When to Invest in a Legacy Film: Who, When, and Why it Matters

A Legacy Film is a beautiful way to preserve a person’s life story in video. Each film is tailored to include what’s most important to the person being interviewed. Maybe they really want to preserve stories about their parents or they want to talk about their sibling that passed away too soon. No matter what’s included, it’s a recorded piece of history that a family can cherish for generations to come. Many people ask us when they should record a Legacy Film interview, who should do the interview, and why they should do an interview. We’ll break it down for you in this blog!

Carole Grant smiles during her Legacy Film interview.

WHO:

Anyone who is ready to share their life story should do a Legacy Film interview! Ideally, you’re around 65-75 years old. Many of our past clients have been in their late 80s and even late 90s, which is great! But we think anywhere from 65 to 75 is the sweet spot. At that point, you’ve already lived a great chunk of your life and experienced many things you’d want to preserve. Many of our interviewees spend a lot of time talking about their childhood, young adulthood, and early years of marriage, and you want to be able to remember those stories and reflect on that time. Unfortunately, no one knows how much time we have on this earth and we don’t know when something can change with our health. It’s best to do the interview while you’re happy, healthy, and thriving! 

Anyone can purchase a Legacy Film for themselves and gift the final product to their entire family. Adult children can go in on a Legacy Film package for their parents, or purchase this for their grandparents. A Legacy Film makes a great gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, or a milestone birthday! 

Robert Olian's children purchased a Legacy Film for him to preserve his family history, particularly stories about his parents and extended family.

WHEN:

As soon as possible! Like we mentioned above, if you’re 65 years old or older, you are the perfect candidate. Many of our clients have let us know they’re so happy they purchased a Legacy Film when they did because their family member was later diagnosed with a health condition or they passed away. We’ve also had many people say to us they wished they would have done this before their parents passed away. Life gets busy and it’s easy to say “one day,” but don’t wait too long. You want to capture these memories before it’s too late. 

Esther Franch tells a story about growing up in Italy, in front of a table with a beautiful food spread.

WHY:

Honestly, there are so many reasons why we think someone should do a Legacy Film. First and foremost, it’s the best way to preserve family history, memories, and traditions. Stories can be passed down from person to person, but what’s better than hearing the story from the original source? A Legacy Film allows you to see and hear directly from a person and it’s incredibly powerful and moving. When paired with archival family photos and even home video, it’s on another level. 

A Legacy Film is also a unique way to preserve history itself. Many of our clients were alive during World War II and other historic events. They are able to share their memories and perspectives as they lived through historic events. It’s also a great way to show the younger generations how previous generations lived! You can talk about your childhood home and what features it had, what your favorite piece of technology was growing up, or what a typical school day was like for you. 

Many times during Legacy Film interviews, our clients share stories that their families have never heard. When children and grandchildren watch the Legacy Film, they're getting a peek into this person's life that they may have never had before. Even if they're telling a story that's been told a hundred times, there's often an extra nugget of information shared that's new. It's really cool to see these unknown stories preserved forever.

Watch Rachel Herbst's Legacy Film.

Overall, Legacy Films are a great way to preserve family history, capture memories and stories, and show someone you care about their life. They make great gifts for yourself or someone else. It’s important to book this service as soon as you’re able so you don’t miss out on capturing something special. Contact us here to learn more!