Video Biography Basic Interview Tips
So you’ve finally decided to make your own video biography. But because this is your first time with this kind of undertaking, you might have some concerns on what to do and what not to do as you go along the way. But fret not, because here are some helpful tips which will help you get started and moving smoothly in your video making endeavor. Provided here are some of the basic interview pointers that you have to remember when you plunge into the information gathering stage of your video biography.
Take time to conduct group interviews. People tend to be more relaxed and lively when they have someone by their side during interviews. In effect, answers come out more naturally and the relaxing atmosphere rubs on you so you get along with the video biography interview process much better.
Don’t forget to interview the subject(s) alone. Just because you interviewed a subject along with his/her co-subjects doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to him/her alone. As relaxing and lively the interview process may be with group interviews, a subject is usually more candid when interviewed alone.
Be aware of the length of the interview. It’s easy to get caught up with an interview session as it could build up a lot of interest and momentum. But as an interviewer, you should always be aware of the time and more importantly the needs of your interviewee. Never sacrifice a lunch break and the likes just to make way for your video biography interview.
Biography videos online are a legacy for your family & for the country. Many oral history projects are underway & may appreciate your video interview as well.
Genealogy videos online are an effective way to create oral histories with interviews, stories, recollections about the family, or just to create or add information to family histories, genealogies, and to record anniversaries or life milestones. A biography video is a priceless gift for posterity and a legacy, particularly interviews with older members of the family.
Whether you intend for a video interview to be for family members only, or you are interested in creating an oral history and plan to upload biography videos online for public viewing, realize that your video can be an important legacy for your family or for local or national oral history projects.
Of course, posting biography videos online makes it easier for distant family members, friends and acquaintances) to reconnect with you or your family. Therefore, biography videos online are indeed important to family members, but consider providing your videos to local or national history projects.
Genealogy Videos Are an Important Legacy
Your legacy video interview does not have to be just for your family. There are many organizations, including government departments or agencies such as the Library of Congress or the National Archives that are currently working on oral history projects. You can produce a biography video for local or national history projects, not just for family histories.
Posting biography videos online is important to people outside of your family. The reasons why this is so are varied. There are several reasons to use biography videos for interviewing family members that have experienced major events in the country’s history.
A few examples of oral history projects include:
• Video histories at the National Archives such as the Electronic Records Archives project
• World War II oral history interview for the “Veterans History Project,” or the “Experiencing War: Women at War” project at the Library of Congress; there are many other US oral history projects underway
• The US “Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009” that documents the civil rights struggle and minority rights issues; other local and state projects about civil rights history are ongoing
• The Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive/United States Holocaust Memorial Museum interviews people to document pre-World War II Jewish history and the Holocaust
• Federal, state or other organizations documenting ethnic oral histories
• Ethnic history endeavors like the “Densho Japanese American Video Legacy Project” documents Japanese-American incarcerations in US during World War II with video interviews
• Native American or federal projects to record interviews and document tribal histories
• Many universities, colleges, and state archives have video and oral history projects on various subjects
• Local historical societies may document and interview people for municipal or county histories
• Oral history projects documenting the history of religious denominations
These are a few examples of how a biography video is important to people besides your immediate family. Be sure to check with your hometown historical society or universities and colleges that are conducting oral history projects. Many historical projects may appreciate a copy of your video for their archives.
Types of Tree Ring Video Biographies
Tree Ring Films offer four different types of video biographies a client can choose from. We have the EPIC Family Movie Legacy Documentary, the Classic Family Movie, the Indie Family Movie, and the Custom Family Yearbook. Of these four video biographies, the Epic Family Movie Legacy Documentary offers the most comprehensive and feature-filled movie. This movie package includes four events, namely: The Memory Catcher Weekend, The Filming, The Edit, and the Family Movie Premiere Night. EPIC video biographies are created at the highest level of quality and creativity, while still satisfying all of the client’s customization requests.
Learn more about Tree Ring Films film-story packages.
Tree Ring Films’ video biographies production is guaranteed to be only created with the latest in cinematic and video-editing technologies. Accomplished and reputable video editing and cinema experts are the ones who will be behind the entire film production process.
Professional Video Production
If you would like a professional interview and video production recording the experiences of family members, contact Tree Ring Films today to film your (biography project. Call Tree Ring Films at 630-418-5312.
Visit Tree Ring Films to Learn about Biography Videos Online
Call Tree Ring Films in Chicago at (630) 418-5312
Sources include: ArchivesGOV, USHMM, Densho, GPOgov and LOCgov
