image capture needs

[mattbarton.exe]

Hi, guys. Does anyone know where I can get the following? I need them to put in our upcoming movie, but as yet have not been able to locate or supply them myself. For the pics we need decent size and quality; otherwise it'll look terrible when blown up for the big screen. Same with videos--blurry youtubes will look like crap.

If anyone can help with any of the following, please let me know. It'll be much appreciated!!!

1. Picture of the original "Tennis for Two" setup at Brookhaven.
2. Picture of Al Alcorn, preferably a vintage one.
3. Good quality classic TV commercials for game consoles (Colecovision, intellivision, odyssey2, atari 2600)
4. C-64 commercial with William Shatner
5. Picture of Silar Warner
6. images or footage of Pajitnov (tetris guy)
7. vintage picture of a classic Mac in the store (with some sort of display on or nearby showing the price)
8. footage of the Video Toaster working on the Amiga
9. Neverwinter Nights Online (classic) footage
10. Ultima Online gameplay footage
11. footage or photos from a WOW convention

[andy]

Hmm, a little tricky...

For the Mac and Toaster stuff, the best quality that I've probably seen would have been in episodes of Computer Chronicles from archive.org - 'soft' at times, but it is video-based. Could framing of the video be a solution where the source's quality is poor?

Moving to most of the others and where a video grab doesn't meet your needs, have you sought the help of magazines - at least to point you to photo libraries (should that be within your budget)? Across the Atlantic, Edge, Games TM and Retro Gamer certainly quickly spring to mind as having people who'd either know where to look or be able to provide good advice.

I can't know the organisation over there but might a look into public broadcasters be a possibility? Over the last year or so, I have seen film and video-based footage of a quality that after seeing only the roughest of home recording conversions, I couldn't have even dreamed of. In the main, the clips were from series broadcast by the BBC in the early Eighties - a mix of video and very grainy film - and even where cropped and framed for wide-screen, in both standard and high resolutions, were anything but objectionable. Though it's not always available, some of the 'full NTSC' MPEG-2 Computer Chronicles footage is good too...

[mattbarton.exe]

Thanks for the tips, Andy. I hadn't thought that C.C. might have Video Toaster stuff. I'll definitely look into that. I know they didn't cover game consoles (at least, not to my knowledge), but it'd be a good source for some of this. I don't know anyone at those magazines you mentioned, so might be tough getting contacts.

[andy]

Firstly, you're welcome, Matt. No thanks necessary (it was nice of you, though).

The editor of Retro Gamer, Darran Jones, is a friendly guy - along with many other places, I believe he's a member here too. Perhaps a quick PM or post on one of the forums (maybe that of RG itself) would make for a good starting point?

I seem to be stating all of the obvious but I did also wonder if you'd tried or considered any of the State-side names via agents or e-mail addresses? I don't know how much Google-Fu that would require... Hmm, given previous magazine features, Darran might again be able to offer some guidance.

If I can help a little with the Toaster on CC, I believe it appeared twice - but I can only remember one of the episodes with any certainty just now. It was definitely in the Amiga 3000 show and I think was in 'The New Amigas'. If my memory isn't too hazy, they were both from 1988.

Oh yeah, as for consoles, I have seen them included a little. Looking at your list, I imagine that you're mainly or only thinking somewhat earlier than the Game Boy/Genesis (whatever one of those is!)/SNES era though, right? I think the more serious and often business-oriented earlier episodes only gave a passing mention to the Coleco etc. I've only seen about forty programmes however, so there might be something hidden away. If only the search function worked better over there...

You've just given me an incentive to watch some older episodes yet again! I never need one but perhaps I should be thanking you!

Finally (phew!), with the older names and products in mind, have you tried asking in the AtariAge forums? Like most places, it can take a good measure of noise filtering on the reader's part; but there's also a wealth of knowledge amongst the collectors and many are kind enough to share their experiences.

I hope that there's something useful in there, Matt. Good luck, anyway. Oh, and please do return with an update once you've made some progress.

[T_hairy_bootson]

iirc Shatner did vic20 commercials and not c64 commercials

[Retro-Nerd]

True, only for VC 20. Never saw him in C64 commercials.


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