A tape count is only the start of the quote
The Movies By Kelly pricing page lists VHS tapes at $20/tape. It also states that after the first 10 tapes the price is $15 per tape, and that any tape containing 4+ hours of video is $30. Those conditions matter when a collection mixes short recordings with long tapes. Count the cassettes, then note any labels suggesting extended recordings so the provider can explain how the rates apply to your order.
Rush work is listed at an additional $10 for each tape. That is an extra charge, not a promised completion time. Ask for a written total covering the tape count, long recordings, any rush request and the delivery device. Confirm any tax or other applicable charges at the same time. For a birthday screening or family reunion, give the actual date you need the files and ask whether it can be met.
Choose the drive around the people watching
Movies By Kelly says all video is converted to MP4 files and added to an external drive supplied by either you or the provider. DVDs are also available. If you already own a drive, ask whether it is suitable and how much free space the completed collection will require. If the provider supplies one, request its cost as part of the quote rather than assuming the tape price covers it.
MP4 delivery gives you files to copy, organize and upload. A DVD may be useful for a relative who prefers their existing disc player, but check the intended playback setup before choosing. Ask whether both outputs can be ordered and what that adds to the total. Keep an untouched copy of the delivered files before renaming or editing anything, so your organized version always has a clear starting point.
Arrange the handover before making the journey
The website offers mail-in or drop-off service and names Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, Winchester, Hemet, Fallbrook, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, the Inland Empire and surrounding California areas. That published service description does not give you a drop-off appointment or a street address. Contact Movies By Kelly to settle the handover details before traveling or sending irreplaceable recordings.
Prepare a short inventory with one number per tape and photograph the original labels. Include instructions about the order of recordings, while keeping personal notes separate from anything the provider needs for transfer. Ask how original tapes will be returned. The website’s description of labeled DVDs and sleeves concerns the finished output; it does not establish a return policy for the original cassettes.
Separate fragile tapes from the rest of the collection
Movies By Kelly lists tape repair alongside its transfer services. If a cassette has a broken shell, loose tape or visible contamination, describe the problem before handing it over. Ask whether that particular condition can be handled, how repair is charged and whether transfer remains possible. A repair listing does not guarantee that every damaged recording can be recovered.
The business also advertises conversion of 8mm movie film and scanning of photos, slides and negatives. If your family history spans several media, make separate inventories for each. A price or treatment attached to photos or film should not be treated as a VHS inclusion. For example, the published color correction and dust-removal description applies to photo and slide scanning.
Check the files, then let relatives add the missing details
When the files arrive, play the beginning, middle and end of each recording and check that the sound matches the picture. Compare the contents with your inventory and record any questions for the converter. Keep the original tapes and make an additional backup of the digital files on a separate device. A single external drive is convenient, but it should not be the only place the transferred memories live.
Memrial is a separate private family archive for digital memories after conversion. It does not convert tapes or form part of Movies By Kelly’s service. Its free plan includes 2.0 GB of shared archive storage with no card needed. Invite relatives to help identify faces and occasions. Timeline accepts exact or approximate dates, making it easier to find a recording by year even when the original label is vague.
For a reunion, a Live Watch Party can synchronize an uploaded home video for relatives near or far. The host controls play, pause and seek, with voice and text chat; the free allowance is 3 hours a month with up to 6 participants. Event Memories offers a secure occasion contribution link. Contributors sign in without needing archive membership, their photos and videos collect in the event album, and closing the link keeps the memories.