NOT: "Baby's First Steps"

Da fella wots bin doing all the tranfering of these mid-1970s super 8 films of mine onto mid-2000 DVDs, told me that he thinks they are some of the best he's worked on. I dunno what he means by that, but I assume he just doesn't want to lose me as a customer. It also doesn't say much for any of the other people's films he's had to transfer. They must REALLY stink.

Maybe his opinion is based on the fact that I've never submitted the kind of film he's come to expect from the casual DIY home movie enthusiast. The same style of movie he dreads having to watch over and over. Family BBQs; family xmas reunions; or family road trips with shaky footage of babies and dogs.

Well yes, I would have to agree with him in that respect - I never attended the 'school of cliche film making'. So a title like: "Baby's First Steps" will not be coming soon to this blog at any point. I guess the recent wedding footage of our childhood friend (Doug; May 10th) was the most 'stereotypical' thing I've uploaded here (dull and predictable) but that doesn't really count. And the transfer guy never had to sit and watch it. That was merely the recording of a day more than 30 years forward from what I've been trying to memorialize on this internet stage.

Today's movie reel is no better or worse than the previous 25 reels, but it does have a few surprises. I'm always pleased to find stuff I'd shot decades ago come springing back to life to make me say... "Oh yeah... the Don and Brenda spinning dance! I'd almost forgotten about that."

Last but not least, watch for the ultra cool 'time traveling' cross dissolve that ends the film. 35 years in the making.