Window Dub

One major barrier in video editing is communicating with people regarding sections of their tapes to work with. Many VCRs give only a counter number to help people index their tapes. These numbers are no good to us because they will vary from VCR to VCR. Manufacturers are now beginning to add real time counters to VCRs which give a readout in hours, minutes and seconds - reference points which can follow the tape from one deck to another. Since accurate editing depends on these numbers and many people do not yet have a way to map their tapes, we offer an option called a "window dub."

A window dub is a copy of the master tape with a small window in the corner which shows hours, minutes and seconds of elapsed time in the video. You can run the tape backwards and forwards, make notes of what you want and don't want on your tapes and communicate those choices to us, using an "Edit Decision List" form which we can provide to you along with your window dub. If the instructions are too complicated to put into this type of form, you may need to seek a local video production facility to help in assembling your video. 

(Tapes recorded in extended play are not recommended for use in editing due to poor quality.)

Price of a two hour Window Dub	$15.00
Each additional hour	$5.00

Pricing

The total cost of the video is a combination of the total running time of the product, the number of edits made, the music added, the titles added, special effects and the number of times the master tapes had to be switched in and out in the process of collecting the pieces of the final video product.  Where special effects are not selected, all cuts will be straight cuts.

Minimum order $ 29.95 + Cost of tape or DVD

Video Running Time (minimum one hour)	$ 20.00 hour
Edits	2.00 each
Tape Changes (each time master is switched)	4.00 each
Titles	2.50 each
Effects	1.00 each
Music (Charge is by hour we spend, not finished time)	35.00 hour
Tape master	See Blank Tape Prices
DVD master	20.00 each

Transfer Quality

Obviously, the quality of the final product depends heavily on the quality of the master tapes used to produce it. Always use the original recording or the best quality copy available. Avoid tapes which were recorded in extended play modes - we cannot guarantee clean edits on these.

Edit/Title decision lists must be made from reference times on window dubs unless the your equipment is capable of giving very accurate times in hours, minutes and seconds. You must set the counter to zero at the beginning of the tape. Our edits will be based on the numbers you provide, so the numbers cannot be approximate. An accurate description of the scene will give us further guidance in finding the correct edit point.  You should take care to choose edit points which are at least three seconds from points where recording began or where the camera was turned off and on. Audio too close to these points may be compromised.

We recommend that the master be put together on a higher resolution master, such as DVD or mini-DV.

Digital Editing Services

At Videomaster, we also offer, state of the art, Digital Non Linear Computer Editing Services. We are equipped with state-of-the-art Matrox RT digital hardware and software. Digital non-linear editing on our computer editing system is the answer for projects demanding total creative freedom while also maintaining pristine video quality.  Music or narration for your project should be provided on CD whenever possible.  Your finished project can be output to DV tape, DVD, SVHS, VHS, Hi- 8MM or 8MM video.

Price for this service is $75.00 an hour and should be booked as far ahead as possible.

Digital Special Effects List

DISSOLVE	one scene fades in on top of other scene
FADE	Scene smoothly fades into a solid background color
WIPE	Any solid color replaces the scene in a pattern
GLASS	Looks like glass breaking
PAGETURN	Looks like turning a page in a book
POUR	Liquid pours in from top and fills screen
PUZZLE	Puzzle pieces enter and build picture
DRIP	Scene drips like paint from top of screen
MOSAIC	Scene fades in a mosaic box pattern
HEART	Wipe in the shape of a heart
SMOKE	Looks like smoke
DIAMONDS	Wipe in the pattern of many small diamonds
CHECKERS	Wipe in the pattern of many small checkers
BOXOFF	A 3-D box rolls backwards off the screen
FLYON	Image flys on from one of several directions
FLYOFF	Image flys off in one of several directions
STAGE	Looks like stage curtains opening
ROLL	Looks like a roll of carpet crossing screen
BUMP	one scene 'bumps' another off
PUSH	one frame pushes the other off
SPIN	Scene spins off in a ball
EXPLODE	one scene explodes from center of other
Many others not listed

FILM TO VIDEO - SLIDES TO VIDEO - PHOTOS TO VIDEO - VIDEO DUPLICATION
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