At so tell me more we’ve heard plenty of questions from our clients and thought we would offer up the answers to the most popular questions below for you to read.



What do I give the person who has everything?

A video history is a unique gift that says “You’re very important to me.” There’s no compliment greater than asking someone you love to record their memories.

Whether it’s for the holidays, a birthday or anniversary a video history is the most unique gift you can give. So stop wondering what you’re going to get the person who has everything and get them a gift that will be a treasure to the whole family for years to come.

Mother’s Day
Let your mother know how special she is. And while you’re thinking about her ­ call, your mother worries.

Father’s Day
Let Dad know you are interested in his family, military and career experiences.

Anniversary Gift
Let anniversary couples look back over their years together. It’s amazing what you’ll find out ­ from cherished moments to stories that are just plain fun!

A video history is as much a gift for you as it is a way of honoring their life and experiences.

Retirement gives people more time to reflect on their life and their legacies.

The family can share their wisdom, and a taste of what the world is like today, with a brand new baby as a kind of time capsule for when they are grown.

Birthdays, bar and bat mitzvahs, engagements and other special occasions are important milestones.

A video history can be a chance to recall fond memories and look back at the past with a lifetime of perspective, or a chance to record your family and friends’ history while it happens.

When is the right time?

When is the right time for a video history? Do it sooner, rather than later.

Recording a personal history is not about age or wellness. It’s about opportunity and recognition. At different times in our lives we remember different things, our priorities and perspectives change. Capturing a video history today ensures that you have those memories in a lasting way. Remember, you can always update a family history by adding shorter segments later if desirable.

When my mother passed away from breast cancer in 1999...
I realized she was the last of her generation. Over time it became clear to me how little I actually knew about my grandparents and great grandparents. Even the struggles my immediate family faced while I was growing up were more of a feeling for me than actual recollections and specific events. From this loss I realized how important is to preserve your past and decided to provide a service that would allow others to capture their family history. In each case I capture a family history in a simple and natural way, with all the warmth of sitting around the living room and hearing the old stories. The greatest compliment is when clients tell me I’ve gotten their parents to tell me stories they’d never heard before.

Capturing a video history today ensures that you have those memories...
One of my first clients called me to let me know she was diagnosed with breast cancer and we would have to postpone our next recording/interview. When I got over the initial shock, my first thoughts were: “She’s got to beat this!” and “Thank goodness we have her earliest life memories recorded for her family.” The good news is that she recovered, allowing us to complete filming and the project. You just never know what twists and turns life will throw your way.

How long does it take?

How long does it take to complete a video history? It takes about 6 to 10 weeks to finish a so tell me more package.

6-week packages*

Special Memories
   video history for the camera shy
   capturing highlights of your life on video

Narrated Photo Montage
   excellent for the Genealogy Buff

Photo Montage
   special event presentation

Veterans Memoir
   capture your veteran’s memories for
   inclusion in the Library of Congress

10-week packages*

Memories of a Lifetime
   collection of video interviews & family photos

Couples Reminisce
   collection of video interviews

Collective Memories
   a tribute to the memory of a loved one

Veterans Memoir
   capture your veteran’s memories for
   inclusion in the Library of Congress

*These products can be completed as noted only when all items are provided to stmm as originally agreed to and scheduled in the signed agreement.

Where is it filmed?

You will be filmed in your own home or your children’s home. This will ensure you are relaxed and feel most comfortable.

Many of our interviews are conducted in San Francisco when parents are visiting their children. This provides an excellent opportunity for conducting the interviews in a comfortable setting with minimal impact on the visit.

We occasionally shoot location footage, for either interviews or footage of special landmarks, for example, the old neighborhood, the beach where she proposed to him, etc. (Complicated location shoots and long-distance travel from our San Francisco, CA location will require reimbursement of travel and lodging costs.)

Why me?

You're not the only person asking this question. But here are the essential reasons for doing this:

You remember more about your family’s past than the next generation does because you lived through some of it and you heard about it from the time you were growing up. In some ways you are the last keeper of that information.

Your memories are your family’s legacy. Think about your grandfather or great grandfather. Do you ever wonder what their lives were like? If you found an old recording of them in the attic would you be curious to hear what they had to say and find out what they sound like? Your progeny will remember you the way you want to be remembered.

Believe it or not, there will be future generations who may only know you through an old photo or video. If they are not lucky enough to meet you, will what you’ve left behind give them insights into whom you really were? Will they have any ideas about:

   what influenced you as a person

   what your philosophy on life was

   what events shaped you, and

   how you lived your life?

Why not let them remember you the way you really are? It’s your life – who else could tell it like it is?