Gilroy Garlic Video Adulterated with Scarlet Letter(s)

As I downloaded the Gilroy Garlic Festival video files, I was positively giddy at how well they turned out. For a cheap little pocket cam, the clips were crisp and colorful. I had captured some great moments - a perfect flame-up, a garlic-basting rosemary broom, and someone walking in heels. I was really impressed with myself. As I opened iMovie to edit the clips, my euphoria was replaced by intense feelings of anger, shame, and sadness.

A month ago I got a free trail for software that quickly and easily converts the files from the camera to a format that iMovie can edit. I had 30 days to try it and see if it was something I wanted to buy. I've tested a lot of these free trails over the years, and without exception, when the trial period is up, they simply stop working.

In this case, much to my horror, the program didn’t just stop working; it placed a huge scarlet stamp over the frame of every clip I downloaded! Since I had seen the previews, and they looked fine, I had cleared the camera as usual. So, now my wonderful footage is forever desecrated with these scarlet letters. I will further my public humiliation by posting some of the film tomorrow anyway, if only to spite my digital oppressors.