Today we’d like to introduce you to Lance Gray.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
STAR WARS…I think that’s where it all started for me. I was seven when the movie came out and it changed the way I looked at every movie after that. I loved the story, the costumes, and of course the toys! Something about the way they marketed every part of the film mesmerized me even at such an early age (Action Video pays homage to Star Wars as we have our own mini-museum of items for display in the lobby). I’m a child of the 80’s and throughout that time so much was changing with technology that I often found myself fascinated with every new gizmo that hit the stores whether it was the ATARI or the VCR. I still remember the day my dad brought home our first VHS recorder. It easily weighed 25-30 lbs. — I laugh thinking of the confusion in my head when he told us that we could now actually record what’s on the television to play back later. It was a game changer for me.
While I ventured into almost 3 years of an Advertising Art degree…I ultimately graduated with a degree in Marketing. My true love was always still video and film so I started a video production company immediately after graduation. The catalyst for this transition started in early October of 1993. Just 2 months shy of graduation, my family experienced a tragic loss when my brother-in-law, an Army Ranger, was killed in a battle in Mogadishu, Somalia (the movie BLACK HAWK DOWN is based on this event). I *INSTANTLY* recognized the true value of video in this moment. While he was gone, a part of him could live on through the videos and photos that we had.
Fast forward to current day…Action Video Service helps guide clients by rescuing their own memories stuck on media such as VHS, Film, Photos, Slides, and Records. We help convert them to DVD and Digital Files. Equipment to make this transition is quickly disappearing and it’s an amazing experience when we see those happy tears as clients relive their memories from the past.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The greatest struggle for us is no different than anyone else needing items transferred. It’s simply the equipment that is becoming harder to find. Last year, it was announced the VCR would no longer be made. We’re always adapting the way we transfer projects, but deterioration in film and video is a very real thing. Our priority is to help clients navigate this foreign new world based on old technology. Every day we save a piece of history and it’s a great thing!
Action Video Service – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We help clients rescue their old media and convert it to DVD and Digital Files. We handle most consumer and professional formats of Videotapes, Film, Photos, and Records. One of the biggest differences between us and other companies is that we process everything at the studio. We’re not shipping it overseas.
We love saving history and we work on thousands of projects every year. The vast majority of our clients are families transferring videos or film to DVD, but we also scan thousands of photos and slides as well. Companies use us a lot for DVD/CD Duplication and over the past years we’ve worked for The Smithsonian and numerous documentary film makers needing their media converted for the television networks.
We love our jobs of helping clients relive their memories. There’s something about seeing happy tears that gets me every time. At the end of the day, we care about our client’s memories.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Over the past 20+ years, we’ve developed video projects for some of the most well-known names in the world. However, as time goes by, I think we (as a company) connect best when we help a client rescue what they believed was lost. Sometimes this is for a corporation, but most of the times it’s a parent wanting to see their child grow up again on a media that hasn’t seen the light of day in decades. When we’re able to guide the client through this process…that’s the true definition of success in our eyes.
Contact Info:
- Address: 819 W Arapaho, Suite 23
Richardson, Texas 75080 - Website: ActionVideoService.com
- Phone: 972-437-2021
- Email: info@actionvideoservice.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/actionvideoservice
- Facebook: facebook.com/actionvideoservice
- Twitter: @action_video
- Yelp: yelp.com/biz/action-video-service-richardson
- Other: actionvideoservice.com/contact
Image Credit:
Lance Gray
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