About Us. About Me.
Why Centuries Of Memories?
Centuries of memories encapsulates lives and stories for:
Older generations to pass down their family history.
New parents to share their experience with their child when they’ve grown.
Newlyweds to share their love story at their wedding.
Business owners to inform customers and employees of their history.
Historians and city officials to document their communities.
Why use Centuries of Memories, and not… a phone camera?
Video cameras are more affordable than ever, cell phone videos look better than ever - so why pay for someone else’s camera? It’s a valid question, and we would not be here if we didn’t think there was an answer.
But there is an answer!
Done well, video autobiographies are an incredibly complex process (for us, not you). We will help find a perfect room for the interview, we can optionally decorate the environment (adding pops of color, relocating items, or removing things entirely) for an even more pleasing image. We then professionally light and design the perfect angles for you (Daniel is a multi-award winning filmmaker, who has made films since 2008). We record using cinema cameras and sound equipment that have been used in several Hollywood films.
All of this is then presented to you in the highest quality video, with subtitles and optionally available in a variety of file formats so everyone is able to enjoy it.
For all the details of how the video autobiography process works, click below.
Hello. My name is Dan.
I’m the little blonde boy sitting in front of our fireplace with my dad, Al, where each winter I would excitedly watch him ball up old newspaper as kindling, place it under the wood and close those iron doors with the little vents to start a fire. I’ll forever love hearing the “roar” as the fire fueled.
I’ve been in the video and film industry since 2003; working on both narrative and documentary projects, many which have received numerous festival awards.
My life took a horrific and unexpected turn when my dad suddenly passed away. Centuries of Memories was an idea already brewing but the effect of his passing really shined a light on how important an idea like Centuries of Memories is and motivated me to get the ball rolling.
My dad was a huge influence in my life; he’s the reason I listen to the music I do, the reason I followed my passion for film rather than accepting an office job which both my parents had - but it wasn’t for me, the reason I enjoy computers and new technology.
Both he and my mom had always been incredibly supportive of my hobbies and interests, buying me my first video camera at 13 and signing me up for a summer movie making camp. Because of them, I was able to study film in college.
I’ve since worked on hundreds of projects, just about every kind imaginable; short narrative films and documentaries, music videos and corporate videos, artist showcases and product showcases, sports highlights and event highlights.
I’ve spent days, weeks and years writing, producing, directing and editing my own films. But this is now arguably the work that means the most to me. I want families to be able to save and share their history, their legacy. Not to be bleak, but to do so before it’s too late. I know my experience in film will bring the best looking, best sounding video biographies, future proofed for future generations who are curious about family members they never had the chance to meet. I want to help bridge the gap of time for you and your family.
Thank you so much for learning a bit about my story. Now I’d love to help you tell your story.
You’re still scrolling? Perhaps you’d like to know even more about me.
I appreciate your interest!
That’s me again, by the way. Lost the blonde hair, but not that million dollar smile.
I’ll focus on my filmmaking as that’s the expertise I bring to Centuries of Memories.
“It was all a lie!” At least, that’s what one would think I’d holler as a kid when Mr. Rogers revealed the home I’d been watching for so many years was not a home, but in fact a TV studio. Well I’d be lying if I told you that reveal upset me. It was in fact more than a reveal, it was a revelation. I was absolutely amazed that this world was not out of reach but something that could be imagined and created. If Fred Rogers could do it, maybe I could too.
My first video camera at 13 allowed me to create all kinds of little worlds - I made short films, and “reality TV” shows and documented my family in our house. I didn't have too many friends who were into it so I was mostly a one-boy operation.
My work grew in scope when I got a Radioshock (RIP!) audio mixer. Being the little artistic genius that I was, I connected a video wire from my camera to the VCR’s video input. I then connected both my cameras audio and my CD walkman to the Radioshack mixer and plugged that into the VCR’s input. I now had a mini editing suit where, as the video played from my camera and recorded onto the VCR, I could also bring in music! Not only that, the camera had the ability to super impose words to use as opening and closing titles. I was way ahead of my time.
This wild setup allowed me to create a 30 minute documentary about my hometown for a science project. The school loved it.
In the summer I was learning even more at the movie making camp. I was able to record and edit behind the scenes footage that I turned into a massive project that the camps owner praised - adding that I edited like a painter.
Fast forward to college, they were winding down the film editing department, switching over to digital editing but luckily for me I was able to take that film editing class before the doors closed. What a fantastic way for me to learn the fundamentals - editing on actual film meant we had to really put thought into each cut because of the work it took to make the cut and the far more work it took to “undo” the cut.
I did also take a video editing class, and was so good I was asked to help run the department (my schedule wouldn’t afford me that ability). But I had eye opening experiences editing in old systems like AVID, which came in handy when I went off to work at a video production company in New York. Outside of that job I was working on short films and other projects with my fellow filmmaker roommate.
When I moved back to Philly I started working on my own. I was honored to have so many wonderful and interesting clients that gave me a lot of great projects to work on. It was this time in my professional life I really gained a lot of new experience with all the new cameras and software coming out.
In the years since I’ve worked on almost every sort of project imaginable, including the creation of my own narrative film company.
And here I am today, with Centuries of Memories.