Family Legacy Video - In The News!

In my post of May 12, 2005, I talked about helping a family uncover long-ago Olympic film footage. Well the story just made the local paper!

Bonnie Henry, a columnist for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, loved the story and wrote about it in her June 22 column. If you'd like to read it, here's a link to the online version of the article: http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/allheadlines/80874.php.

Taping Multiple Interviews

Would you like to feature more than one person in your next video biography? Should you videotape them together or separately? Here's my advice.

In the two-people-shot-with-one-camera interviews I've seen, the subjects always look a bit uncomfortable. First, in order to make the shot as tight as possible, they're seated very closely together. Then there's the awkwardness that occurs when one subject is talking and the other subject doesn't know quite where to look or what to do. From the videographer's standpoint, you're forced to keep a two-shot most of the time, which cuts down on visual interest. Then, when you do venture in for a medium close up or close up of the person speaking, quite often the other person chimes in and you either need to pan to try to get him/her on screen or zoom back out to your two-shot.

I think taping each interview separately is a much more elegant solution. It allows you to focus your attention, and the camera, on one person at a time. It also gives you much greater flexibility when editing. You can ask each parent lots of the same questions and then take pieces of their answers and cut back and forth between them. This is especially helpful when you don't have a lot of visuals. I recommend shooting them at "cross angles." In other words, if you taped your mom facing screen left, make sure to shoot your dad facing screen right. This lends to the visual interest. Also, make sure to change the setting a bit between interviews. If you want to tape the interviews in the same room, that's fine - just move the camera after the first interview so that you have a different background for the second interview. Also, change your focal lengths during each interview. I always establish a wide, closer and closest framing with my camera person before an interview begins. Then, while I ask each question, the camera operator makes the shot wider or tighter. This way you have a variety of looks within each interview, which also lends to visual interest. Check out a short clip in the
Family Legacy Video Theatre called "Childhood Memories" to see how two people in one video can work.

1939 World's Fair Memories

I just spent several hours editing a video sequence in which a client describes her trip to the 1939 World's Fair in New York. What fun!

She was a recent high school graduate when she and a friend journied from Michigan to the Big Apple for several memorable days in New York City. Fortunately, she created a scrapbook filled with photos and momentos of her World's Fair experience. Using her interview, lots of photos and music and a few visual effects, I was able to create a fun-filled and compelling sequence that brings her experience to life on screen.

I can't wait for my client and her family to see it. I'll be posting the sequence in the Family Legacy Video Theatre in the near future so you can view it as well.

What a week!

Sorry I haven't written in a few days. It's been a very busy and exciting week!

I started editing another Family Legacy Video this week. After all the prep work - the interview, collecting and creating visuals and selecting music - it's time for the "rubber to meet the road." Editing video is a very intense and enjoyable creative experience for me and it's pure joy to see my client's story coming together so well. I just know she and her family will treasure the video. After it's done I'll post a clip on the Family Legacy Video Web site: www.familylegacyvideo.com.

Also, I found out that a local columnist is writing a story about the Olympic track footage I obtained for a Family Legacy Video client (see the post from May 12, 2005). The story should be out in about two weeks. I'll let you know when it happens.

Now, back to video editing!

The Cereus is blooming!

So what's a cereus? And what does it have to do with video biographies?

Actually, I'm referring to a plant called a "night blooming Cereus." It's a droopy, spindly little cactus that exists here in Arizona. What makes it special is that it blooms only once a year, usually sometime between May and July.

It's actually a pretty neat event. A plant that looks like a dead stick suddenly sprouts stalks topped with golf ball-sized buds that eventually open into beautiful white flowers. They last for just one night and morning, then wither away.

The Cereus is so nondescript that my wife and I didn't even know we had two of them in our yard - until we saw some during a trip to the Tucson Botanical Gardens and realized, "Hey, so that's what that strange plant in our yard is!"

Last year was the first time I went on a serious "Cereus watch." When the buds opened, I was ready with a camera to document the event. Just last night our Cereus bloomed again - and my wife and I spent some time admiring the flowers that grace us with their presence just once a year.

So what's this cactus got to do with Family Legacy Video and you? The blooming of the Cereus is a special event. If you blink, you can miss it. It's such a rare event that it inspired me to document it through images I can now share with others. The stories that make up our lives and our family histories are also special and rare and deserve to be preserved on video, both to enjoy now and to pass on to other family members.

And don't wait too long; in the blink of an eye your storytellers and their precious stories can be gone for good. So I urge you to capture your family storytellers while they're in "full bloom." Unlike with the Cereus, you might not get the chance next year.

New to video editing? Here's how to start.

There's lots of low-cost video editing software available today. But software is just a tool. And before you start concentrating on which tool to buy, you should learn the process first. Believe it or not, you probably already have software that'll help you do this for free.

Windows XP computers come equipped with free editing software called Windows Movie Maker (the software is also available for download). The latest Mac machines are loaded with iMovie. Both of these software packages are designed to work with DV video that you feed into your computer through your FireWire or iLink port. (By the way, FireWire and iLink are just marketing names - they refer to the DV connection on your computer.)

These are basic software packages, so you won't be able to do a whole lot of video and audio layering. But, for free software, each is surprisingly good - certainly good enough to help you learn the basics of video editing.

After you've learned the basics, you may find that your free software meets your needs. In this case, you certainly shouldn't spend money on additional software. If, however, your free software limits you creatively, it's time to go shopping.

Visiting the Cafe for the first time? Read this.

Welcome! If you're new to the Cafe and to blogs, here's some information that'll help you.

First off, if all you want to do is read the posts, just click on the post titles. You'll find the most recent posts on the main page. You can search for others in the archives.

You'll notice that each post starts off with a short introduction. To read the entire post, click on the "Read more!" icon.

Like to leave a comment? It's simple. You'll notice a link under each post's intro that says "comments." There'll be a number before "comments" that indicates how many comments have been left about a particular post. To add your comment, just click on this link. It'll open up a comment window.

This isn't the only comment link, however. As Yoda said in The Empire Strikes Back, "There is another." After you open a post, you'll see a "Post A Comment" link below the body of the post. Clicking here opens the comment window as well.

You'll see three identification options:

1. If you're already a registered Blogger user, your Blogger ID is displayed. Or, if you want to register with Blogger, you can register at this point.

2. Choose "Other" to leave your name and a link to your Web site along with your post.

3. Choose "Anonymous" to leave a comment without having to leave your name or a link.

Pick one of these options, type your comment, press "Publish Your Comment" and your remarks are added.

Finally, if you'd like to e-mail the post to a friend or family member, click on the envelope icon at the bottom of the post. This will set up an e-mail containing the post. You just enter in the address of the person to whom you want to send the message, along with a short message of your own, and then send.

ONE MORE THING: To visit the Family Legacy Video Web site, just click here, or on the Family Legacy Video link under the "Links" heading on the right side of the home page.

That's it! I hope these tips help make your stay in the Cafe a pleasant one.

Memorial Day Musings

World War II veterans are dying at an alarming rate. Do you have a vet in your family? Preserve his or her story on video before it's too late.

I've read that we're losing between 1,000 to 2,000 World War II vets every day. I'm sure Korean War vets aren't too far behind. I think it's a tragedy that so many of them pass on without leaving a record of their experiences - in war and in peace, for their family archives.

The sacrifices made by our veterans are tremendous. Their stories need to be preserved so their families can truly understand and appreciate what their relatives did in defense of freedom.

If you have a vet in your family, I urge you to make a Memorial Day resolution: Don't let another Memorial Day pass without capturing your veteran's life story on video.

A Note About Planning Ahead

Here we are, on the cusp of another Memorial Day weekend, certainly a time to reflect and focus on family history. It's the perfect time to start planning a video biography. Start now, and by the end of the year your production could be ready to present to your family. Imagine what a wonderful and unforgettable gift that will be.

Please leave a comment to let Cafe readers know about your video biography plans and hopes and dreams. You may get some useful feedback and you may inspire someone else to capture his or her family stories on video.

Short commercial: If a video project seems daunting, don't forget that Family Legacy Video stands ready to help - with how-to guides and workshops, or by providing complete video production services.

If you can shoot it or scan it, you can use it

Capturing a loved-one's story on video is a fantastic experience. But even the most compelling interview can cause an audience to nod off if all they're seeing is a "talking head" on the screen. A variety of visuals can help make your interview entertaining and take your video biography to a higher level.

What visuals can you incorporate into your family history video? Photos are the most obvious choice, of course, and can lend great visual impact to your family story. But, they are by no means your only option. Family films (transferred to video) can also be used to great effect. Don't forget about letters, journal and diary entries, magazine and newspaper clippings, wedding announcements and invitations, plaques, trophies, medals, etc.

In short, anything visual that supports the story and that can be shot or scanned can be a part of your next Family Legacy Video.

Second workshop is finished!

Just a short note today to say how excited I am about the first six-session do-it-yourself Family Legacy Video workshop that finished today!

It began in March. We started small, with four extremely motivated students who had very little experience shooting, producing and editing video. In just three short months they organized their productions, shot interviews and learned the basics of editing. It's been great for me to see their progress and the participants are jazzed as well.

We plan to meet later this summer, when their videos are completed, for a screening session. I can't wait! This makes me all the more eager to move on with planning for a weekend workshop in Tucson this autumn.

It's all about the stories

With each passing day I'm more and more convinced that the practice of preserving family stories is gradually catching fire. What stories do you want to preserve and pass along?

It never fails - after each and every speaking engagement or workshop session, audience members approach me with stories about their families. I enjoy hearing the stories of course, but most of all what I really love is watching the people telling them. They're always excited and proud and actually glowing as they relate the family tales that mean so much to them.

I do think there's a growing awareness of the importance of capturing family stories in some form to pass along to coming generations. And yet a lot of people, the same people who so value their family stories, never do preserve them. Maybe they're inhibited by technology or the time and effort they think it would take or the perceived expense.

What about you? Are there family storytellers and stories you want to save? What are they? What's keeping you from starting your family history video project? I invite you to leave some comments. Perhaps I and other visitors to the Family Legacy Video Cafe can offer the advice and encouragement you need to get started.

Summertime: A great time to capture family interviews

Here in Tucson the Saguaros and Palo Verdes are in bloom - a gorgeous site! This means summer is near. It's the time of year when most of us vacation (or go on "holiday"). It's also prime time for family reunions and for reconnecting with family members we see only once every few years, or just once in a blue moon. If you've been wondering when and where you can capture footage and interviews with distant family members, an upcoming reunion or family visit can offer the perfect opportunity. Follow a few simple tips and you'll leave your next family get-together with a smile on your face, a passel of great memories and some video interviews you and your family will cherish for generations.

Tip #1: Plan ahead. Contact the relatives you'd like to interview before the reunion. Make sure they're willing, and brief them on the questions you plan to ask.

Tip #2: Schedule a time for the interview. Figure out a time that will work best for you and your subject - then stick to it. Having a firm appointment helps both you and your storyteller prepare and is a statement of commitment. If your attitude is "we'll get around to it sometime during the reunion," chances are you never will.

Tip #3: Set up away from the crowd. You'll need a quiet place away from the crowd in order to avoid distractions, keep your subject from feeling self-conscious and guarantee sound that's as noise-free as possible. Maybe your hotel room is the best bet, or maybe your host has a room you can use. Be sure you're set up and ready to record when your subject arrives.

Tip #4: Use the same room for all your interviews. If you have multiple interviews scheduled, don't waste time looking for different locations for each of them. Use the same room! You'll only have to set up all your gear once. Then, between interviews, shift your camera and subject positions slightly. Simply shooting into a different corner of the room or changing some of the background objects can give the same room a whole new look on video.

Tip #5: Treat your tapes like gold. Label them. Don't leave them in hot cars. Do whatever it takes (legally, of course) to get them (and yourself) home safe and sound.

Harold Lloyd, "Safety Last," & my Grandmother

As kids, I bet most of us never thought of our grandparents as ever being children themselves. I know I didn't. Then one day my grandmother Ciurczak told me a story about a childhood indiscretion that revealed her inner child to me.

Seems my maternal grandmother was in the school choir during her high school years in Elizabeth, New Jersey. One day after choir practice, she and a group of her friends decided to go see the latest Harold Lloyd flick, "Safety Last," which was playing at the local theatre.

Unfortunately, my grandmother forgot to let her parents know about her after school plans. She got home later than usual only to find all the doors to her house locked. She was a bit confused at first, and then it dawned on her that her parents had actually locked the doors on purpose - to teach her a lesson! They finally let her back in, of course, but they'd made their point.

The day she first told me this story, I listened intently, drinking in every detail, enjoying the pleasure she took telling it. Her eyes took on a special glow as she relived that long ago incident and experienced those childhood emotions once again. It's significant to me not because it's a grand tale of some great accomplishment but because it's a small story that shines some light on my grandmother's life and helps me to see her as a youngster capable of making silly mistakes.

I wish I'd captured her telling her "Safety Last" story on video. I know my family would treasure it.

Racing the clock

I'll always thank my lucky stars that I captured my paternal grandmother and her wonderful stories on video. I wish I'd been able to do it with my other grandparents as well. I really feel a keen sense of loss when I think about all the family stories I'll never hear and especially about the fact that the chance to capture the images and voices of my other grandparents is lost to me forever.

Through the phone calls and e-mails I receive I'm finding that more and more people are realizing how important it is to preserve family legacies on video. That really cheers me. But still, thousands of family members die each day without leaving a video record of their lives behind. And when I hear family members say that a video biography is something they should "get around to" someday I really feel for them. That's because I know most of them will wait until it's too late - and I know the sense of loss they'll feel.

I hope I can inspire more people to "beat the clock" and preserve their stories, or the stories of their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. on video - before it's too late.

An Olympic Family History Moment

Imagine finally seeing your father run in the Olympics - the 1912 Olympics, that is.

Creating video biographies is always fulfilling for me. But occasionally I'm able to provide a special service that really gives me the warm fuzzies. Here's what I'm talking about:

Just before Christmas of 2004 I completed a Family Legacy Video for a wonderful couple, Mary-Lou and Dick, here in Tucson. It turns out that Mary-Lou's dad was a college track star in the 1910s, held the record for the mile for a number of years and placed fourth in the 1500m run in the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden.

After I finished the video, Dick asked me if I thought film footage of the race might exist. I told him I'd check around. I contacted a few film archives with no success, then managed to find my way to the Web site of the International Olympic Committee. I submitted a query through the site, and then went on to other things.

After about a month, I received an e-mail from an archivist at the IOC. Believe it or not there was a film clip, thirty seconds long, of the race I was looking for!

Long story short, the IOC sent me the clip. The quality of the film was surprisingly good and gave views of the starting line, the mid point of the race and the finish. I added a title screen and created two versions of the clip, one running at normal speed and one in slow motion, adding a freeze frame of Mary-Lou's father crossing the finish line. Then I put it all on DVD.

A few days ago, Mary-Lou wrote me, saying, "You can't imagine what a thrill it was to see Dad running. That was an amazing thing you did for us but it meant the most to me. Thank you again and again."

I feel great knowing I helped make a very special and unique addition to a family's archive.

Family Legacy Video: My Passion & Mission

Lord knows she tried, but great-great-grandma just couldn't cook. Take peas, for example. She'd buy peas in the pod, shell 'em - and burn 'em. Then she'd toss out the burnt peas and serve canned ones instead. When great-great-grandpa complained that his peas didn't taste fresh, she'd storm into the kitchen, return with handfuls of empty pea pods and declare, "See! Here are the pods from the fresh peas!" Fooled him every time.

As a young girl at my great-great-grandparents' table, my grandmother witnessed many "burnt peas" episodes. Gram was a party animal who danced the Irish jig into her seventies. She never left a restaurant without stocking up on Sweet'N Low packets and leftover rolls. She was also a living link to my family's past. Her supply of family stories was endless.

One day in 1995 I decided to put my professional video expertise to work preserving my Gram's stories. I sat Gram in front of a video camera, pressed "record" and asked her questions about her life. I combined her interview with family photos, videos and music. The result: my first Family Legacy Video. It became an instant family treasure. I still bask in the warmth of my family's gratitude.

I began Family Legacy Video in 2003 in order to help individuals and families preserve their precious stories on video. Family Legacy Video offers products and services for both do-it-yourselfers and for those who just want to hire someone to create a video legacy for them. With each passing day, I meet more and more people who share my passion about saving family history on video. That's why I created this blog. It's a place where we can all meet and share our ideas, observations and passions for family legacy videos.

I invite you to visit Family Legacy Video. In addition to learning about Family Legacy Video's products and services, you can sign up for a free monthly e-newsletter, get a valuable free article, view video clips and hear Gram tell the burnt peas story. I hope Family Legacy Video can inspire you and help you to preserve your family stories on video.