Preserving Victoria Families' Memories Since 1991
I'm Dave Phillips. I work from my home workshop in Colwood, digitizing old videotapes, films and family photographs. I've been doing this kind of work since 1991, and everything that comes through my door is still handled by me.
I've done all of this to my own family's memories first.
My own family archive holds 1,838 home videos, with the earliest dating back to 1957. Everything I ask you to trust me with, I've already trusted myself with.
How I got here
The Spark
In 1978, at six years old, I made my first stop-motion movie using Lego, Hot Wheels, and my sister's snow boot. My dad helped me bring his Bell & Howell projector to my Grade 2 class to screen my three-minute masterpiece. My teacher, Mrs. Godfrey, gave me a Best Director award.
Video Pioneer
Other kids played sports. I had my parents rent me a VHS camera and shot everything, including my first wedding while I was still in school. I was obsessed with the VIC-20 and Commodore 64, already dreaming about computers and video merging.
Wedding Videographer
I shot over 200 weddings in the 90s on a Hi8 camcorder, cutting them together on Super VHS. When Macromedia Flash arrived, I fell in love with building websites too.
Digital Video Editing
When Sony released Digital8, I jumped straight in, moving from analog decks to computer editing over FireWire. I started making promotional videos for Victoria businesses, right on the line between tape and file.
Full-Time Behind the Camera
Video became my full-time work: corporate shoots, green-screen production, websites for local businesses. I was good at all of it, but none of it was what I actually loved.
Today: SaveThis
Now I've come full circle. I don't shoot new video anymore. I spend my time on what I always loved most: saving the old stuff, so families can actually watch it again.
Along the way
One other member of staff
Diego, Security
Diego doesn't handle any media, but he makes sure everyone knows the moment somebody arrives at the door.
Have something you'd like to save?
Tell me what you have. I'll help you figure out what to do with it.