Frequently Asked Questions
All of us have extraordinary events in our lives that are the corner stone of family lore. Our mission is to capture and preserve your loved ones identities forever through digital video by creating living ¨A&E¨ style lifetime biographies that capture the very essence of who they are in life, so you will never forget them and their special stories. The sound of their voices. Their subtle facial expressions. Their unmistakable laughter. Their silly little quirks. They are both a family heirloom and a gift for your descendants, generations from now to enjoy and regale over again and again.
This is for anyone that has a story to tell and we all have a story to tell. All the struggles, all the joys, all the accomplishments achieved over a life time woven together in a way that will touch the viewer’s heart.
We start with a preliminary interview to better understand milestones in your life . This outline helps us in asking unique and insightful questions during the video interview that will help bring back the past as if it were yesterday. The beauty of this process is that not only does it reveal the expected but also the unexpected, which makes your story that much more entertaining.
The second step is the live video interview. You can choose to be filmed in the comfort of your own home in your favorite chair, or in our studio in Baltimore. Either way, our professional crew and staff strive to help you relax and put you at ease in front of the camera. Our experience has taught us that conducting the interviews in familiar surroundings like your home yields the best results. We come to you with all the necessary broadcast quality equipment including digital video camera, wireless microphone, backdrop and ambient lighting. Your story telling debut will be one of elegance and distinction.
The third step is the final assembly and creative editing of your video interview, family photos and memorabilia, home movies and video, stock footage, special effects and carefully chosen music. The result is a moving testament of your life portrayed with style and grace in a cinematic masterpiece. Your final product comes with a personalized DVD and plastic case both printed in full color. Just like a major studio DVD you would purchase at a retail store. Plus we have plenty of copies for the entire family, up to five DVD’s at no additional cost. There is no need to worry should anything happen to your DVD, or you wish to edit your story in the future. Legacy Tree Video keeps a master digital file safely archived in a secure location for you to access at any time, for a small fee.
If your loved one lives out of the area we will gladly travel to their home to conduct the interview. Please contact one of our representatives to discuss scheduling and additional costs to travel.
The final DVD production typically runs between 20-40 minutes depending on the number of subjects and complexity of content. We do provide customized expanded services upon request. So, if you foresee a more ambitious production including multi-generational family members please contact us for a free estimate.
Generally, the only requirement of you is 3 to 5 hours of your time. This would include a pre-interview by phone plus a few hours of filming. Before we arrive to start filming you will need to collect family photos, videos and any other memorabilia you wish to have included in your biography. This will certainly require some foot work on your part, but most people enjoy digging through the old boxes of photos.
We suggest dividing your pictures into specific stages of life. This would include, your lineage, parents, grandparents, birth, early childhood, school days, military/college, marriage/children, job/career, retirement. This helps you organize manageable units of time before you start your search. Choose the best 5-10 photographs that are representative of each time line. Please remember the digital transfer process does not enhance the quality of old pictures, so make sure they are in focus and clearly show peoples faces. Any photos you have taken using a digital camera can be included with your other photos on a CD.
If you live in the DC-Baltimore metro area you can send them via courier, or arrange to drop off at our studio in Baltimore. Otherwise, we suggest using an overnight delivery service such as FedEx, UPS or USPS. Please choose your delivery service carefully and be sure to pack and insure them properly. We will handle your materials with the utmost of care while in our possession, but can not be held responsible while in transit to or from our studio. If you feel more comfortable handling the digital scanning and transfer yourself locally, that’s fine. Let us know if this is the case so we can help direct you to a shop in your area.
Feel free to include items such as letters, postcards, travel tickets, certificates, plats or documents, awards and any other paper memorabilia that you wish.
Your original materials will be returned to you along with your final DVD package. We will properly pack and insure your final product for shipment by a overnight carrier of your choice. If you prefer you can either arrange a pickup at our Baltimore studio, or call a courier.
This varies depending upon the scope of your project. After the interviews are completed we will need a few weeks to edit and finalize your personal biography. The average delivery time is 2-3 weeks.
Yes, most current computer models come equipped with a built-in DVD player and software. Older computers may not have this feature, so check your system for compatibility.
While most current DVD players will be compatible with your disk not all manufacturers adhere to the same formatting standards. We recommend checking the compatibility of your DVD player at this free site which is continually updated.
We have a very diverse and extensive library of royalty free music to enhance the mood of your production. If you have specific pieces to be included that are significant for the subject’s life you may provide it to us on a CD. If you do not have any particular style of music our staff of professionals will select that perfect piece. Narration can be tricky and should be included only when information is vital for understanding what’s not evident on the screen. A well placed title can explain a great deal and is usually less invasive.
We accept most home movie formats including 8mm and 16mm film, VHS, MiniDV, Video8, Hi8 and Digital8.
Yes, we accept VISA and MasterCard.
Every personal biography is unique and special. The cost varies depending on the number of subjects, complexity of content and quantities of your photos, films, slides and video tapes that require digital transfer. Please contact one of our representatives today to discuss your project. Our 100% pricing guarantee eliminates unexpected expenses and assures your project will be delivered on time and on budget. There is no cost or further obligation for this free consultation. You’ll be glad you did.
Call or email us to arrange a consultation at your convenience. Now the fun begins!