5 Critical Aspects To Produce An Amazing Life Story Film
Since Eternal Film’s inception, it’s been clear to me that the film needs to look and sound fantastic, while flowing well, caputring key stories and being engaging to the watcher.
There’s a lot that goes into creating an amazing life story film - today we will be talking about the 5 most critical aspects to ensure that you can create a life story film you’ll cherish forever.
Preparation
There’s no use going into a life story film session without preparation! The best life story films flow well, and while we have a little creative license during the editing process, it’s much easier if you get it right the first time. Every good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and a life story film should be no different. If you are ill-prepared as an interviewer, you will not be able to ask the right questions at the right times, potentially leaving stories untold and jumping back and forth through the storyteller’s timeline.
Quality
To record your loved one’s life stories, it’s best to have high-quality equipment on hand. Yes, it is possible to film on a budget with your phone, but there’s a reason we don’t see Netflix series filmed with the latest iPhone! Multiple camera angles with correct lighting add life to a film, and the audio should be crisp and clear.
Environment
A comfortable, authentic environment is next on the list. You want to be somewhere quiet, private, and with a backdrop that captures the character of the storyteller. This ensures that the storyteller feels at ease and the film fantastically captures their life.
Patience
The best life stories are the ones told in their entirety. As the interviewer, you should never rush the storyteller. Let them speak and listen actively while thinking of follow-up questions. Be patient and don’t interrupt. Wait for them to finish speaking, as they might take the story somewhere more interesting than you first anticipated!
Editing
A life story film takes a long time to film. You will need to take breaks, and you will end up with lots of footage and audio across multiple files. For the best results, you will need to edit the footage and audio together, incorporating photos, music, and memoirs relevant to the storyteller’s stories.
Our Approach
If this sounds like a lot to manage by yourself, it’s because it is!
At Eternal Films, we have paid close attention to these steps, and the result is a beautifully cinematic life story film to hold on to forever. With every life story film commissioned, we make sure you get the best result possible by following these crucial practices.
Read more about why I started Eternal Films here.
We ensure we are prepared ahead of the film day by talking to the storyteller about their life, where we gather an outline of their story and major milestones. This allows us to arrive with a tailored list of questions in chronological order of the storyteller’s life. This also gives us a chance to explain our process to you in detail, ensuring that you are adequately prepared for the film day!
We bring the quality of a film studio to you. We set up in the storyteller’s home where they are most comfortable with our high-quality video cameras, microphones, studio lighting, and more, so that your film looks and sounds the best it can be.
When we interview, we do so patiently so that your stories can be told in full. We’ll ask our carefully tailored questions and layer in follow-up questions where appropriate.
Finally, we’ll edit together the footage and any accompanying photos or documents and create your very own beautifully cinematic life story film. We understand your memories are precious, so we scan the photos and documents on the day of filming.
We then send you your Eternal Film securely via USB for you to hold on to forever.
Check out a sample of one of our Eternal Films below:
To enquire about an Eternal Film, please contact me at kurtis@eternalfilms.co.uk
