LifeStories for Families

We capture living stories for generations of families. A living story is a personal accounting of the influential, essential and powerful tales that have shaped a human life, told by their originator. Seeing the facial expressions, hearing the voice and, thus, feeling the story as the story originator tells it sparks the emotions of the viewer in heartfelt ways.

The Impact

The response we most commonly hear from our clients after a LifeStory video has been viewed is, "I've known this person all my life...but I've never heard many of those stories." The impact of a LifeStory comes after the story originator is deceased. When the viewer of the video can hear, see and feel the loved one they miss so much, emotional connections are made that would not have been possible otherwise...and, thus, many generations of families are now connected forever.

Our Process

The process of completing a LifeStory for the story originator (interviewee) is easy, simple and fun. It involves only one 3-4 hour pre-interview meeting followed by (a few days afterward) a full day of having a conversation that is filmed. As we go through old photos, mementos and conversations, the process quickly becomes an enjoyable trip down memory lane. Most of the work (and there's a lot of it) is done by the team at LifeStories Alive. This involves pre-interview research, photo scanning, formulating questions, setting up professional video recording equipment, professional video editing and a Director's edit of the early drafts of the video. All you have to do is have a couple of conversations and then enjoy the treasured video.

    • How much time will this take for us?

      • We make it simple and easy for you. It’s only two meetings:

    1. A pre-interview meeting – only 3-4 hours when your LifeStories Alive contact fills out a form about the facts to be covered in the LifeStory video.

    2. The interview filming day - An exciting full day when a conversation between your LifeStories Alive contact and your loved one is filmed.

    That’s it! 

    • What about photos and other mementos to include?

      • We send you a list of categories of photos and mementos to begin to gather. 

      • Those items will be reviewed (if available) at the pre-interview meeting.

      • Any photos to be included that are not already digitized will be scanned by LifeStories Alive.

    • How long will the finished video be?

      • If there is a desired length you prefer, we can edit the video to meet that length.

      • Otherwise, the length of the video is dependent on the length of the filmed interview. The average length of an edited LifeStory video is 3-5 hours.

    • What if there’s something included in the video that I want removed?

      • Not a problem. After the LifeStories Alive team has delivered the video to you, you get to review it and make any additions of corrections you wish. NOTE: If any additions require and additional day of filming, an additional fee will be added.

    • How much will this cost?

      • We charge a reasonable fee for the professional documentary film we deliver. The cost largely depends on travel expenses and the number of days of filming required. 

      • A figure for the exact cost will be determined after the initial conversation between you and LifeStories Alive. 

  • “Now that my father is gone, I can’t fully describe how grateful I am to have captured his LifeStory that I can watch, share with my children and preserve for future generations.”

    — Jon

  • “My entire family is indebted to Mike, whose service can be characterized as “doing well by doing good”. I can’t say enough good things about Mike and LifeStories Alive. Mike not only brings stories alive, but he brings departed family members to life through his wonderful interviews. If you have rich stories in your family – and we all do – do not hesitate to engage Mike to bring them to life as a gift to your family and successive generations.”

    — Jim

  • “The value of Mike’s work increases exponentially over time, because as we know so well, memories and milestones are worth their weight in gold. The way Mike reveals the special qualities of ordinary people is undeniably a gift. I am grateful to know a man of such dedication and high integrity. ”

    — Michael C.