Get the “Picture” on
Video Biographies

“Every Picture Tells a Story...Don’t It?”

Indeed—there are so many stories that pictures tell. A video biography can be one of the most treasured memories you own.

Many people have played around with video cameras, especially parents when they have their first child or two.

Not everyone is skilled in putting together a professional piece that chronicles your life.  But life story videos are now in demand and make great gifts.

I am a fan of stories about people that you can see on the A&E Channel or VH-1’s “Behind the Music”. These documentaries allow us to peer into the lives of the famous...and infamous.

The quality of these productions is apparent. You might think there is no way you could have a video production of your family history or personal biography that has the same quality.

But, you’d be wrong.

Just as there are many people anxious to write your biography or help you do it yourself, there are a number of video biographers. These professionals can put together a masterful collection of memories for you to keep on video, or more commonly, DVD.

"The explosion of interest in tracing one's roots has given rise to another phenomenon. Ordinary people — particularly baby boomers and their elder parents — are hiring filmmakers and writers to immortalize their histories on pricey videos and books that can look good enough for the History Channel or bookstore shelves." - from an article in the Seattle Times (see article here).

What you are looking for is expertise, professionalism and quality.

You should also be able to see some samples, to ask questions and have a firm idea of cost.

Once again, Your-Life-Your-Story.com has done some research for you.

A fine example of a company that does life story biographies is Stellar Media. The husband and wife team of Eric and Marian Larson handle writing, editing and video services and can do histories about individuals, families or companies. They are located in North Carolina and you can visit them here to see more. This company was a previous Highlight Site (see here).

If you are looking for a video company in the North East try Family Voices Media (see here). They are based in New York and create high quality "family treasures for generations to come". The partners come from a film and television background and produce Biography Channel-like videos that are in-depth and filled with photos, old film, maps, graphics, and stock footage. A recent client was so grateful that a family project was completed just before her eldest brother passed away. A reminder to all to preserve family history while we can.

Family Legacy Productions is a video biography company, with locations in Boulder and Chicago, that makes legacy videos for families across the country. Founder and Director Arielle Nobile is passionate about helping families reconnect to their roots and create a legacy of belonging. Since 2005 her business has produced more than 40 personal history documentaries. Visit their website to find out about their work and get helpful information on interviewing, digital archiving, and other useful information for working on your legacy project. 

Sharing life stories, connecting generations and preserving the legacies of individuals, families, companies and organizations is the focus of Legacy Multimedia. Stefani Twyford is an award-winning personal historian and combines classic filmmaking techniques with the latest digital tools to craft wonderful tapestries of images and sound. She has been providing her outstanding video legacy service for several years. The company is based in Houston, Texas, but they will travel to meet with clients. Find out more by visiting legacymultimedia.com.

An additional option on the West Coast (California) is Your Story Here - a video biographies service dedicated to preserving family history.  The husband and wife team of Peter and Jane Shafron are based in Southern California and they are both avid professional storytellers.  The stories they "tell" are from a wide cross section of people.  They produce high quality "A&E" style video biographies and video memorials utilizing interviews, photographs, historical footage and music.  Their work has received awards and media coverage and their website (yourstoryherehome.com) is full of useful and helpful information plus multiple samples of their work.

Now maybe you have a video camera and fancy yourself as doing the job. Nothing wrong with that! My only caution is that if you want a really nice professional job and don't have the time, expertise or equipment then you should consider hiring a pro.

However, lots of people are doing their own home videos and with digital software it is getting easier to do. BUT - it helps to have some directions.

Enter Family Legacy Video™. Steve Pender is a pro who has been creating professional commercial video projects for many years and has also become successful in the family history arena. He's also created a very good website that will tell you more about creating a life story video.

If you decide you want to do the video biography yourself make sure that you prepare properly. You want to have the proper equipment, a script to work from, someone to conduct the interview (you or a trusted friend or professional), and an idea ahead of time of what you want to cover. If, for example, you are going to video your grandfather be sure to take the time to make him comfortable with the proceedings. Spend some time talking about what you hope to accomplish with the interview. Obviously, do this before the camera is rolling!

A helpful training aid for those interested in producing your own life story videos is available from Dick Liersch and his My Living Legacy do-it-yourself CD-ROM.  The extensive information on this CD-ROM includes what you need to know for creating a successful video life story or video genealogy. 

Below you will find more suggestions. As always, feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to help any way I can.