Remember when we had digicams and phones, people used cameras with literal film to record all our important moments? Large clunky cameras and camcorders were lugged around by diligent dads during baptisms, birthdays, and weddings to make home movies that would be stored in analog formats.
If you had a budget back then, you’d hire professional photographers and videographers with their suitcases of equipment. They’d take the footage, trim it, and present it to you in a shiny tape, VCD, DVD, betamax, or whatever the prevailing type of storage was during those days.
Many of these precious home videos from the latter half of the twentieth century have since been collecting dust in long-forgotten storage boxes. If by some stroke of luck—or because your mom treasures memories above all—you still have them, chances are you no longer have the appropriate player (and winder, in some cases) for your memories.
If you want to rewatch your lolo and lola’s golden wedding anniversary tape, the day your parents got married, or watch your baptism your dad recorded on a shaky camera, here are a few services that can take your analog footage to the digital age.
Jun Sabayton
Jun Sabayton is an award-winning filmmaker, artist, and cultural worker that’s offering to convert any of your VHS, VCD, DVD, Mini DV tapes, and Super 8mm films for less than P1,000 per tape. It’s not a service he does on the regular, so if you have something really special, he’s the man for the job.
Au’s Video Transfer Service
Au’s has been in the business for a while, and their long list of happy customers proves the quality of their work. They can take almost every type of analog material and convert it into digital form. They also have a physical space in Palanan, Makati if you want to go there in person. Otherwise, you can reach out to them via text or call and have the tapes delivered instead.
Tapebuds Video Transfer
For southies who don’t want to send their tapes too far away, Tapebuds is an analog video transfer service based in Alabang and Parañaque. They convert VHS, VHS-C, Hi8 or Video8, Digital 8, MiniDV, DVD, CD, and Blu-ray discs to digital formats. You can also add on things like USBs and hard drives to store them in.
They also offer repair services for moldy or broken tapes, as well as rush services if you’re trying to get that tape together in time for your parents’ golden wedding anniversary.