Bobby Tillman of Sachse uses technology to tell stories and preserve media for future generations.

Tillman studied electrical engineering in college and enjoyed fixing things and making them work. So he was intrigued by the possibilities offered by computers and the internet when he took web-related classes at Navarro College in Corsicana in the mid 1990s.

“I thought it was pretty neat and I thought there would be some sort of a need,” he said. So in 1996 Tillman registered the domain SpecialWebs.com, not thinking at the time he would still be running it as a business at the age of 71.

“Way back when I started you had to have a telex machine if you had a business,” he said. “Then you got a fax. A computer or web presence was considered a luxury.”

Now, a business is not worthy of attention if it is not on the internet, he said. “Social media has kicked in — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like – and you have to have a presence in order to succeed,” Tillman said.

Special Webs provides standard online services such as domain registration, hosting, website development and website management. Tillman also provides email services, social media management, shopping cart programs, online payment services, and “just about any other online service available,” he said.

In addition to web services, Tillman does video production such as recording a wedding, ballgame, church service, civic event, dedication or any event where a permanent record is desired.

He also produces broadcast-quality professional videos by creating a storyline, shooting and editing. “The cost for that is $1,500 per finished minute, but it can take several days to get that minute done,” Tillman said.

Each client has special needs and audiences, he said, including a crematory. “Being on social media would be almost a negative for them so that video was aimed at funeral directors,” he added.

Tillman used a drone to create a video for a real estate company. “Two of the most-recognized buildings are the White House and the mansion on the ‘Dallas’ TV show,” he said. So they shot at Southfork Ranch and the video looked just like the opening of “Dallas.”

To help the Sachse Historical Society, Tillman recorded people in the area including a 100-year-old resident who recounted early days in the community. “He was very articulate, alert and a wonderful gentleman,” he said.

For the full story, see the March 2 issue of The Sachse News.