Legacy Films FAQ

What is a Legacy Film?

A Legacy Film is a unique family gift featuring a long-form interview of someone in your family. Our goal is to share a life’s story for the next generations through high-quality video. These Legacy Films can last anywhere from 90 minutes to 2.5 hours and provide an intimate look into your family's history. It is a link to your ancestry, and better enables you to know your elders by having them tell their story, hearing them laugh, and seeing their smiles.

Who is the ideal candidate for a Legacy Film?

Anyone with a sound mind is a candidate for a Legacy Film. Most are 60 years old and up and are looking to pass their life’s story down to the next generation.

What questions do you ask?

I have a list of almost 100 questions to ask. When you schedule a Legacy Film, I send the questions and ask you to rate them on a scale of 0-3. Zero being a question that doesn’t apply and 3 being something you’d really like to talk about. Sometimes there’s so much to share during the interview that we can't get to all of those questions, so rating them ahead of time helps us cover the most important topics first.

Can I add other questions to the list?

Yes, of course! The list of 100 questions that I share are merely a guideline to get the conversation started. Many times the questions wont directly apply, but they might spark a different story. If you have specific stories that you’d like to share, let me know, I’d love to record them!

What if you ask something I don’t want to talk about?

This is why I provide a list of questions ahead of time. I do not believe in ‘ambush interviews’ and we’re not digging for dirt. We’re only talking about topics you want to discuss. 

What if I say something I don’t want to be included in the final product?

If you say something that you’d rather not include, please let me know during or after the interview. This is your Legacy Films and we want you to be pleased with the final product.

What if I’m not good at speaking? What if I mess up?

The interview is really just a conversation. It usually doesn’t feel like you’re speaking to a camera, but rather that you’re just talking with another person. If you have a little mess up, that’s okay, you can simply re-state what you want to say.

What is it like on the day of the interview?

On the day of the interview, I show up at your place with a lot of camera, audio, and lighting equipment. It takes about 90 minutes to set everything up, but during that time you’re not required to be in the room and can be doing other things - like going over the questions again. Once everything is set, the interview takes about 2.5 hours with a break in the middle. Afterward it takes another 30 minutes or so to break down the equipment and clean up. Altogether the process takes about 5 hours. 

How long does the interview take?

Once everything is set up, the interview takes about 2.5 hours with a break in the middle.

Can you customize your packages?

Yes! Please let us know what you have in mind and we’ll do our best to accommodate. I had a family who wanted to get everyone involved interviewing grandpa from the kids to the grandkids. The younger ones asked simple questions like: what’s your favorite ice cream? While the older ones asked the more detailed questions. Having the whole family be a part of the Legacy Film is a wonderful idea, but takes significantly more time to film and we do charge additionally depending upon the request.

Why should I record a Legacy Film instead of writing down the stories in a book?

Writing down the stories is a wonderful idea. However, it takes a long time to write a book, whereas a Legacy Film is done in an afternoon. Plus with a Legacy Film, the viewer can see the twinkle in your eye as you talk about how you met the love of your life and hear your chuckle as you discuss the vacation that went awry. The interview process is also a lot of fun and we end up laughing a lot. 

What should I wear?

Wear something comfortable. With that said, white and black shirts and anything with small patterns do not look good on video. Solid colors look the best.

Can other people be in the room during the interview?

Yes, but other people can be a distraction. Sometimes, a family member will sit in a nearby room where they can still hear our conversation but can’t be seen. Or they run errands and check in every so often. Most times, though, it’s just myself and the person being interviewed.

In the final product, do we hear or see you asking the questions?


No. I will not be on camera. This story is all about you. I remove my voice from asking the questions and put up a title to read in the final product. However, sometimes a family member would like to be included in the process. If so, I have them read the questions and film them. This makes the experience more of a conversation than one-sided interview.

How do you deliver the Legacy Film?

We capture everything in 4K video and deliver the video files on 6 custom-designed USB thumb drives. These USB drives can be played back on most 4K Smart TVs and on all macs or PC’s with a USB port. We provide 6 USB drives to pass out to the family, more can be ordered at a cost of $25 per custom-designed drive. The great thing about delivering on USB is that they are easy to duplicate and can be done on any Mac or PC. Having the digital files this way is so much easier since the era of the DVD has passed! They belong in the museum beside the 8-track player and 16mm film.

Where is the interview filmed?

In the comfort of your own home! In some rare cases, we may find another filming location, but most people prefer to film in their own home.

How far do you travel?

I live in South Jersey and will travel within 100 miles of the Delaware Valley. I will travel further but may need to charge for travel expenses.

After filming, how long does it take for the video to be finished?

Approximately 3-4 weeks.

What forms of payment do you accept?

I accept cash, personal checks, Venmo, and PayPal. I do not need a deposit ahead of time, however, I do require the full payment on the day of recording of the Legacy Film.