How can I view my video film which is there but has 'gone missing'?

joangemma · #1 (**permalink**) 11-07-2007, 10:08 AM

Hi, I made a documentary this summer of wildlife where I work. The film was taken over a period of 3/4 months. I know the filming was successful as I reviewed most of the clips after taking them. Now I want to transfer the footage to a DVD. However, only the first 30 seconds appears, then I have a blank screen. Fast forwarding shows nothing. The camcorder is OK (Sony Handycam) as I can watch other cassettes. The tape counter shows how many minutes of filming are left. Can anyone solve this mystery PLEASE? Thank you for any help - this film is really important to me.

Nikosony · #2 (**permalink**) 11-08-2007, 04:29 PM

It sounds like something has happened to your footage between the time you reviewed the tapes and now. Has the camcorder (I presume it's a Mini DV model you are referring to?) been damaged recently or have the tapes been damaged or recorded over? Have you loaned the camcorder or tapes to anyone since the Summer? Did you only review 30 seconds of tape when you shot it and presumed the rest of the recording was ok? It's strange how the footage is there one moment and gone the next.

joangemma · #3 (**permalink**) 11-09-2007, 07:45 AM

Yes it is a mini DV model. To answer your questions - no, the camcorder hasn't been damaged. I have filmed 2 more tapes since this one and they are fine. The tapes have not been damaged, recorded over, placed near anything magnetic. I have not loaned the camcorder or tapes to anyone. The 30 seconds I can see are the very beginning of my film. Whilst I was recording, I would check the last maybe 20 seconds each time, although on occasions I watched all of a particular filming period - maybe 6 minutes. It is a Sony Handycam 47 and I have the facility to take photos of the film. I have quite a few photos from the footage I can no longer view! If you have any ideas or can direct me to any specialist service who might be able to sort this out I will be extremely grateful. I would really hate to lose this recording. Thanks for your time.

LJR · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-2007, 10:12 AM

I hate to say this but if when viewing the tape in your camcorder you see a blank screen after 30 seconds then I would say the footage has gone. I hope that isnt't the case but it certainly sounds like it. One thing you may just want to try is viewing it in someone else's camcorder, it's a very long shot, but you may as well be sure.

joangemma · #5 (**permalink**) 11-14-2007, 10:08 AM

I have now tried to view it in another camcorder - same result. Anyone have any idea what else I can try? Does anyone know of any companies that might take on a challenge like this - rightly or wrongly I believe the footage is still there. As I have said, I reviewed it each time I did more filming. It has been stored with other tapes that are fine. Any other suggestions will be gratefully received. Thanks.

LJR · #6 (**permalink**) 11-14-2007, 10:13 PM

The problem is that if the video was somehow overwritten (and it would seem that perhaps the camera got knocked onto record while the lens cap was on or something) then there's precious little you'll be able to do as all the data will be overwritten and if I recall correctly regarding tape recording mechanisms there is a pre-head component which wipes the tape clear of data prior ot the recording heads writing new data to it.

I don't personally know of any company that recovers data from overwritten miniDV's but you may want to dig around on Google. In any case I can imagine it would be a very expensive affair with extremely unpredictable results.

Really sorry to hear you lost what appears to be irreplaceable footage.

joangemma · #7 (**permalink**) 11-15-2007, 10:43 AM

Hi again Lloyd - thanks for your time trying to help me. I really don't think the video has been overwritten. In any case, if it had been, I would have thought I would see a black screen. It is the normal bright blue colour. This really is a mystery.
I have looked on the internet and see what you mean about costs charged by companies who claim to be able to retrieve data.
If I do find a way of retrieving my footage, I will let you know! In the meantime, thanks again and best wishes.
Joan

LJR · #8 (**permalink**) 11-15-2007, 07:57 PM

Blue screen?! That's even more bizarre. That's viewing tape that's never been written to. If anything had ever been recorded on that section of tape then it would be black - as you indicated.

Here's a thought. Have you cued through the entire tape? Just to make sure that your camera hadn't been knocked at some point between recordings (perhaps inadvertently fast forwarded a few seconds or minutes) and so when you started your next take it would have left a few mins gap between the recordings, which, if the tape was new, would show up as blue during that period.

Just a thought,

joangemma · #9 (**permalink**) 11-21-2007, 01:16 PM

Hi Lloyd - sorry for the delay, I have been away for a few days.
At the risk of being laughed off this website I have to tell you that I have made a stupid mistake! When I started my filming in April this year I was using a Panasonic camcorder which has given me endless problems since I purchased it in 2001, going backwards and forwards for repair for always the same problem, losing power. The day I started filming, guess what, after about 30 seconds the camcorder lost power! That was one time too many for it to break down and I decided to buy another camcorder - Sony. I started filming with a new tape - I think you have guessed by now what happened. I stupidly put the first tape with only 30 secs of film in a box with my project label on it. There was a gap of some weeks between finishing my project and sitting down to transfer it on to DVD. When I did, yes - the tape I took out of the box, convinced that was the tape with my footage, was the wrong one - it was in fact the tape that only had 30 seconds on it! I had this 'eureka' moment last weekend when I remembered what happened in April with the Panasonic. Searched my box of tapes and found the right one! Talk about feeling an idiot! All is well that ends well as I am really pleased with my filming, it's the best I have taken over a period of 4 years at the same site (swans, ducks, coots etc breed by the canal below my office window and every year I film them from birth to adolescence). So Lloyd I am sorry to have 'wasted' your time - thanks so very much for trying to help, I really really appreciate it. Best wishes Joangemma

LJR · #10 (**permalink**) 11-22-2007, 01:49 PM

I don't consider it a waste at all.

Delighted you found that footage!!