the total number of pictures into more manageable categories.  For example, you may group them by decades, or specific events.

Here are two examples of possible organization methods:

Pre 1920, 1920-1940, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Current

Pre Birth, Birth - Age 10, Age 10 - college years, single years, early married years, birth of children, children growing up, Professional life, Grand kids

It may be helpful to label large envelopes or boxes with the different categories.  As you run across pictures you can sort them into the correct grouping.

A few things to keep in mind when you are choosing the content of your montage:

1. The conversion process does not enhance the existing picture, so make sure your photos are in focus, that individual’s faces are not washed out, and that the picture is in good physical condition. Ridges, water damage, etc. can be distracting to the overall picture and can not always be removed by Horizon.  We do offer retouching services, but cannot guarantee that all issues can be resolved.  We will inform you before using a photo that cannot be successfully corrected.
   
2. Horizontal pictures fit naturally to the shape of a television screen.  Vertical pictures may have to be cropped, or set up with black bars on each side to fill the screen.
   
3. Horizon can crop pictures to focus on one part of the picture. We can even have the photos zoom (move) in to a specified object/area of the photo.
   
4. Pictures need to be removed from any type of frame.

Horizon can also create different types of collages (groups of pictures) for you that can be inserted into your video.  Please see the following examples (titles are optional):

If you would like narration and/or background music please contact Horizon for more details. 

 “Step 4”

Now that you have organized your photos and video clips, you need to present them to us in a logical way, in order for us to produce your video montage.

Order all pictures in chronological order within each category.  Horizon recommends that you write each number on a small removable sticker (post-it notes can work, but make sure they will not fall off) and place these on the backs of each photo.  DO NOT use a ballpoint pen - this can damage the photo.

Next, fill out the worksheets provided to inform us of the different effects, transitions, retouches, specific timing for each photo (if other than 6 seconds), etc.  Include these worksheets with the photographs and your contract. A sample is provided below.

When sending your material to us, please consider using a traceable shipping method such as certified US Mail, FedEx or UPS for sending your materials.  Insurance may be advisable as Horizon cannot be held responsible for damaged shipments.