You Tell Your Story.
We’ll Do The Rest! 

Our goal is to make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible, while providing your family with a high-quality product that will live on and on.

Simple.  Satisfying.  Sustainable.

Prepare

Choose your package. We’ll guide you through the setup and show you our interview questions in advance. Or you can wing it — it’s your story!

Participate

Over several 90-minute sessions, you’ll tell the story of your life, guided by our professional interviewer.

Preserve

We’ll process the video and make it available for you to view, share with others, and download. 

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the right time to record a loved one's personal history?

If you’re looking to preserve the stories and memories of an aging parent or grandparent, the right time is probably sooner rather than later. Things happen; memories fade with time, faster for some people than others. If your loved one is amenable to being interviewed, sign up now and get the process started — you’ll have a priceless keepsake in about a month. Otherwise, this could end up being one of those “must do someday” projects you put off until it’s too late. If your loved one is still going strong years from now, he or she can record an Addendum!

How does the process work?

A typical personal-history interview takes between 90 minutes and four hours in total, which we conduct in one or more sessions as appropriate — all online via Zoom. You will need a trustworthy Internet connection and be able to use Zoom from a computer, tablet, or phone. We will record the interview, weave in photos, and produce a final video to preserve your family history for future generations!

Why does it cost what it does?

Putting together a legacy video takes a fair amount of time. A typical personal history involves two 90-minute recording sessions led by a Live On interviewer, monitored by a recording engineer, edited by a video editor, and prepared for streaming by a technician. This adds many hours of focused effort by experienced creators, which makes up most of the cost. The price pales next to the value of having your loved one’s stories preserved for your kids and theirs (and theirs) to enjoy.

Who will conduct the interview?
Live On’s stable of interviewers includes a family counselor, attorney, author, poet, and wilderness guide — each of whom has listened to lots of people’s stories! We view our role as being “active listeners” to your stories, and we’ll stay in the background as much as possible, guiding the “flow” of the interview to be sure we cover all the ground needed in the time we have. [Click or tap here to view one participant’s comment about his interview.]
Will the interview feel too personal?
The interview will be “personal,” of course, but what (if anything) is “too personal” is up to you. The interviewer will ask you questions and keep you more or less on a chronological timeline, but it is completely up to you what you choose to talk about and how personal you want to get. As noted in a later FAQ, we can remove content in “post-production” if you said something in the interview you’d rather not have in the final audio/video/e-book.
What if I'm uncomfortable being on video?
This is a common concern (and one we share, too). If you’ve participated in Zoom or other video calls before, you may recall becoming more comfortable with the video after a few minutes. If not, we can record your audio only. Again, this is your personal history, and we want you to be happy with and proud of it.
Should I prepare for the interview questions?

It’s totally up to you. If it’s your style to prepare, you’ll find our list of topic areas here. You may find it useful to reflect on those topics, recall some relevant experiences and stories, or think about how you’ll respond. If it’s your style to “wing it,” that’s perfectly fine, too.

Should I prepare for the Zoom call?

Yes, please! Being prepared to start the interview without a lot of “tech support” is hugely helpful.

If you’ve used Zoom before, you already know to arrange for a quiet space with good lighting and a trustworthy Internet connection. You know to try to have the camera (computer, tablet, or phone) at eye level, if possible, and to check what the camera will see behind you. If you’re using a phone or tablet, we highly recommend putting it on a tripod for the best result.

If you’ve never used Zoom, you’ll need to download and install it on a computer, tablet, or phone. (Download it at https://zoom.us/signup.) Once you’ve installed and configured it, try a practice call with a friend or relative.

What should I wear?

It’s up to you what you wear. Be sure it’s something you’ll be comfortable in for the entire length of the interview session. In situations involving multiple interview sessions, we ask that you wear the same shirt or top for each session and record them all in the same location for the sake of continuity.

What if you ask about things I’m uncomfortable talking about?

If a topic is uncomfortable for you to talk about, please tell us and we’ll move on. This is your personal history, and these are your life’s stories! We want you to be comfortable with and proud of the final product.

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

If you would like us to edit out any part of the interview, please tell us during or afterwards, and we’ll do so. Again, this is your personal history, and we want you to be pleased with the final audio, video and/or e-book..

How can I be sure my video and/or personal information won't be misused?

Live On is a small, family business; we don’t sell anyone’s personal information, and we won’t pester you with emails or phone calls. We make no claim of ownership or copyright whatsoever to anything you say in the interviews or any documents or photos you provide for us to edit into the final product. As soon as you assure us that you have received and can access your completed personal history, we will delete all related files.

Can it be a "group" history involving more than one person?

It can be, though there are good reasons to favor individual histories. Another alternative is to divide the allotted time between personal and multi-personal dialogue. In the end, any approach that helps preserve your family history when it might otherwise be lost is worth considering. 

Contact Us

Let’s talk about your Personal History project!