The Process
An
Introduction and Overview, or:
What It Is and How It’s Done
By Gene Thomas, Lifespan Director and Producer
The Lifespan Family Video Portrait is an intimate, detailed, and beautifully filmed video interview with a family elder. Each finished portrait is between two and a half and four hours in total length. To achieve that length, while maintaining personal intimacy, I have developed a particular process. It's very important to realize that each portrait is the outcome of this carefully-designed, five-step, family process. The resulting portrait is what I call The Gift of a Lifetime.
The First Step, immediately after you have commissioned me, is to determine who in the family wants to participate in the process. Sometimes, it may be only you. Often a group of siblings — children of the subject —will participate. Grandchildren or cousins may want to join in as well. Whomever takes an interest is welcome.
Each of the participants will receive a copy of the LIFESPAN GUIDE TO QUESTIONS. This is not simply a list of questions, but rather a series of subjects that can help you generate the questions that will be asked in the portrait interview. In other words, this is how you determine what you want me to ask. So The Second Step in the Lifespan process is your own thinking about what you want to know. You don't have to fill out any forms, or write anything down. Instead, when you’ve had time to consider it, I'll interview you (and the other participants) — in person, or on the telephone — to find out everything you want me to ask.
The vitality and intimacy of the actual portrait depends on the subject’s understanding that all the questions asked have come from the family — that this is what the family wants to know.
These questions can cover not only the subject's own life, but also stories they remember from more distant family history. Frequently, there are stories you already know, but just want to be certain are told on camera.
Sometimes, you may pre-select certain photographs that you want the subject to talk about and identify. And, of course in every family, there are certain topics that are complete mysteries to you — details of family history, or even secrets that you have been uncomfortable about probing. The Lifespan process will allow you to raise these questions gracefully, and in a way that the portrait subject can illuminate comfortably.
The Third Step: After that preliminary interview process, I'll arrange all your questions into a natural order that insures the portrait will be based on a smooth, and natural conversation. At any time before the portrait sitting you can contact me with additions or corrections. When that's done, we're ready to do the actual interview.
The interview itself, The Fourth Step, is a full day process between myself and the portrait subject. The interview is usually conducted at the subject's home, but can be done at any location where the subject feels comfortable and will not be interrupted. Frequently, that might be your house. Lifespan also provides you with A GUIDE TO LOGISTICS AND PREPARATION.
This Guide will tell you the production schedule for the interview day, the best way to prepare, what kinds of food are best to have ready for snacks and lunch (I’ll bring my own food), and will even give you tips on clothing and makeup for the subject. In fact, we can provide a professional make-up and hair consultant for an additional fee.
We've found that the best results are achieved when no one else is around during the interview. Just the thought that people are listening in, or might interrupt, can be enough to keep the subject from opening up completely. A good interview is the result of confidence and trust.
So the key elements are these: family involvement in creating the questions; and time and comfort to allow the subject to open up. I will do the rest. And, because I’m not part of the family — although I represent you — I can ask things, and get responses that a family member might be uncomfortable talking about.
The result is always a beautiful and intimate portrait — amazingly personal — unlike any other means of capturing the reality and the spirit of your family elder. And, without exception, the subjects always have a great time.
To complete the process, the Fifth Step, Lifespan will make two complete sets on VHS video or DVD for home viewing. We can also provide additional sets, as well as custom delivery to other family members, as an additional service.
Often, families will desire an enhanced portrait, in which we carefully add family photographs, wonderful music, and handsome electronic graphics to an edited version of the portrait. This is always available, and is always a custom service. Budget estimates for this custom work are readily available.
All in all, the Lifespan Video Portrait is a family process — conducted between generations. And the result — as you will discover — is nothing less than The Gift of A Lifetime.
For more information, contact us.
