Press Main  /  In the News  /  Press Releases  /  Press Packet High-tech home movies can link families, military By Nora K. Wallace, News-Press Staff Writer April 2, 2005 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.