How to Capture Your Loved Ones' Story
I am interested in making a video of my 82-year-old parents' life story. With the holidays approaching, I thought this could be a neat gift to my older siblings, but I could use some help. What can you tell me?
A personal recording of your parents' life story could be a wonderful holiday gift and something you and your family could cherish the rest of your lives. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Your first step is to find out if your parents are willing to make a legacy video, which would entail you asking them a number of thoughtful questions about their lives in an interview format in front of a video recording device. If they are willing, all you will need is a smartphone or camcorder and a list of questions or prompts to get them talking.
If you have a smartphone, making a video of your parents' story is simple and free. However, you may want to invest in a "smartphone tripod" to hold the phone while you conduct the interview, and a "smartphone external microphone" to improve the audio quality. You can find these types of products online for under $20.
Most smartphones today can record quality video and give you the ability to edit out the parts you do not want. You can also download a free video-editing app like Magisto or Adobe Premiere Clip to help you customize your video.
If you want a higher quality video, consider purchasing an HD camcorder. Sony, Panasonic and Canon are the top-rated brands, according to Consumer Reports. These can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to $1,000 or more.
To help you prepare your list of questions for your parents' video interview, go to the "Have the Talk of a Lifetime" website at TalkofaLifetime.org. This resource, created by the Funeral and Memorial Information Council, offers a free workbook that lists dozens of questions in different categories. Some of these include: earliest memories and childhood; significant people; proudest accomplishments; and most cherished objects. This will help you put together a wide variety of meaningful, open-ended questions.
Old photos of your parents, their family members and friends are also great to have on hand to jog your parents' memories and stimulate conversation.
After you select your questions and photos, be sure to share them with your parents ahead of time so they have some time to think about their answers. This will make the interview go much smoother.
Arrange an interview time when your parents are rested and relaxed. Choose a quiet, comfortable place where you will not be interrupted. You may need several sessions to cover everything you want.
When you get started, ask your parents to introduce themselves and ask a warm-up question like "When and where were you born?" Then ease into your selected questions, but use them as a guide, not a script. If your parents go off topic, go with it. You can redirect them to your original question later. Think of it as a conversation; there is no right or wrong thing to talk about as long as it is meaningful to you and your parents.
Also, be prepared to ask follow-up questions or diverge from your question list if you are curious about something. If you would like to hear more, ask, "And then what happened?" or "How did that make you feel?" or "What were you thinking in that moment?"
Consider concluding your interview with some reflective questions, such as, "What legacy would you like to leave?" or "How do you want to be remembered?"
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
A personal recording of your parents' life story could be a wonderful holiday gift and something you and your family could cherish the rest of your lives. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
What You Will Need
Your first step is to find out if your parents are willing to make a legacy video, which would entail you asking them a number of thoughtful questions about their lives in an interview format in front of a video recording device. If they are willing, all you will need is a smartphone or camcorder and a list of questions or prompts to get them talking.
Recording Equipment
If you have a smartphone, making a video of your parents' story is simple and free. However, you may want to invest in a "smartphone tripod" to hold the phone while you conduct the interview, and a "smartphone external microphone" to improve the audio quality. You can find these types of products online for under $20.
Most smartphones today can record quality video and give you the ability to edit out the parts you do not want. You can also download a free video-editing app like Magisto or Adobe Premiere Clip to help you customize your video.
If you want a higher quality video, consider purchasing an HD camcorder. Sony, Panasonic and Canon are the top-rated brands, according to Consumer Reports. These can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to $1,000 or more.
Questions and Prompts
To help you prepare your list of questions for your parents' video interview, go to the "Have the Talk of a Lifetime" website at TalkofaLifetime.org. This resource, created by the Funeral and Memorial Information Council, offers a free workbook that lists dozens of questions in different categories. Some of these include: earliest memories and childhood; significant people; proudest accomplishments; and most cherished objects. This will help you put together a wide variety of meaningful, open-ended questions.
Old photos of your parents, their family members and friends are also great to have on hand to jog your parents' memories and stimulate conversation.
After you select your questions and photos, be sure to share them with your parents ahead of time so they have some time to think about their answers. This will make the interview go much smoother.
Interview Tips
Arrange an interview time when your parents are rested and relaxed. Choose a quiet, comfortable place where you will not be interrupted. You may need several sessions to cover everything you want.
When you get started, ask your parents to introduce themselves and ask a warm-up question like "When and where were you born?" Then ease into your selected questions, but use them as a guide, not a script. If your parents go off topic, go with it. You can redirect them to your original question later. Think of it as a conversation; there is no right or wrong thing to talk about as long as it is meaningful to you and your parents.
Also, be prepared to ask follow-up questions or diverge from your question list if you are curious about something. If you would like to hear more, ask, "And then what happened?" or "How did that make you feel?" or "What were you thinking in that moment?"
Consider concluding your interview with some reflective questions, such as, "What legacy would you like to leave?" or "How do you want to be remembered?"
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
Published November 2, 2018
