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Not everyone is a natural chatterbox. But everyone has a story to tell, and these stories make up the fabric of our family history. The most precious thing in our lives is our connection to the people we love. Family legacy videos (sometimes called Living Legacy Videos) are one of the best– and fastest growing– ways to capture the wisdom and essence of our elders for future generations. We create legacy videos for our clients, capturing live interviews, photos, memorabilia, and b-roll from their lives. Some families want to create their own– and we think that’s great!

But what questions do you ask? At Hurricane Images Inc. we conduct a “pre-interview” to understand our client’s lives to help guide our questions and plan for photos and b-roll. There are, however, a few questions that (almost) always make it into the interview:

1. When you were growing up, who inspired you the most?
2. What are some of the biggest changes you see between now and when you were a child?
3. What were you like in high school?
4. What did you want to be when were growing up?
5. What was the best trip of your life?
6. Do you remember a time when you had to be courageous? Or when you were really scared?
7. How did you meet your wife/husband?
8. When did you know you wanted to marry them?
9. What’s the most important thing your parents taught you?
10. What do you hope they’ll experience or do?
11. Are you surprised by where you ended up, your life’s journey?
12. When have you felt most alive?

“Everyone has a story to tell”

Anyone can create a beautiful family legacy video that their family will cherish. But it’s also important to remember that it’s about more than asking questions. A powerful legacy video, one that people will want to watch over and over again, also needs to be well-staged in the home (with good audio and nice lighting). The speaker needs to feel at ease, and every question should have a follow-up for a deeper dive. Their home is a part of their lives, as are their hobbies and passions, and these should be captured, too, along with photos from the past. All of these elements go into the videos we create at Hurricane Images, and it’s a careful, sensitive process that takes time. We have decades of not just video production experience, but counseling as well. This helps us put people at ease in front of the camera, and ensures our questions are thoughtful and respectful. We film with two cameras, which not only creates a more visually interesting video, but allows for smoother editing between moments and topics. We produce a variety of packages for videos of different sizes, from 10 minute videos to mini documentaries.

A family legacy video is a lifetime treasure. Unlike photos or biography, video provides a unique opportunity to see and hear your loved one’s expressions and laughter as they share their life experiences. It goes beyond preserving memories; a legacy video becomes a tangible, shareable piece of your family’s history, creating a lasting impression of who you are and where you came from.