Video Yearbooks make a wonderful memory video. We produced the video yearbook for the 8th grade graduating class of St. Mary Immaculate Parish School of Plainfield, IL in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008. This video was a compilation of the 8th grader's journey through their school years at St. Mary's. We also produced the video yearbook for the 8th grade graduating class of Ss. Peter and Paul in Naperville, IL in 2003, 2004 and 2006. We produced a video memory for the 2nd grade class of Ss. Peter and Paul in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, which captured their First Communion, The First Communion Breakfast, (which we videotaped), May Crowning and the Scapular Ceremony. In 2005, 2007 and 2008 we produced a video yearbook for the Kindergarten class of Ss. Peter and Paul, in which we represented their entire year as well as incorporated videos were taped of the kindergartener's special religious events, such as the reenactment of The Stations of the Cross and May Crowning.  In 2007 we also produced the May Crowning and Graduation DVD for Ss. Peter and Paul.

It is that time of year to begin planning your students' memory video or video yearbook. Whether you are planning a Grammar School Video, a Middle School Video or a High School Video Yearbook, it is important to begin collecting your photos, music and videos early. 

Collecting Photos, Music and Videos: 

Grammar School and Middle School: Video Yearbooks can be produced every year or they can represent cumulative years. Grammar and Middle Schools should utilize a "Media Bin" for the sole purpose of collecting photos, music and videos that students, parents and teachers contribute throughout the year. Typically, these are copies of pictures or video that chaperones have taken while helping with a classroom party or while attending a field trip. Each year this "Media Bin" is either collected for a yearly video yearbook or the "Media Bin" advances with the students to the next grade level. This process continues until the students reach the 8th grade (for private schools) or the 5th grade (for public schools). A volunteer parent or teacher committee can make the final determination of which pictures, music and videos will actually be in the final production of the Video Yearbook. This helps to guarantee that every single child is represented and no single child is overly represented. 

High School: High schools can collect their photos, music and videos in the yearbook staff room. These photos and videos are usually compiled from students and staff. The Video Yearbook is a wonderful way to include all the pictures students had to edit out of their printed yearbook due to lack of space. It is a fantastic way to include all those cameo and fun photos or videos that students themselves take at events. By encouraging the student body to submit their personal photos, music and videos to the "Media Bin", you are encouraging your students to be involved in a Memory Video that they are sure to purchase and enjoy for years to come. Another interactive system that can be used by high schools which encourages students to get involved is maintaining a website where students can vote on pictures or music they wish to see in their final video. The school can do this by scanning in the pictures as they are deposited in the "Media Bin" and then posting them on the website for the students to vote on. For a minimal monthly fee, I can build and maintain a website for your school to use for this purpose. 

A DVD Video Yearbook is not a replacement for the school's printed yearbook; it is an interactive addition to it. The Video Yearbook provides a lifetime of viewing enjoyment for all. A DVD isn't just a video that plays from beginning to end; menus allow you to skip through the DVD by means of the DVD player's remote control, allowing the viewer to instantly go to specific chapters. A DVD allows up to 90 minutes of photos and video of your school's sports highlights and extracurricular activities (including rallies, prom, and graduation). The photos are built into a musical slideshow. The music for the background of the photos consists of contemporary music and video clips have their own audio. All of these features come together to form an instant flashback to the special moments of your student's school life. Video Yearbooks bring your student's memories to life! They are a great way for your school, camp, church, or organization to remember the year. We will edit together a great production from the photographs, video clips, and music that you provide. We will work with you every step of the way to make the planning process as simple as possible. We will then produce any number of copies to meet your needs on either DVD or VHS. 

Excellent for Fundraising 

Every school has a need for strong fundraising products. Why not provide something the students want? Students will enjoy viewing the DVD Yearbook this year and will cherish it 20 years from now. Schools can raise money each year by offering DVD yearbooks to their students. 

How to Proceed 

We take a $250.00 deposit to secure your order. The school is responsible for notifying the student body of the upcoming Video Yearbook and the cut-off date for collecting photos, video segments, music suggestions and the order forms. Once the order forms and payments are collected, we take 1/3 down. The other 2/3 is due upon completion and delivery of the Video Yearbook. We charge $25.00 per DVD or VHS copy (in addition to the $250.00). Delivery is approximately 2 months after delivery of your media. If the school prefers that we deliver the completed project, then we need to collect a postage and handling fee of $2.50 per DVD. Of course, the Video Yearbook can be delivered to the school for the students to pick-up. 

What formats do we accept? 

We accept hard copy photos, Photos on CD, VHS, and Mini-DV. Our preference is hard copy photos. To keep the media in order, ALL formats must have an Avery-type self-stick dot with a number written on the back for identification purposes. Please avoid writing directly on the back of photos as this transfers onto the photos beneath it. I have found the following process is the best way to number media. Photos should have the number of the chapter PLUS a number for the photo which tells me the order in which to use them. Example: First chapter photos would have stickers that look like this… 1-1, 1-2, 1-3. 1-4, 1-5, etc. The #1 represents the chapter and the -1 represents the picture order. If pictures are submitted late, you can easily insert the photo where needed by using a letter much like you would put together an outline. Example: Photos were submitted and numbered. A photo is turned in "late" and it needs to be placed BETWEEN photos 2 and 3 in chapter 1. You would number the "late" photo as 1-2a. To label videos, follow the same process, but use the letter "V" for video. Example: V1, V2, V3, V4, etc. 1-V1 means Chapter 1 Video #1. Music will be identified using the name of the song. Four seconds viewing per photo is typical, so this will give you an idea of how many photos you can collect. A 90-minute DVD Yearbook with no videos could take as many as 1350 photos. I scan every photo and check each one for red-eye, color correction and I determine whether or not the photo should be cropped to best appreciate the content. 

What is the typical layout for a DVD Yearbook? 

The most popular format for a video yearbook is the chronological layout. This highlights the school year from the first month of school through the end of the year. Another popular format is the theme format. If you choose to use this format, a committee determines a theme for each chapter. Examples would be: such as First Day, Cultural Events, Friends, Religious Events, Trips, Special Events, Academics, Sports, Plays, Band, Extra-Curricular Activities, Student Body, etc. The menus can be similar to the table of contents found in traditional yearbooks, however, the committee can organize it any way they choose. The only limitation is the 90-minute time limit. Most schools prefer no more than 60 minutes. If no committee is used, then I put the production together based on the order of the photos and videos submitted. 

What is included in the price? 

We scan every photo, edit them if necessary (look for red eye, color issues and determine if a photo needs to be cropped to better appreciate the content), organize the photos into a slideshow, add custom transitions and then put it to music. 
· Up to 90 minutes of photo slideshow and video material on one DVD 
· Custom menu chapter points 
· Custom DVD label and DVD Case label 

Quick Reference Guide for Care and Handling of any DVD product:

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