The #1 challenge
in planning a funeral
is reaching all the loved ones
of the deceased.
We can solve that for you.
Live-streaming is a way
to make the funeral that you are planning
accessible to every person
that you want to reach.
We have invested in the hardware
to make this both possible and simple.
Now those special to your loved one
can watch the service
on their computer, laptop, smart phone or tablet device.
They will be able to to hear the stories
and see the faces of friends
and pay their respect from anywhere in the world.
The service will be
easily viewable online
through a link that we provide you.
We broadcast commercial-free through LiveStream. Here is a page with examples of content being broadcast live right at this moment to give you an idea of how it works and what it looks like: www.LiveStream.com
Ask us how we can help you
both film video and live-stream
your funeral or memorial.
What Makes a Good Slideshow
We produce many, many slideshows
and would love to take this burden off your hands.
But if you would rather tackle it yourself,
Here is what we've noticed through the years:
The maximum length of a slideshow should be 12 minutes.
After 12 minutes, your guests will lose focus - generally speaking.
That means that You have about three songs
to showcase the photos you choose.
Your first consideration after choosing the songs is their cadence.
Listen to each song and measure the time between beats.
The bass drum, or 'kick', will give you the most accurate measurement.
Generally you will have four beats per measure.
The measure is where you will want to change photos.
Faster songs will give you approximately three seconds per measure.
Slower songs will give you approximately four.
So if you have three seconds and the song is 4:10 long,
you start by multiplying four times sixty to get 240 seconds,
then at the :10, giving you 250 seconds.
Next divide that by three seconds,
which equals 83.3 measures,
which means you will need at least 83 photos for that song.
Finally, add that to your totals for the other two songs
to determine the total number of photos that you will need.
If we are producing your slideshow we recommend adding 10 or so
extra photos just in case we have problems with some of them.
Once your photos are added to the timeline with your music,
it's time to add transitions
We recommend using short, simple transitions.
Long, cheesy transitions distract the viewer,
and take precious time away
from the viewer's opportunity to enjoy the photo itself.
That's the main thing. ;o)
How to honor your loved on on Facebook
The people at Facebook have designed
a tasteful way
to which they can honor the memory of their loved one.
They have a form available in their help section
to receive your information to change the account into a memorial.
Once approved
they change the privacy setting, and only friends can post a comment
and certain sensative information is taken off.
The profile and wall continues but just for friends
to add their condolences.
Facebook will reach substantially more people
as a tribute to your loved one
than any other location.
Friends have the opportunity to easily share
the page, videos, photos, etc.
In terms of closure, Facebook provides the opportunity
to leave a comment, which cam bring healing to many people.
Video is the most vital element for sharing the service,
so that the Facebook page can go beyond sharing photos
to actually sharing meaningful stories and spoken tributes.
Our videos include ambient cinematic shots of flowers and keepsakes.
We also make them available and easy to post and share on Facebook.
Finally, if you would like to have many people as possible see the video
Facebook gives you the opportunity to promote it with their 'promote' option.
How to honor your loved on on YouTube
YouTube is the #2 search engine in the world.
They also allow the option to post in 1080P, the highest level of HD.
Therefore you can vividly experience the sights and sounds
of loved ones gathering to honor the memory of the deceased.
YouTube gives you the opportunity to either keep the video private
or use keywords to share the service with as many as possible.
finally, YouTube is easily shareable to almost all types of social media.
Trick: if you want to share the high definition version of a YouTube video, add &hd=1 end of the URL.
When the recipient clicks on to the link, the video will play in the HD setting.
How to allow everyone the chance
to speak at a funeral
When planning a funeral or memorial,
it's important to have a timeframe for the service.
Without a timeframe, the service may go on and on,
leaving the majority of the people uneasy and even board.
When my wife was a teacher, she loathed meetings that continued
for far too long just because everyone wanted to have the opportunity
to speak and listen to their own voice.
Setting a timeframe does not have to mean that not everyone
will have the opportunity to speak.
You can have us film those who would like to say something on the video
so they can have the opportunity to get it off their heart.
From this you can also hear stories that you may have never heard.
We have found it to be a beautiful way to close the service.
How to pay your respects with a smart-phone video
Often there is someone who cannot attend a funeral
who otherwise would have said something meaningful.
We can help you make this happen.
All they need is a smartphone and good lighting.
They simply record a video pointed at themselves.
Next they send it to us.
Then I prepare to share it with our projector and large screen.
At the right time in the service we play it just like it was a slideshow.
Let us know if we can help!
How to reach out with video
to those who need closure
A memorial video is substantially better as a keepsake to ashes,
as you can listen to stories and grieve at home, or wherever you need to be.
You can also request DVDs to give to those who may need them.
Those in other cites can also feel like they were a part by watching the video
either via live-streaming or after the Ceremony.
You will be reaching those who meant the most to your loved one,
and providing the opportunity to say goodbye where they live.
We are a phone call away, and would love to help.
How to delegate a slide-show
We want to take the stress
out of your slide-show production,
and make it as easy as meeting you
with your photos
or uploading them to our server.
If your photos are not digital we would
either have you scan them first
or meet us at Kinkos.
From there we would scan each one
and give them back to you.
(We want to make sure nothing happens
to your priceless photos before they are digitized.)
Once we have the order of photos
and music selections, we start production immediately.
We listen to instructions for any other custom
touches you may want included in your project.
We understand this is a big undertaking
and we are here to guide you through
the process and answer your questions.
Plan on an average of 3-4 seconds
for each photo to be shown,
or 20-25 photos per minute depending
on the cadence (speed) of the song.
The length of your slide show equals
the length of the song(s) you choose,
up to fifteen minutes.
Any longer and you will lose
the attention of your audience.
Choose your favorite photos, considering
that the better quality you start with,
the better the finished product.
Choose close-ups often
and minimize large group photos.
If possible, avoid damaged photos (major cracks,
discoloration, severe moisture damage, stains,
or photos that are cut into shapes).
If requested, we will attempt to restore
damaged photos digitally for an additional cost.
Very important: If you want your photos
in chronological order be sure
to number them chronologically by file name, etc.
If you decide to scan, scan 4" x 6" photos at 200 dpi
(All photos must be at least 4" x 6")
-Scan 5" x 7" (or larger) photos at 150 dpi
Do not send us any photos,
as we cannot be responsible for lost or damaged
photos during shipping – it's a huge liability.
Adding short video clips, from 10 seconds
to about 1 minute will enhance any presentation.
They must be submitted either on a disc
or flash drive as MPEG, AVI, MOV, QT or WMV files.
List the photo number that the clip is
to follow and the length that the clip should be.
Be sure to indicate if you want the audio
from the clip to be heard or if you want
to only hear your selected song during the clip.
How to plan a memorial or funeral in two states
You can have us simulcast (live stream) the service
and have the receiving facility connect someone's
smart phone or laptop to a TV or projector and screen.
If you want to host both events, we will provide you
with the edited DVD to take with you
to the reception in another city.
You won't have to worry about anything technical,
and will coordinate with the facility for the strongest internet connection.
If you are also having us play a slideshow
and/or a pre-recorded video message and are having us simulcast,
we can upload that part to smoothly transition to the service.
This post is fairly short because we take care of the strategic part!
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