Estate boxes & family archives
So you inherited the box.
Tapes with no labels, reels with no projector, slide trays, a cassette marked “Mom.” You don't need to sort it, understand it, or even open it all the way. You need it safe, and then shared with the family.
bring it as-is, lid and all
What to bring first
If the box is big and the budget arrives in stages, this is the order that protects the most irreplaceable things first.
Voices and one-of-a-kind recordings
Cassettes or tapes holding a voice have no negative and no second copy. They go to the front of the box.
Film that smells like vinegar
A sharp vinegar smell means the film base is actively breaking down, and it accelerates. Cleaning and repair are included with every film transfer.
Videotapes
Tape fades steadily rather than suddenly. Sooner is better, but a month rarely changes the outcome the way it can with sick film.
Prints, slides, and discs
The most stable of the bunch. They still belong on a drive, but they will patiently wait their turn in the same order.
No idea what half of it is? Neither does anyone else at first. Text a photo of the mystery items to(907) 240-2739and we'll identify them, or check theformat guides.
One studio for the whole box
Every format, one drop-off
Tape, film, slides, prints, audio, discs, and cards all transfer under one roof, so the estate stays together instead of scattering to three vendors. The one exception: sound film, which we route to a trusted Lower 48 specialist and handle the logistics.
Nothing ships anywhere
The only copies of a family's history never ride in a freight box. Drop off in person or in the secure drop-box, pick up finished, all in Anchorage.
Copies for every branch
Thumb drives, DVDs, or a download link mean every sibling gets the whole archive, and the family stops arguing about who keeps the originals.
Boxes that made it
“My wife returned from her father's funeral with some old VHS tapes from his estate. She had promised friends and family that she would get copies made, but I found that the tapes were barely playable. I took the tapes to Ellie, and within a few days had professionally packaged DVD's to share. I'm very pleased with the results, and found the price to be quite reasonable. I expect to be a return customer!”
“Ellie was able to resurrect and copy for permanent storage onto DVD a 27-year-old VCR tape that was badly deteriorated, and which another local video studio had been unable to view or to copy. Many thanks for saving the video memories of our son, when he was only one month old, back in 1989, and thus, preserving for us a real family treasure.”
“Thank you Ellie for doing such an excellent job of saving my old family films. Now my children and grandchildren will get a glimpse of Alaskan bush life in the 50s.”
the box made it this far