Family Documentary Filmmaking
Video Storytelling To Connect Generations
St. Louis, MO – August 22, 2022
– How big does an audience need to be for a story to be worth telling? It is a fair question.
I suppose it depends on the purpose of telling the story. If you are Nike and you want to sell apparel, then maybe you want to reach a massive audience with the story.
If you are a parent getting your child to go to bed, your audience is a tired little person looking to be entertained as they drift off to sleep.
That audience of one is just as – frankly, I would say more important - than that massive audience looking to buy sneakers.
In both examples, storytelling is about connecting at a basic human level. I would offer that it is about building a relationship between the storyteller and the audience through the storytelling.
When it comes to video storytelling or documentary filmmaking, you could be trying to reach a big global audience or a much smaller, more deeply meaningful audience of a few family members.
Professionally and personally I see the value of both.
When I was the VP of Communications for the St. Louis Cardinals, I felt a constant pressure to chase numbers. Some of that came from above – management looking at budgets and whatnot, but most of it came from within our group. You can’t help it if you are tasked with managing the team’s social media.
You want that affirmation from Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If you post your video to YouTube, you can’t help but want to reach big numbers or get that thumbs up. I’ve been guilty of playing the social platform’s game.
But when it comes to doing video storytelling for families, it really isn’t a numbers game. It is about passing down a story and linking generations. How will you pass down your family history? Who will tell your story after you are gone?
How will you be remembered? Did your life matter?
These are deeply personal questions. I know I’d like to be remembered by my loved ones. I wish I knew my mother and father better. My dad died when I was a boy and my mother later in life, yet I still feel like there are so many unanswered questions about both.
I wish I had a book or video that conveyed their story in their own words. Most family stories are passed down through word of mouth. Changing with each telling. How we tell a story matters as much as the story itself doesn’t it?
I remember I would sometimes “act out” parts in my son’s bedtime stories. I suspect he remembers those “Five Little Monkeys” and “Goodnight Moon” performances more than when I simply read the words on the pages.
The same is true with movies. The acting, pacing and production values all contribute to how well a film connects with an audience. Storytelling technique matters. Visuals matter. Audio matters.
Just like some people are better at telling a joke than others, the same is true with storytelling. Sure anyone can tell a story, but skills vary by person. Sadly, someone might do justice to their own story when attempting to tell it themselves.
Ironically, often times those have a compelling story to tell, don’t see their own story as that interesting or worth sharing. That is unfortunate. Everyone matters and is entitled to have their story told well.
That includes you. You matter. Your story is important. And you deserve to be remembered.
That reality is why I founded StorySMART. We want to help you tell your story in the amazing professional way you deserve.
StorySMART specializes in helping capture family stories as a video memoir through our proprietary system that is built on individual interviews. Our approach is built on a high-integrity, ethical brand journalism model. That is fancy way to say we used skilled journalists to interview people on camera to capture their stories.
We can help capture the stories and history of an individual, a couple or a family using a brand journalism model we have successfully deployed to help small business and non-profits.
Our process is built on a brand journalism model where a skilled journalist conducts on-camera interviews to help an individual tell their stories. Through interviews and lifetime of family photos and home movies, we edit together a video memoir that is a deeply personal family documentary designed to connect generations.
Our projects can vary in length depending on what our clients want.
We can produce a beautiful five-minute video or a longer feature length documentary film (ex. 60 minutes) depending on what our client desires.
We capture memories through filmed interviews. Then our journalist spends the time to craft the story into a beautifully edited feature that includes family photos, home movies and other family memorabilia. The finished film is an authentic, engaging and moving story professionally prepared to connect emotionally with your intended audience.
We understand that you might feel unsure about telling your story. You might feel embarrassed or wonder whether it is worth it and whether you can afford it. You matter and should give the world the gift of your story. You can do it yourself or you can engage us to help you.
If you are interested, I want you to know we are here to help. It is free to talk to us. We have a very simple process that begins with a short free confidential consultation. We will talk about what you have in mind, including your unique needs and goals. We will provide you some options and details to consider whether that is doing it yourself or engaging us to help.
Just know your story is worth telling well and your family will be grateful you gave them the gift of your story.
About STORYSMART
If you want to be remembered, share an amazing story on screen. Whether developing a brand for your business or preserving a family legacy, nothing is more powerful than a great video story.
While there are a lot of DIY apps out there to help you produce a video, no app will turn you into a great filmmaker. Telling your story well with video can be hard. You need the right skills and equipment, not to mention time, money and talent to do justice to your story.
STORYSMART helps you tell your story in the amazing way you deserve with our done-for-you premium video storytelling service. Using a nationwide network of talent, STORYSMART provides you an experienced television reporter or journalist filmmaker to tell your story professionally following our proprietary STORYSMART system.
STORYSMART provides a nationwide premium video storytelling service that empowers individuals, families, celebrities, small businesses, and other organizations to have their stories told professionally while still retaining their intellectual property rights. Learn more at getstorysmart.com
