Frequently Asked Questions About Photo Restoration
Zzyzx Works produces a wide range of specialized video. One of the most
popular format is the personal theme (Birthday, retirement, memorial, etc.).
Corporate events such as shareholders meetings, company anniversary of
historical documentary, and presentations are a few of the formats available.
No. Absolutely not! No photographs will be harmed in any way by Zzyzx Works.
If you are positively terrified to part with your photo, we suggest having a
copy made to send instead of the original. Although, for the best results, we
always recommend using an original over a copy.
We use an
electronic scanning process to input your photographs into the computer, then
all work on your video is done using those electronic photographs. Original
photographs are returned to you in the identical shape we received them from
you (Please
see our policy for original photos).
Most
often, Yes! However, this involves custom work. It can most often be
accomplished without effecting the remainder of the photograph. However, each
photograph is unique and Zzyzx Works must evaluate each photograph to determine
what can be enhanced, removed or corrected.
photos to us.
You may make an appointment to come into our studio located in Valencia,
California, view small sample clips here on our web
site, or you may request a sample DVD to be sent to you for viewing in
the privacy of your own home by
clicking here and filling out our simple order form. That way you can
see samples of the quality of the work we do. If you have a cable or DSL
internet connection, the same full-length video may be viewed
here.
Our regular
office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, (PST)
We accept personal or company checks, money orders, or Credit Card payments
through PayPal. Note:
Credit Card payments may be subject to processing fees above the cost of the
project.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required
before commencement of a project. The balance is due in full before
receipt of your completed video and return of original articles.
Simply fill out the Order Form as completely as possible and return it to
us along with your photos, music, videos, a brief description of your vision of
the video and mail or deliver to the following address:
ZZYZX
WORKS
23128 Conde Drive
Valencia, CA 91354
661 263-8218 PH
661 263-8219 FX
sales@zzyzxworks.com
All payments can be made on credit through
paypal, by cash, money order,
personal or company check
Once
we receive your contents, photos, home video, patches, remembrances, etc we will
review the material and contact you regarding your personal Pocket Full of
MemoriesTM video. Based upon your requests and our professional opinions we will
be able to determine the cost of your video. At that time we will request
a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the estimated cost of your video to begin working on your
project. Full payment will be required upon completion prior to Zzyzx Works
releasing your video and return of your original articles.
Absolutely. That is a big cost savings to you since we do charge for each
scanned image we make.
Electronic images should be at LEAST 300dpi (dots per inch)
resolution and in TIF format. JPG format is
acceptable, however using JPG sometimes results in a jagged or rough image,
depending on the size, and if it has been re-sized or re-saved many times.
Most images directly out of a 2 mega-pixel camera will suffice as a JPG. Send
those types of images directly without altering or re-saving the file. Re-saving
tends to cause JPG images to loose clarity each time they are saved due to the
compression algorithm used. If you need to compress or otherwise reduce the size
of a transmission, we recommend that you Zip the file(s) using
WinZip or other file
compression utility.
When you initially contact us to do a project, and upon receipt of your deposit,
we will provide you with a user name and password and instructions for you to
securely upload your files to our FTP site using an FTP
program such as
WS_FTP.
Your images are secure this way and only accessible to you and Zzyzx Works.
We do NOT recommend emailing images since file sizes tend to be large and most
email servers will not allow large transmissions. FTP does not have such size
restrictions.
We recommend a cable or DSL connection to do this however. It can take a long
time with a dial-up connection!
If you only have access to a dial up connection or simply do not want to take the
time to upload to our FTP site, write the files to CD-ROM and mail them using
the methods describes below.
How should I identify my images?
Please use the following method to identify your images:
Hard Copies; DO NOT WRITE ON THE BACK of your photo(s). Writing
implements tend to score photos and the ridges caused by the writing tend to
show up on the front of the photo, and on the scanned image.
Write down on a post-it contextual information about the image before
applying it to the back of the image.
Give us some context about the image. Generally the
five W's work.
Who What When Where Why
(You may need to write this on a separate paper. It may not fit on a
post-it!)
- Who is in the image. Correctly spelled names of people
- What are we looking at (if not obvious)
- When, dates, ages, etc.
- Where is the location
- Why. Context. Why is this image important enough to use? What are the
pertinent relationships of the people in it
Identify the image. Assign some unique,
identifying name to each image so we can refer to it intelligently and to assign
file names. This will also help you to return photos to photo albums! For
instance, If you
take two post-it's. Assign a unique name to an image and the album. Write the names on the
two post-it's. Place one in the space in the album as a place holder and the other
on the back of the photo. You will be able to return the photo to it's proper
place.
Zzyzx
Works will assume no responsibility for loss or damage to the contents of your package while it is
not in our control. We do however, strongly recommend that you follow some
simple guidelines when shipping your items to us to protect
them from loss and damage:
-
Use
a reputable shipper that can offer you, and us, the ability to track your package during
shipment. Federal Express, UPS, and the U.S. Post Office provide for
package tracking. We suggest you contact them for current rates and delivery
schedules.
-
Since
all shippers will only pay for the value of the lost item, and not any sentimentality
associated with the item, we strongly advise that any monies you would spend on
insurance be directed instead to upgrading to an overnight delivery or making a
copy to send instead of the original. Remember
the longer it stays in their system the more chance for damage or loss.
-
When
shipping photos, remove the photos from any frames, especially those with glass
fronts. Unfortunately we have seen photos become damaged during shipping when
the glass breaks and cuts or scratches the photo. Also, the extra weight
associated with a framed photo will result in more money spent on shipping costs
and the time it takes for us to deal with the framing!
-
If
removal of the photo from it's frame is impossible, package the item properly to
prevent breakage during shipping. Placing the item between cardboard and then
wrapping in bubble-wrap secured with shipping tape will usually decrease the
possibility of unwanted damage. We will make every attempt to clearly reproduce
framed or otherwise non-flat articles, but unfortunately can not guarantee the
results.
-
Take a head count! Record how many photos, videos, or other articles you are
sending so we can be sure to return the same amount
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