5 Things to Gather Before Your Legacy Media Project

One of the most common things we hear from families is: 'I want to do this, but I don't even know where to start. Everything is scattered everywhere.' Here's the good news — you don't need to organize a thing. Sorting, cataloging, and organizing your collection is part of our service. But if you'd like to make pickup day a little smoother, here are five things worth gathering ahead of time.

First, locate your VHS tapes. Check the TV cabinet, the basement shelves, the boxes in the attic. VHS tapes are often scattered across multiple locations in a home. Don't worry about labeling or ordering them — just get them into one spot. If you find Betamax, Hi8, or MiniDV tapes mixed in, bring those too. We digitize all formats.

Second, find your photo albums. The big ones on the bookshelf are easy to spot, but don't forget the smaller albums tucked in drawers or closets. Loose photographs in shoeboxes and envelopes count too. Again, no need to sort or organize — just locate them.

Third, check for slides and negatives. Many families have boxes or carousels of 35mm slides from the 1960s and 1970s, often stored in closets or basements. Negatives are sometimes tucked into the backs of photo albums or stored in envelopes from the photo developer. These are some of the highest-quality source material we work with, and they digitize beautifully.

Fourth, think about any digital photos or videos you'd like included. If your project spans multiple decades, you may have early digital photos on old computers, CDs, or memory cards, plus more recent photos on your iPhone or in iCloud. Our Master Archive package includes full iPhone and iCloud organization, so we can integrate everything into one unified collection.

Fifth — and this is optional but valuable — jot down a few notes about what matters most to you. Is there a specific tape you're most anxious to see preserved? A particular era of photos that's most important? A story you want the film to tell? These notes help our production team understand your family's priorities and ensure the final film reflects what matters most to you.

That's it. Five simple things. And remember — even if you can't find everything before pickup day, our team will help you locate items during the in-home inventory. We've done this hundreds of times, and we know exactly where families tend to store their memories.