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Less than In 10 years, he will be one of five Americans Over 65 years old. As parents and grandparents get older, we are closer to losing the opportunity to learn their life stories one day. The good news is that with the various recording options available, you don’t have to be an award-winning filmmaker or videographer to save your loved one’s story.
During our childhood in the Midwest, my siblings and I wanted to know more about the relatives who died in the atrocities of World War II. We were eager to learn the details of our father’s life during the war, but at the same time none of us wanted to be reminded of it by creating painful memories. Also, my mother insisted that we didn’t raise the issue.
As soon as I turned 91, I asked my father if he would let me shoot stories about what he had experienced in the Holocaust. The segments I recorded with my GoPro were light, but the background sound resembled the indentation of bell-snakes. In the ensuing recordings, I relied on my iPhone to capture additional memories. Since then I have found various strategies and resources for shooting others.
It starts
First, don’t think that your subject will agree to be interviewed. Last year I asked my mother to stop recording her life story. His answer? “No. I have nothing to say. ”It turns out that his attitude is common.
“Sometimes” no one wants to hear my story “when you meet someone who tells you,” says Kate Carter, founder and CEO LifeCronicles, a nonprofit that records the life stories of elderly and seriously ill patients. He suggests saying to a loved one, “That would mean so much to me and to future generations of our family.” When it comes to family, it takes the pressure off someone who is asked to share their memories.
Decide: video, audio or both
The visual recording is more appealing and allows you to see statements on the subject, but not all of them are comfortable in front of the camera. Consider a combination of audio and video recordings. To my dad “What did you like to do as a kid?” When I asked him questions like that. I shot it. When he shared his thoughts on aging and his feelings about death, I used my voice app. I found it too intrusive to direct the phone while describing his last dreams of seeing his family a few decades later. Whatever method you choose, the goal is the same: to save the thoughts and stories of a person you love.
Choose the equipment that works for you
When I switched to iPhone, I wasn’t impressed with the quality. Considering that some production companies and documentarians use phones to shoot their projects, I thought why shouldn’t you do the same? The main advantages of using the phone are cost, simplicity and convenience. I never knew when my father would share a story I wouldn’t hear. The more time I spent with him, the more questions I asked, turning several visits into one-on-one recording sessions. I could use it there action camera again, this time I rented an orange microphone or a professional camera, but I stayed with my iPhone. After all, the best camera is with you and knows how to use it.
Hold the phone or camcorder in a stable position using the tripod and shoot horizontally (landscape orientation) to prevent space on each side of the frame. Until I sought advice from Randy Martin, director and showrunner of AMS Pictures in Dallas, I didn’t think about using headphones with a smartphone. Martin also suggests touching the screen when you focus on the face of your subject so that the phone knows it’s your focus. “Once you see that, it reveals your face, and it doesn’t look like they’re in the witness protection program,” he says.
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