FILM TRANSFERS

LINEAR EDITING

DUPLICATION
Video Tape
Audio Tape
CD

DVD
Recording
Duplication

FOREIGN FORMAT CONVERSION

PHOTO MONTAGES

SLIDES TO VIDEO

MPEG-1 ENCODING

ABOUT US

      It was in the early 80's when I bought a used 'Advent' projection TV with 6 ft screen. The first thing I did was plug in my VCR to its inputs, run an audio cable to the stereo, and popped in a tape and had the first home theater on the block! I thought to myself.... "Video is cooooool !" It was then when the obsession started!

     I got the top of the line VHS video camera (where you had to carry the recording deck in a carry bag, strapped over your sholder), Hi-Fi VCR recorders, and the recently released VIDEO 8 (8mm camcorder). I soon began to do weddings, parties, special events.  I aquired 4 small tv sets to monitor the VHS, Video 8 and BETAMAX tapes as I edited them through the video switching I also purchased.  Film transfering was soon to follow. I took my dads old 8mm movie films and projected them thru a high end transfer box, directly to VHS for the family members. I was a hit. I felt I was on my way! 

     Having dreams of starting my own video company haunted me constantly. Ready to investigate 'start up' procedures for my new company, a friend brought over a phone number for Parrot Video Productions, located only 3 miles from me.  They needed someone who wanted to do film transfer, and had some knowledge of VCR's, and some basic recording skills.

     As I was filling out an application, the owner, Rick Davis, and I were discussing various video procedures, (me being eager to let him see all that I knew), he reached over and crumbled up my application and said "WHEN CAN YOU START!"  I apparently impressed him. He needed me right away for the Christmas orders that covered the floor in shopping bags, with a small path zig zagging through them to get to the door. My work was cut out for me.

    That was December 1990.  I jumped in with both feet.  His film transfer system was top notch.  The VCR's he used had 32 buttons on it. So this is how the professionals do it! I quickly learned the machines, along with the 'Proc' amps, enhancers to control the outline, detail, brightness, color and tint, incorporating the white balance on the capture cameras to transfer the best picture possible.  To this day I use a mental technique he taught me, that is, to look at the picture and constantly as myself, 'How can I improve that image? Is there any way to make that picture BETTER?'

     In early 2002, Rick gave me the chance to purchase the name PARROT, the phone number and the equipment for my department so I could continue to do what I've been doing for the last 12 years. Of course  I took him up on it, got myself an SBA loan, changed the name to PARROT VIDEO SERVICES, INC. and finally I had my own company.

     Rick had decided to persue the corporate clients doing interactive CD for their marketing promo's. Please visit him at www.Vision2Media.com  along with his other amazing services at www.voodooviral.com ... very impressive! He continues to be a step ahead of everyone else out there, which makes me sooooo grateful that in the beginning he was my employer and not my competitor!  He would have eaten me up!

    I've come a long way since 2002, with the change over to DVD from VHS. High speed duplication allows me to make 49 DVD's / CD's at a time, easily producing hundreds by the end of the day. 

    Film transfer is still one of my strong suits here, continuing to be the outlab for many of the local photo labs, camera and video stores along with many orders coming from the east coast!  I'm constantly told how easy this web site is to navigate and easy to understand and they love the free return shipping on $50 orders.

    More and more customers give me their entire video tape collection for transfer to DVD. They REALLY like the free extra set of everything that is included. Everything is labeled for easy access on DVD.  My DVD's copy quite easily in home computers, provided you know how to do it. I do not put any copy protection on my DVD's. They're yours, not mine, to do with as you please!

     One of the popular pastimes is for people to edit their films / movies / videos on thier home computer. The best way is for me to put everything on 'Mini DV' tapes, then they can be 'fire-wired' onto your hard drive with a Mini-DV camcorder.

I even supply the tapes for you.

     Even though I'm a 'video lab', I can transfer any audio tape to CD.  A lot of old 'Reel-to-Reel' tapes go through here along with old audio cassette tapes of priceless recordings of all kinds.... from kids first music recitals to Grandma' & Grandpa' dictating the family's history!   Everyone seems pleased to get the 3 free extra copies provided for family members!

     It's not uncommon to get those small ' Micro cassettes '  used to record speakers. I've also taken the audio portion of a concert on VHS and put it on CD. Pretty much anything with sound can be put on CD (discs hold up to 80 minutes). My good friend Chris Babbitt at Pro View Video can put your Record Albums on CD for you. Call him at (949) 481-1981.  He's in Laguna Niguel, CA.

    Time flys down here at the Parrot Lab!  Soon I will have been here 20 years. People tell me that I must love what I do, and they're right! It never gets old. True, everyone's film may seem to have the same Christmas tree, same red wagon and the same bicycle under the tree, but each project is unique. Each one is special. I'm dealing with irreplacable memories of family members that have long since past away. I treat it all as if it was MY mom's stuff!

     Weather it be corporate or consumer questions, please call me on ANY issue.

If I don't have the solution for you, I will gladly point you to those that do!

  Mike Allen,

                   President, Owner, Secretary, Treasurer, Recepionist, Senior Lab Tech, Data processor, Equipment Maintainance / Repair & Janitor.