High-Tech Home Movies Can Link Families,
Military
 Being deployed to war zones in Iraq and
Afghanistan is difficult -- yet largely
unavoidable -- for many soldiers, sailors,
airmen and Marines.
Not being able to see friends and family for
up to a year adds to their stress, including the
dozens from the Central Coast now serving in
battle areas overseas.
With that in mind, a Washington state company
called HomeMovie.Com has created "Operation
Enduring Love," which allows people to create a
30-minute video that will be converted into a
format that military members can watch over the
Internet.
The streaming video can be viewed for up to a
year, as many times as they'd like.
The idea, which the Winthrop, Wash., company
expects will cost it about $250,000, was the
brainchild of Michelle Larsen, the wife of
HomeMovie.Com's chief executive officer, John
Larsen. Mrs. Larsen heard a radio story about a
new mother deployed to Iraq who was missing
milestones in her child's life.
"The goal of this free gift is to enable
those stationed halfway around the world to
share in the special moments that would
otherwise be missed from home," Mr. Larsen
explained.
Mrs. Larsen thought the technology of her
husband's company could be put to good use.
"Calling cards are great, but it's not always
the best way to keep in touch, especially when
you're away from somebody an entire year, " said
Kirk Esmond, a company spokesman. "You can see
the smiles, hear the laughter. It's so much
more."
The firm is using technology called Afiniti
to preserve and share video in a
password-protected area that can only be
accessed by the service member and family.
Since the program launched at the beginning
of the month, a few dozen people have signed on,
Mr. Esmond said. No Santa Barbara County
residents have signed up yet.
Family members can log on to
www.homemovie.com for a sign-up form and
directions, or call (877) 576-8777.
"The beautiful thing is there's no catch per
se," Mr. Esmond said. "We're in business to make
money, but not this time. This is honestly our
way of complimenting and applauding service
members who are dedicating their lives and
sacrificing in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Although offering the first half-hour for
free, the company is trying to entice people to
sign up for a service that allows them to make
more videos for $10 a tape. But even that barely
covers expenses, Mr. Esmond said.
Some families may opt for that because only
one tape per service member is permitted under
the free offer.
The firm, which has specialized in
videography and weddings, is expecting about
100,000 people to take advantage of the service,
and says it can handle up to 10,000 each week.
Even though the offer is geared toward those
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Esmond
said, "We are not in a position to turn anybody
away" if a loved one is deployed elsewhere.
Nora K. Wallace,
April 2, 2005
Santa Barbara News-Press
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