Celebrating and Preserving Life Stories Using Video

Capturing the life stories of a family member by interviewing her on video is a powerful way to preserve the legacy of a loved one. The biggest advantage that video has over other media, such as photographs or written memoirs, is that it allows future generations to see the storyteller share her story.

Beyond the end result, the process of recording the life stories is also valuable for everyone involved. By inviting Mom to participate and share her history on video, we are demonstrating our interest in and love for her. It’s an affirmation of the meaningful place she has had and continues to have in our lives.

Interviews that occur between family members are also excellent opportunities for conversations about shared experiences that might not have happened otherwise. These conversations often further strengthen family bonds. Even for experiences that might be more painful than happy, sharing them can be therapeutic for both the storyteller and the interviewer.

Below are a few suggestions for recording the life stories of a loved one.
1. The invitation. The first step is persuading your storyteller to sit down and share her stories. A common objection is: My life has been ordinary. There’s nothing to tell.

The simplest response is that everyone has a story to tell, no matter how ordinary it might seem. You might also ask: What story, experience, or information about your grandparents (or great-grandparents) do you wish you knew more about?Put into this context, most people can see the value of recording their own stories. If it’s your parents who are the potential subjects, you might also explain that by learning more about their past, you hope to understand your own more fully.

2. The Preparation. If you and your storyteller agree in advance of the interview on the questions or subjects you want to explore together, the conversation will go more smoothly. Creating your own list of questions first, sharing them with your storyteller, and then allowing her to select those that are most interesting is often a good approach.

3. The Interview. Find a place that’s comfortable for your storyteller. You can place the camera so that it’s set back from the storyteller, but make sure to zoom in reasonably close on her face you want to be able to see her expressions as she speaks.

If you think you might want to edit the video in the future, ask your storyteller to include your questions in her answers, so that your voice can be edited out. (Mom, when were you born?I was born in 1935.) Don’t hesitate to ask your interviewee to tell a story a second time if she loses her train of thought or gets sidetracked.

Don’t try to cover too much ground. Talking for much more than 90 minutes will get tiring for both of you, and that’s usually not enough time to cover all the questions you probably will have. So expect the process to be an ongoing one.
Most importantly, have fun!

Recording life stories on video takes a little bit of initiative, but the benefits for current and future generations are immeasurable.

Rachel Jellinek and her partner own the video production company, Reflection Films. They produce personal video for families, as well as marketing, development, and training video for businesses and nonprofits. For more information, please call Rachel at 617-680-2019 or visit www.reflectionfilmsonline.com