As a father, often times we get caught up in the day to day. It can take big events to make us step back and recognize how important the people around us. When a loved one gets close to the end of life people ask, “how can I remember them”. Beyond that, they want to be able to share their life with their posterity. A legacy video will do just that.
Along with keeping old photos, family videos, or stories that get passed around the family, a legacy video is a way to have a person share their own experience, in their own words. Imagine watching your grandmother and grandfather talking about how they first met, their wedding day, or the birth of their children. If you knew that you could offer that same engagement to your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren what would stop you from recording that video.
This article will talk about what a legacy video is, how to make a legacy video on your own rather than needing to pay someone else to do it, and provide 27 questions that you might consider when interviewing a loved one to create a legacy video. If you’re considering leaving a message to your son, but you’re not quite ready to leave a legacy video, consider this article about writing a letter from father to son.
Let’s jump right in!
What is a legacy video?
A legacy video, sometimes called a living legacy video, is a way to capture someone in video format that allows them to present themselves as a whole person. This video allows people to remain relatable to future generations rather than just being a picture, a story, or a person that has been forgotten.
This video will allow people to share parts of their lives that one story, photo, or memory cannot encompass. It will allow people to experience a person’s mannerisms, accent, voice, and energy. The purpose of this legacy video is to allow someone to tell their story in a way that honors who they are, and present it in a way that is true to their character. Hearing a family member tell the story of how they pranked their friends in college is different than just seeing a picture of that family member and having someone tell you that person in the photo was mischievous. Likewise, there is something about hearing a couple recount the story of how they met. Especially when they begin correcting one another and going back and forth to make sure you get both sides of the story.
How to create a legacy video
You can pay companies or individuals tens of thousands of dollars to create a living legacy video for you. Obviously there is a range of how much having someone make a legacy video costs depending on just how professional, long, and involved you want the video to be.
Rather than pay someone to interview a loved one, I would encourage you to consider creating the video yourself. This will allow you to create a bonding opportunity for you and your loved ones and a memorable experience for yourself.
Anyone can create a legacy video, and they can create it at any time during their life. You can record one at a 10, 20, 30 or 40-year wedding anniversary. Perhaps at your child’s birth, or their 18th birthday you record a legacy video for them.
However, most often, we consider them when someone is nearing the end of life. When recording a legacy video, typically, there is one person asking questions and the person (or couple) answering them. There are no true rules behind a legacy video, as it is what you would like for it to be when you return to it years down the road.
You can stop the recording to ask the question, and then start recording again when the interviewee is ready to answer. Or the legacy video can be more conversational where the recording doesn’t stop during the interview. Keep in mind that it will be beneficial to have questions prepared before you start the interview so that the conversation can flow. Similarly, it is very important to show the questions to your interviewee prior to starting the interview. This will allow them to think over the questions before hand. Because they can think about the questions for a while it will help to provide a more thoughtful legacy video.
Also, be sure to ask questions that are deeper than just where they lived, who they married, and where they worked.
You want this legacy video to be able to show viewers who this person was and not just facts about their lives.
27 questions to ask in a legacy video
- What is your philosophy on life? Do you have a motto? Why is that important to you?
- What was it like growing up when you did? How is it different from how you raised your kids? How is it different from how people are raised today?
- What was your favorite childhood memory?
- Who were your role models growing up?
- How would you describe yourself in high school?
- Did you have a favorite vacation place as a child?
- What is one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
- What times can you remember where you had to make a big decision in your life? Were other people there to make the decision with you?
- At what point did you know you wanted to get married?
- What was it like becoming a father/mother?
- How did your life change once you had kids?
- What do you wish you knew at a younger age?
- What event happened in your lifetime that became a historical event? Where were you and how did it change your life?
- What is something that you wish your posterity knew about their family history?
- What was a memorable lesson your parents taught you?
- If you had a soundtrack to your life, what would the first song be?
- What food did your parents cook that you hated?
- What do you feel like the most important thing you did in life was?
- Who were your best friends growing up? What funny memories do you have of them?
- Where did you go on your first date?
- What were you scared of as a kid?
- What was your relationship with your siblings/cousins like?
- When did you feel like your parents treated you like an equal?
- What is a funny memory you have of trying to figure out life?
- What was your opinion on education?
- Is there anything you would have changed in your life?
- What do you want people to remember you for? How do you want them to think of you?
These legacy video questions are just simple examples, but are by no means the only questions you should ask. If during the interview a new interesting topic comes up, be willing to explore it with your parents, grandparents, children, or siblings. Perhaps during the conversation about memorable historical events they discuss how they were in the military. If they are open to it, you might consider asking how they felt about being in the military, if they liked it, if they chose it or if they would encourage family members to serve as well. Allow them to tell the story they are wanting to tell.
Takeaways for creating a legacy video
The bottom line when interviewing someone for a legacy video is to be interested in the person and have fun. Your curiosity, kindness, and excitement to talk about an individual will help them to open up and be happy to tell their story. The legacy video meaning is to allow future generations to know their predecessors in a more personal way.
Finally, make sure that you make copies of the legacy video to share with others in your family. If you have a family historian make sure they have access to this video to put into the family records for future generations.
Be sure to subscribe to our email list to stay up on new articles that can help you be a better father, husband, son, brother, and member of society.