1.) Receive and fill out the VIDEO PREPARATION SHEET

Once you've contaced us about your short film, we'll send you a video preperation sheet that will get us all the info we need.

2.) Choose and send (or scan) your photos and other elements

Your Limelight video artist will help make the final selections of photos used in the short film. However, it will make a big difference if you have a story in mind. We recommend photos with particular family significance, photos with a lot of action, unusual and close up pictures. In general group shots don’t work well, but if there are some with special meaning then feel free to include them and we'll make it work. If there are photos you absolutely want in the video, please let your Limelight video artist know.

Also know that you can send us elements other than photographs, such as snippets of video, songs or voices you might have recorded. We will make sure they are inserted along with your sound track and sound effects where appropriate.

3) Discuss your story line with your designer

Together you and your designer will craft a cohesive and touching story with your photographs that has a beginning, middle and end. We've found that captions tend to distract from the flow and emotional qualities of the film, but you can add them by marking them on your Video Presentation Sheet.

4) Select your music with your designer

Our videos are set to music chosen by you and your video designer and the photographic sequences are impeccably timed to fit the music. We will recommend music to help tell the story in an interesting and emotional way. Your music selection is critical to the tone of the overall film.

Please note that timing your slides to the music is one of the most difficult aspects of making short films, so any changes that involve timing will incur an additional fee.

5) Relax until we send your electronic proof

Before we mail you your Limelight Short Film, we will send you an electronic version for your final approval. This is the time to correct any mistakes in photo order or captions. At this point in the development, minor changes are free of charge.

6) Receive your DVD(s) in the mail.

A Limelight video is as much a gift for future generations as it is for your family today. As with all our presentation materials, Limelight uses only the highest quality archival DVDs. Your DVD will be professionally packaged and can be shipped to multiple locations in time for your family reunion, anniversary party or wedding. As an additional benefit, we copy high-resolution versions of all the photographs used in the film onto the DVD in case future generations want to make high quality prints.

In addition to your DVD, we can optionally put your show on the web so that family members from all over the world can access it.

7) Watch and enjoy!