Legacy Video Tips

Your grandparents’ memories are priceless windows into their life story and your family history. Recording them today will give younger generations a chance to know their story. As a Family History Video producer, below are a few Legacy Video tips to help you record your parent or grandparent sharing stories in a Legacy Video.

Filming

Film in a room where natural light can be blocked. Sunlight shifts, clouds drift, trees sway…natural light changes. Often subtly. You may not notice light and color changes until you are deep in the editing process.
Have your parent or grandparent sit on a comfortable but firm chair or sofa. If a cushion is too soft you may find them slowing sinking down over the course of the interview and you struggling to reframe in post production.
Be aware of what is behind your parent or grandparent. You may not notice the plant sprouting from their head or your own reflection in a mirror until midway through the interview.

Interviewing

Give your parent or grandparent time to answer the question. If there is a long pause, they may simply be trying to remember or are thinking of how best to answer the question.
Gently keep control of the interview or you may find one story taking 20 minutes and yourself running out of time.
Be aware of background noise. On camera mics tend to pick up sounds you may not notice, such as the HVAC, a neighbor’s lawn mower or barking dog. For the best quality sound, use a lavelier microphone that can clip to their collar.

Editing

It’s common for people to go off topic when telling a story. While your interview may last 2-3 hours, you may really only have 1-1.5 hours of quality content. Be sure to edit out footage that doesn’t fit or you will lose your audience’s interest.
People also tend to circle back to stories shared earlier in an interview to fill in details. Bring sections of the same story together in editing for a more cohesive memoir.
Bring your parent or grandparent’s stories to life by weaving in family photos and other images throughout the movie.

Do you have a Legacy Video tip to add? Post it in the comment section below for others to see!

~ Family Tree Video ~

Give your parent or grandparent the gift of a lifetime by capturing their life story and family history in a Legacy Video!

Here at Family Tree Video we produce Legacy Videos, modern-day memoirs that weave a filmed interview together with family photos, documents, maps and other memorabilia. The result is a beautiful “moving portrait” capturing your loved one sharing life stories, family history and memories – a gift your family will treasure for generations to come.

To learn more about capturing your family stories in a Legacy Video, visit FamilyTreeVideo.com.

Learn More

Family Tree Video LLC
Legacy Video Production
Since 2008

Susan Saunders
Legacy Video Producer
(312) 402-6406

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Legacy Video Tips

“There are only two lasting bequests
we can give our children.
One is roots, and the other, wings.” H. S. Carter