Comments on: 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Personal History Business.

By: Bruce Summers

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:17:33 +0000

Thanks much, great insights.

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By: Dan Curtis

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:33:27 +0000

@Bruce Summers. My suggestion is that you match pictures to narration not narration to pictures. Record a good interview. I usually do 6 to 8 hours for a Video Biography and then edit this down to either 60 or 90 minutes. Most commonly it’s 60 minutes. When you have a fine cut you can begin looking at photos that’ll work with the story. You want to avoid a production that looks like a slide show with someone talking over the photos. It’s not the most compelling way to tell a story.

Video biographies don’t have a standard length. Much depends on the budget you’re working with and the complexity of the story your telling.

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By: Bruce Summers

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:55:45 +0000

Bruce: Thanks Dan, great suggestions. A friend displayed scanned photos on a TV/large monitor then recorded the narrator/client’s comments flipping between the narrator and the photos on the screen. I am thinking through the process of being able to record narration matched to pictures.

Example: I know with products like Articulate Presenter – you can create the equivalent of a PowerPoint slideshow with a voice over using a story board or script, the downside would be not getting the spontaneous narrator’s descriptions of the people, story and content connected with the picture.

Re: Video biography – how long is the finished product?

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By: Dan Curtis

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:39:34 +0000

@Bruce Summers. Thanks, Bruce. For the most part I haven’t recorded commentary while a subject is looking at photos. I prefer to use photos to illustrate aspects of the story as it unfolds from the narrator. The problem with having someone looking and talking about a photo is that the commentary can become rambling and disjointed. Having said that, I think it’s worth playing around with the idea. For example, you could set up a scene where your subject is looking through an album or pile of photos and is talking in general about some of the memories that are evoked. This might make a nice opening for your video biography.

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By: Bruce Summers

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:27:27 +0000

Dan,
Very helpful checklist as I start work on my first personal history project. Quick question – have you video recorded client’s commentary while looking through photos?

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By: Dan Curtis

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:36:46 +0000

@Beth LaMie. Thanks, Beth.

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By: Beth LaMie

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:28:58 +0000

Dan,
Nice to see that in spite of making a few blunders along the way, you’ve been successful with your business. I like how you recap some of your most relevant & most popular blog posts, too.

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By: Dan Curtis

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:48:28 +0000

@Mona Flax. Thanks, Mona. Appreciate your comments. Happy reading tonight!

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By: Dan Curtis

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:47:09 +0000

@Susan Carpenter Sims. Thanks for the Mint.com tip, Susan. I’ll check it out. Glad you’re getting something from my blog.

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By: Mona Flax

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:42:13 +0000

Great advice, Dan, especially as I focus on getting my business off the ground. I also appreciate the list of other articles; many I’ve read and others I’ll be looking up tonight!

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