How to Capture Your Elder Loved Ones’ StoryWATCH SEGMENT ON KFOR-TV ON NOV. 21st By the time we are adults, it is all too easy to look at our parents and grandparents as though their lives have been miles removed from our own, causing a communication and generation gap seemingly impossible to bridge. But the older we get, the more we understand the importance of connecting with our elders before they’re gone. There is no better way to do this than to talk to them like you never have before and create a personal recording of their lives to share with other family members and future generations. And there’s no better time to do this than the holidays when families come together. Here are a few tips to help you get started. Most smartphones today have good quality cameras and have the ability to edit/trim out the parts you don’t want. Or you can download a free video-editing app like Magisto or Adobe Premiere Clip that can help you customize your video. If you want a higher quality video, consider purchasing a HD camcorder. Sony, Panasonic and Canon are the top-rated brands, according to Consumer Reports. These can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars, up to $1,000 or more. Questions and Prompts After you select your questions and photos, be sure to share them with your loved ones ahead of time so they can have some time to think about their answers. This will make the interview go much smoother. Interview Tips When you get started, ask your loved ones to introduce themselves and ask a warm-up question like “When and where were you born?” Then ease into your selected questions, but use them as a guide, not a script. If they go off topic, go with it. You can redirect them to your original question later. Think of it as a conversation; there’s no right or wrong thing to talk about, as long as it’s meaningful to you and them. Also, be prepared to ask follow-up questions or diverge from your question list if you’re curious about something. If you’d like to hear more, try “And then what happened?” or “How did that make you feel?” or “What were you thinking in that moment?” And end your interview with some reflective questions, such as “What legacy would you like to leave?” or “How do you want to be remembered?” |