Frequently Asked Questions

The Saving Senior Stories service is a full-service legacy video production package designed to capture and preserve your family history. Here is everything included when you commission a legacy video:

Professional Video Production & Editing:

• Introductory Consultation: A detailed planning session to discuss themes, interview questions, and key memories for the senior life story video.
• Dedicated Video Shoot: On-location filming conducted by one of our experienced team members
• Professionally Edited Video: Full post-production, including color correction, sound mixing, and seamless integration of your personal photos and/or videos.

Premium Deliverables for the Family:

• Branded Physical Copy: A USB flash drive containing a high-resolution copy of your finished Family Legacy Video, presented in a Saving Senior Stories-branded keepsake box.

Secure Digital Access & Sharing:

• YouTube Upload: We offer a complimentary service to upload your video to our channel, making it easily shareable via a secure, unlisted link (only viewable by people you choose).

A Saving Senior Stories Legacy Video is a priceless family heirloom designed to benefit everyone from the narrator to future generations.

• The Senior: The process is a wonderful, and validating experience for aging parents and grandparents. It provides an opportunity to reflect on their life story, share their wisdom, and have their accomplishments formally documented in a personal documentary.
• The Immediate Family: The video serves as a unique gift that preserves memories and family history in the subject’s own voice. It offers emotional closure and becomes a central reference point for the family’s identity.
• Future Generations: This is the ultimate gift for your grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and beyond. It is the perfect family history artifact that keeps families connected for generations, providing a voice and face to the stories of the past.

Booking a Life Story Video session with Saving Senior Stories is fast and easy. Your journey to creating a priceless family heirloom can begin today!
You have two easy options to start the legacy video process:

1. Give Us a Call: Reach out to us directly to speak with one of our team members and discuss your needs. Phone: 207-977-3626
2. Send Us an Email: Send us a quick message detailing who the video is for, and we will reply within one business day to set up your introductory consultation. Email: info@savingseniorstories.com

We look forward to helping you capture your loved one’s legacy!

During your Video Biography interview, we focus on five essential areas to ensure we capture the full breadth of your life story and wisdom. Our conversational style makes the interview process a relaxed and rewarding experience. We structure our Legacy Video Interview Questions around the following key life milestones:

• Ancestors & Childhood: Focusing on family history questions, early memories, childhood experiences, and the people who shaped you.
• Career: Exploring your professional path, major accomplishments, challenges, and the work lessons you learned.
• Marriage & Relationships: Discussing your most significant personal partnerships, including how you met your spouse and the journey of your life together.
• Parenting: Capturing the stories, philosophies, and memorable moments related to raising your family.
• Wisdom & Philosophy: Dedicating time to capturing your life lessons, advice for future generations, and your personal outlook on life.

Note: While we have a core set of interview prompts, many of our most powerful stories emerge when our conversations lead to deeper, more personal topics. Clients often tell us this reflective journey is their favorite part of the experience.

The total time needed to film your Life Story Video depends primarily on the number of subjects being interviewed. Our goal is to ensure a relaxed pace so we can comfortably capture your memories without rushing.

Here is the typical duration of a Legacy Video interview session:

• Solo Interview: Approximately 1 to 2 hours. Plus 60 minutes of setup/teardown time, respectively.
• Couples Interview: Approximately 2 to 3 hours. Plus 60 minutes of setup/teardown

Technical Setup Time: Please note that we require approximately 60 minutes before the interview for technical setup, including lighting, sound checks, and camera positioning. Breakdown takes approximately 30 minutes. This time is not included in the interview duration.

We prioritize your convenience and comfort for every Life Story Video session. That’s why the most common option is our convenient in-home filming service.

Primary Option: Convenient In-Home Filming

We come to you! We can easily film the Legacy Video interview right at your residence or location of choice (e.g., a family member’s home, assisted living). This allows the subject to feel relaxed and surrounded by familiar items and memories.

Alternative Options:

If you prefer a neutral setting or a change of scenery, we have studio video interview options available for an additional cost. Please discuss alternative locations with us during your initial consultation.

Professional Mobile Studio Kit: Rest assured, our quality remains consistent wherever we film. Our video production kit travels as a professional mobile studio, featuring professional lighting, audio, and cameras equipment to ensure a polished, cinematic final product.

You already know your story best! While no intense study is required, a little planning will help you maximize your interview time and ensure we capture your key life milestones effectively.

Here are a few helpful Video Biography Preparation Tips:

• Reflect on Core Themes: Spend time thinking about the main points you want to cover, such as the personal life wisdom and values you wish to pass on to future generations.
• Gather Family Anecdotes: Recall specific, humorous, or poignant family stories and anecdotes that best illustrate your character and experiences.
• Curate Visuals (Photos & Documents): This is a key step! Prepare by going through old photos, letters, and documents. Thinking about where you would like these archival materials to appear in the final video is highly beneficial.
• Connect with Family: Talk with family and friends about the past. They may remind you of key events or colorful stories you might have forgotten.

Our Promise: We understand you may have a few jitters about being on camera. Rest assured, our interview style is warm and conversational. Any concerns you may have will quickly melt away once we begin recording your incredible life story.

Our Professional Approach: Expert Guidance for Your Life Story Interview

Your Life Story Video is conducted by an experienced Legacy Video Interviewer and Facilitator from the Saving Senior Stories team. This person is specially trained to ensure a meaningful, stress-free experience.

What Our Expert Facilitator Provides:

• Professional Interview Guidance: We don’t just ask questions; we expertly guide the conversation, listen carefully, and use a conversational interview style to elicit your deepest and most memorable stories.
• A Comfortable Filming Experience: Our facilitators are adept at making you feel relaxed and at ease, ensuring any pre-interview jitters quickly fade. We manage the pace and emotional tone throughout the session.
• Focus on the Subject: We handle all technical aspects (lighting, audio, camera) so you can focus entirely on sharing your memories and life wisdom.

Client Feedback: Our clients consistently tell us that their Legacy interview was a comfortable, fun, and overwhelmingly positive experience, far more enjoyable than they anticipated. We are committed to making this process an uplifting form of personal reflection.