Sunday, June 24, 2012

Thanking you for your business

In this day and age, it's rare to receive any kind of thanks for your purchases at a business, but at Home Video Studio, we make a weekly practice of sending out a hand written Thank You Card to every customer. We appreciate your business!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Grand Opening Celebration

You're invited to our Grand Opening Celebration!



We're having an Open House for all friends, family; present and future customers of HVS.

We'll have food and fun along with hourly drawings for some really great prizes! Best of all, you can receive 20% off ANY of our services.

Come out and see us ..... even if just to say hello .... we look forward to seeing you there between 4:30 and 8pm.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

In Honor of Flag Day

Today is Flag Day! In honor of this holiday, here is a few facts about flags.
Flags have been used for at least 4,000 years. Even the most primitive flags were used to deliver a message: defining property, giving a warning or distinguishing friend from enemy. The first flags uncovered by historians were metal or wooden poles that feature a distinctive carving at the top. These are also known as “vexiloids”. The first metal flag on record dates back to 3,000 BC and came from Iran. Egyptian tomb carvings and Greek coins also show evidence of flag use. Approximately 2,000 years ago people began to decorate vexiloids with fabrics, making them look more similar to modern flags.
Today every country in the world has its own custom flag.  The majority feature the country’s official colors and symbols. Many countries, including the Unites States, also have distinctive regional and state flags. There is no definite record of the origin of the United States flag. Historians think the first flag was designed by either Congressman Francis Hopkinson or Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross. On June 14, 1777 the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act. It stated:
"Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
It wasn’t until President Taft’s Executive Order of June 24, 1912 that the order of the stars and stripes and the proportions of the flag were prescribed. Prior to that features were left to the discretion of the flag maker. In 1959 after the addition of Hawaii as the 50th state President Eisenhower issued another Executive Order providing for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizon tally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically.
The idea of celebrating June 14 as “Flag Day” was likely originated in 1885 by schoolteacher BJ Cigrand. He arranged for his students in Fredonia, Wisconsin to observe the anniversary of the passage of the Flag Act. Over the years Cigrand petitioned for the celebration of what he called “Flag Birthday” in many magazine and newspaper articles. The day caught on and was unofficially celebrated for many years until President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th as National Flag Day.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Successful Vacation Videos





It's summertime and that means family vacation time! What a great time to document the excitement and memories of your precious time together. And yet many vacationers forget their camera. Or, if they remember, they grab it at the last minute without the proper backup equipment. Get the most out of family fun time by being prepared! Here are a few tips:


To bring list:

Two sets of fully charged batteries with a charger
Lens cleaning cloth
Pen for labeling
Headphones
Owners manual
Extension cord
Plastic bag for rain
Tripod
White towel for sun shield

Protecting your camera:
Take the time to keep your camera safe. Both the camera itself and the video it captures are precious. Find a discreet bag that doesn't have Sony, Canon, etc. logos on it. Make sure it has plenty of padding. Also, purchase a strap in case you drop it.

Getting Through the Airport:
Can airport scanners corrupt your digital images stored on memory cards and flash drives? The overwhelming evidence is that memory cards are not affected. Some believe flash drives are a little less stable and could become corrupted. FYI: Film is the most volatile and a cause for concern. Needless to say, back up your work and if you are concerned see if your camera can be hand checked.


Shooting during your Vacation:
Shoot a lot of video with the intention of editing when you get back home. Don't wait for the perfect shot. Don't forget to include yourself in your videos.
Be very careful at the beach. Salt spray and sand can do major damage. Keep your camera in a tightly closed plastic bag when not in use. Keep a log.
Get interviews with your family as well as scenery. These videos of your family's impressions and memories of the day will enhance your enjoyment for years to come.
Keep the summer sun behind you so faces are not backlit. Use the "still picture" feature of your camera for still objects. Vary your points of view. You'll probably pan a lot. Pan slowly – allow your camera to drink in all the cool scenery you're shooting. Back up all your images and archive them when you get home.

Saturday, June 2, 2012