YOUR STORY

I see legacy documentary as a kind of love letter, and as a gift to ourselves, to the people we love, and to future generations who will marvel at how we live in today’s world.  Imagine your great great grandmother telling you stories about her life, and showing you around her 18th or even 17th century neighborhood.  Her gift to you would be invaluable and, with today’s technology, we can do this for our families and friends, and for our great great grandkids (and beyond), and we’ll be among the first people to have done it!  I really am excited about this venture and I look forward to meeting your family, and helping you to tell this story.                       Sissy

MAKING A LEGACY DOCUMENTARY

RESEARCH & PREPARATION

The first step is getting to know each other.  This is one of my favorite steps because I know that I’m making new friends.  When we meet I’ll explain more about myself and my work, and then we’ll begin to explore your story together, and we’ll do all of this at a relaxed and enjoyable pace.  As I gather materials, I’ll stay in contact with any family members who would like to contribute to the project with their own photos, questions, etc.  

FILMING

I like to plan an entire day around filming so we can conduct the interview at an easy pace and then capture footage of a “day in the life” that may include a walk around the house and neighborhood.  And we can come back another day for additional filming of work, activities, and hobbies.

I come with a small team (maybe one or two people) and the interview is more like a conversation than a series of questions. 

Most likely, we’ll accomplish our filming in a day, but that’s not a hardline for me.  Logistically, some shoots require more time than others (multiple locations, additional interviews, re-takes, time at a golf course, you name it) and I’d rather capture these things than limit ourselves to a single day.

EDITING

Editing a life story feels like sacred work and I find myself entirely immersed in the story.  As an archivist, I can include almost any provided media into a production and I know how to find supporting historical images and videos of the time periods we discuss, and I work with talented editors who specialize in editing documentaries.

RATES

LEGACY DOCUMENTARY FAQs

WHY DO A LEGACY DOCUMENTARY?

A legacy documentary is a beautiful way to share the story of your life.  It’s a gift for your children, your grandchildren, and future generations who will marvel at the world where you grew up, and where you live today.  With your photos, movies, clippings, artwork, and music of the time period, I believe we can tell your story in an extraordinary way.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS?

We’ll start with an introductory meeting to get to know each other, discuss questions and ideas, and we’ll begin to gather any materials that contribute to your story.  We’ll also discuss where you feel most comfortable for the interview.  On the day or day’s of filming, we’ll take our time to capture the interview and all other supporting footage.

I HAVE SO MANY PHOTOGRAPHS AND MOVIES.  HOW DO I DECIDE WHICH ONES TO INCLUDE?

I can help you with this.  Going through your photographs and movies, I’ll be able to select the ones that best match the topics in the video.

DO YOU ASK STANDARD QUESTIONS FOR EVERY INTERVIEW?

There are a few standard questions but most of the interview will be based on your individual story, things I learn about you during consultations, and some questions will come from family members and friends.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE DAY OF FILMING?

By now, we’ve discussed the interview questions and topics that you and your family would like to cover.  For you, it’s time to relax and look forward to a fun day of filming with us.  And don’t worry about the interview because it will be far easier than you expect.  

WHAT IF I’M CAMERA SHY?

This really isn’t uncommon.  Most of us feel self conscious about having a camera pointed at us, but a well conducted interview feels much more like a conversation.  After some time together, the camera fades into the background and we carry on as if it isn’t there.   There is no rush, and there are no difficult questions, and we’ll stay with any topic until you feel good about your answers.

WHERE DO YOU TYPICALLY FILM INTERVIEWS?

We’ll conduct the interview in a setting that feels most comfortable for you.  This might be in your living room, back yard, or anywhere you’d like. 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECEIVE THE FINISHED VIDEO?

After we film together, editing usually takes eight to twelve weeks.