Entries tagged as ‘personal history’
This Monday’s Link Roundup has some creative ways to tell stories. There’s Levi Strauss & Co.’s EXPLORE which uses video vignettes to tell the story of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Facebook has launched Facebook Stories. My favorite link is RFID Tags used to attach stories to charity shop’s donated goods.
- EXPLORE. “In 2010, Levi Strauss & Co. began a collaboration in Braddock, Pennsylvania, a broken town struggling to reinvent itself. As part of this collaboration, Levi Strauss & Co. invested in Braddock’s community center, public library, and urban farm. The result is a campaign that tells the story of the people of Braddock.”
- Free Genealogy Books on The Internet Archive. “The Internet Archive, also known as “The Wayback Machine,” is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library. Its purposes include offering permanent access for researchers, historians, scholars, people with disabilities, and the general public to historical collections that exist in digital format.”
- Facebook Stories. “Facebook will finally reach the impressive 500 million user milestone sometime this coming week. To celebrate, it’ll launch “Facebook Stories,” a visual memorial to all the ways the social network has changed people’s lives.”
- Luxury Lit: A Book For $75,000. “For $75,000, you can buy a piece of Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar. Taschen contracted the Vatican’s book binder to put together SUMO because it was so large. Luxury publisher Kraken Opus mixed in a pint of Mr. Tendulkar’s blood with paper pulp to create the signature page for a book celebrating the renowned batsman’s career. The 10 limited-edition copies, which comes out in February, cost $75,000 each and have already sold out.”
- Momma, Don’t Take My Kodachrome Away. “This week, Kodachrome went away. The last roll of Kodachrome film was developed at Dwayne’s Photo Service in Parsons, Kansas. We have witnessed an historic shift in technology.”
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Categories: Monday's Link Roundup
Tagged: life story, personal history, link roundup, video vignettes, facebook stories, food history, Kodachrome, Levi Strauss & Co.
This Monday’s Link Roundup has some sobering news for those of us whose work is fairly sedentary. You’ll want to check out Stand Up While You Read This! And not to suggest that we can eliminate editors but there’s a very cool free site that analyzes your writing. Just for fun why not give Paper Rater a try?
- Stand Up While You Read This! “Your chair is your enemy. It doesn’t matter if you go running every morning, or you’re a regular at the gym. If you spend most of the rest of the day sitting — in your car, your office chair, on your sofa at home — you are putting yourself at increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and an early death. In other words, irrespective of whether you exercise vigorously, sitting for long periods is bad for you.”
- Paper Rater Analyzes and Improves Your Writing. “If you like to write but lack confidence in your skills, Paper Rater is a a free, web-based service that analyzes your writing and offers feedback on your grammar, spelling, and more. Paper Rater couldn’t be easier to use. Just paste in the text you want analyzed, choose what type of content it is—essay, research paper, speech, etc.—and submit it for review. Within seconds, Paper Rater generates a report that analyzes several aspects of your submission.”
- Caprock Quilters sew on memories. “The beginning of Operation Homefront Quilts began on a May afternoon in 2003 when Jessica Porter, a young quilter, thought of the idea of sending handmade quilts to the families of every fallen service member, regardless of the branch in which they served. With the help of her mother, Joanne Porter, and her community, the organization was lifted off its feet.”
- Oral history of jazz in Britain. “… a collection of 200 interviews assembled between 1984 and 2003, were intentionally left unedited and untranscribed. The contributors were allowed to speak for themselves and to say what they wanted.”
- TeleKast Is a Snazzy Open Source Telepromter App. “Windows/Linux: Whether you want to produce an amateur news segment, deliver a teleprompted speech, or just record a video message without a lot of “ums”, free, open-source application TeleKast is a solid desktop teleprompter worth checking out.”
- Business.gov. The offical small business and independent contractor’s link to the U.S. government. “Business.gov helps small businesses understand their legal requirements and locate government services from federal, state and local agencies.” [Thanks to Pat McNees at Writers and Editors for alerting me to this site.] For Canadians there is a government site for entrepreneurs at Canada Business.
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Categories: Monday's Link Roundup
Tagged: government help small business, Life stories, link roundup, oral history, Paper Rater, personal history, quilting
Most people when they consider a life story project think of a book. There are a lot of good reasons for producing a book. But I’ll be honest. I have a video bias because producing video personal histories is my specialty. I also produce books but video is my passion. To see a sample of my work click here. So why should you consider a video for your or someone else’s personal history? Here are five good reasons.
- Video conveys the emotional content of a story. Watching someone choke up over a sad memory or laugh heartily at an embarrassing childhood moment powerfully captures a person’s innermost feelings.
- Video shows a person’s special little traits. One of the great strengths of video is that you can see and hear the person being interviewed. We are reminded of their uniqueness by the twinkle in their eye, their infectious smile, or their easy laugh.
- Video harnesses a rich array of media elements. Videos weave together interviews, photos, family movies, archival stock footage, music, sound effects and graphics to produce a seamless and rich tapestry of an individual’s life.
- Videos are highly portable and easily duplicated. A DVD weighs ounces and can be shipped inexpensively anywhere in the world. Now with a high speed connection you can send your video to someone through the Internet. DVDs can also be easily and inexpensively duplicated.
- Videos appeal to a media savvy younger audience. Your children and your children’s children have grown up with computers, videos and text messaging. If you want to get them to sit down with a family member’s life story, chances are they’ll watch a sixty-minute video before they’ll read a lengthy book.
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Categories: Life stories · Personal historian · Video production
Tagged: advantages, family stories, personal history, video life stories
A common question I get is, “How much would a personal history cost?” I tell people it’s a little like going to a car dealer and asking, “How much do your cars cost?” If you’re looking at a used economy model, you’re going to pay much less than for a luxury sedan. Similarly a personal history can be simple or complex. You could have a 50 page, soft cover booklet detailing a memorable phase in someone’s life. Or you could have a 90 minute video biography complete with interviews, family photos and video, music, titles, and effects.
In addition, there are all kinds of personal historians. Some do life stories to add an interesting sideline to their retirement. Other personal historians are hobbyists who work primarily with their own family or friends. There are those who work full time as personal historians and have many years of experience. And there are individuals who are starting up their personal history business and looking to find clients. Within this diverse group charges can vary widely.
Let’s look at where the expense comes in. There are essentially eight stages that almost all personal history productions take. They are:
- Initial consultation to decide what is to be included in the history.
- Interviewing the subject. This can involve anywhere from 2 to 13 hours or more depending on the scope of the production.
- Transcribing the interviews in order to edit and construct the story.
- Editing and shaping the narrative.
- Searching for appropriate photos, artifacts, videos, sound effects, or music.
- Completing a rough edit of the book, video or audio.
- Presenting a copy to the client for review.
- Final edit and completion of production.
The amount of time it takes to interview someone is actually a small portion of the overall production. As a rough guide, it takes anywhere from 10 to 15 hours of editing for every one hour of interview. Personal historians charge either set package prices, work by the hour, or a combination of both. All professional personal historians will provide you with a contract spelling out the costs and payment stages.
So how much is it going to cost you to have a full length personal history told? As I mentioned, there are many variables that determine cost. But for argument’s sake let’s look at one possible example – a video biography. It takes about five to seven hours of interview for a video biography and you can add to that another five to seven hours for travel, set-up of lights, camera, and sound. If a personal historian is charging $40 to $60 an hour, then you’re looking at a minimum of $400 up to $840 just in labor to complete a set of interviews. Added to this can be the cost of materials and in the case of a video production, camera, light and sound equipment charges.
Following the interviews comes the editing which takes most of the time. If there are five hours of interview, it’s safe to say it will take anywhere from 50 to 75 hrs. of editing time. If a personal historian is charging $40/hr., then you’re looking at somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000 for editing. Added to this can be the costs for editing rooms and equipment. So at the low end of the scale it will cost you anywhere from $2,400 to $3,840 for a 90 minute video biography. Top end can be double those figures or more. Beware of anyone suggesting they can produce a full-scale life history video or book for under $1,000. It can’t be done unless that person is offering most of his or her time for free.
I think it’s fair to say that most professional personal historians will work within your budget to come up with a life story document that will meet with your approval. It might not be the luxury sedan you’d imagined but rather a nice shiny little compact car. The good news though is that unlike cars which depreciate the moment you take them off the lot, a personal history will gain value over the years. It will in fact become a priceless legacy.
Photo by gizzypooh
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Categories: Life stories · Personal historian · Tips
Tagged: costs, How much?, life story, Personal historian, personal history
Dawn - Then and Now (not from The Oxford Project)
Thanks to my colleague Larry Lehmer at Passing It On for alerting me to this wonderful story. In 1984 Peter Feldstein put up a handmade sign saying he wanted to photograph everyone in the town of Oxford, Iowa (pop. 673). He converted an abandoned storefront on Main Street into a makeshift studio.The project was a success. He capture 670 of the townsfolk. Twenty-one years later he returned to re-photograph the same people. Some had died and some had moved away but many were still living in Oxford. This time he brought a writer who told the participants they could talk about anything in their lives so long as they told “the truth”. The result is a poignant and spellbinding book, The Oxford Project, which the Philadelphia Inquirer described as: ... a still-life documentary, a narrative about change. This huge, handsome book, with its gatefold photographs, its maps and memories, offers a fascinating piece of contemporary history, a treasure of social and cultural commentary. You can read more about the Project by clicking here.
The Oxford Project made me think how we can be far more creative with the way in which we use family photos in our life story endeavors. Like The Oxford Project, you could try to find two photos of the same family member taken in the same location but separated by a significant span of time. You could then arrange these photos side by side to show the passage of years. Or you might create a photo block made up of all the photos of a family member arranged from the earliest baby pictures through to their adult years.
You could also show the changes in your community by finding an early archival photo of a particular location and then taking a picture of the same view today. Putting the photos side by side will provide a dramatic visual telling of the changes that have come about. You can find some wonderful examples here from the Then and Now group on Flickr.
Let me know what creative photo techniques you’ve used in telling your family story. Leave a comment below and share your ideas with others.
Photo by Michael Summers
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Categories: How to · Life stories · Photos · Tips
Tagged: life story, personal history, Photos, The Oxford Project
…It’s the struggle were all involved in, trying to find the meaning of our life and trying to express ourselves. Grapple with our destiny.
Kevin Kline, American actor
One way to find the meaning of our life is by writing our life story. By reflecting on our past and looking at the patterns that emerge we can begin to see more clearly what has motivated us. Until I began to examine my own life, I hadn’t realized that my passion for using film and video to tell stories had started back when I was eight. That’s when I got my first little Kodak Brownie camera. My father was an amateur photographer with his own darkroom. He showed me how to develop my film and then turn the negatives into black and white photos. It was pure magic! And from that day, while my career would take many twists and turns, my interest in media never waned. What’s your destiny?
Photo by Kevin Lau
Categories: Life stories · Quotes · Writing
Tagged: Kevin Kline, life purpose, life story, personal history, quote, Writing
December 11, 2008 · 1 Comment
The holiday season and gift giving will soon be upon us. This year many of us will be looking for inexpensive but meaningful ways we can express our love for family and friends. The gift ideas I’m suggesting will cost little or nothing but they will involve some investment of your time. Have fun!
- A Memory Box or Jar. Find a medium size jar that has a large enough opening that you can put your hand into it. If you can’t find a jar, get a small box that you can cover in attractive gift wrap. Now find some different colored sheets of writing paper and cut them into 3×5 inch rectangles. Make sure you have a varied assortment of colors. On each piece of paper write a brief, happy and memorable event that you and your gift recipient shared. Fold the paper in half and drop it into your container. Keep going until you’ve almost filled the jar or box. Tie a large ribbon around the container and add a tag that says either “Memory Jar” or “Memory Box”.
- A Gratitude Letter. Draft a letter of gratitude to someone who is special in your life. Be specific. If you’re grateful for a friend’s thoughtfulness, then not only say that but also give examples when the thoughtfulness made a difference in your life. It’s really important that you not use vague sentiments like “I’m grateful for your love.” Instead, write about all the ways that their love is manifested. Once you have a draft that you’re happy with, get a couple of sheets of good quality writing paper. Now using pen and ink, transfer your draft to the good paper. Even if you’re writing looks like chicken scratches, it’s important that it be handwritten because it personalizes your letter. Once complete roll the letter up and tie a beautiful ribbon around it.
- A Photo Sorting Certificate. Go to your computer and make up a gift certificate or have a friend make up one for you. You could also do one by hand on a good piece of paper. Write something like the following: This certificate entitles the bearer to use the services of ____(Add your name)___to sort and organize a photo collection. This could be quite a large project involving a considerable amount of your time, so be cautious. Only offer this if you know you can afford the time.
That’s it. Do you have some no cost or low cost gift ideas you could share? I’m thinking specifically of gifts that relate to life stories and personal histories. I’d love to hear from you.
Photo by Saquan Stimpson
Categories: Holidays · How to · Life stories · Tips · Writing
Tagged: gift ideas, Holidays, low cost, personal history, Writing
Photo by Olga Pavlovsky
In his “Afterword” in Native Soil: Photographs by Jack Spencer, Spencer writes,
I think that I have been given a gift-a gift of vision. Not just the vision of photography. That is secondary to the vision that allows me to see every single life as fascinating. I honestly believe that a great novel could be written about every one of us. We all have wondrous tales written across our faces. Some are epic, some tragic, some hilarious, some elegiac, and, of course, some are spare, but I believe none would be uninteresting.
I agree with Spencer. In the twenty-five years that I’ve been interviewing people, I’ve never yet encountered a boring life story. And yet I’m continually amazed by the fact that so many people feel their lives are unworthy of being recorded and preserved. I think it may have something to do with our culture of celebrity. Maybe people feel that their lives are rather humdrum compared to the media frenzy around the Britney Spears and Paris Hiltons of the world. But that’s like comparing apples and oranges. The gift we can give to out loved ones has nothing to do with the shallowness of celebrity. What we possess is a rich tapestry of stories that speak to what it means to be human.
What do you think? I’d like to hear your comments on why people are often reluctant to record their life stories.
Photo by Olga Pavlovsky
Categories: Life stories · Quotes
Tagged: Jack Spencer, Life stories, personal history, quote, Writing
