Advice on recording family memories?

[ice_berg_slim]

I tried searching the forum for something that can could point me to a certain direction, but I really wasn't able to find what I was looking for. Thus, I was hoping someone can offer me some advice.

Let me start off with a little background. My parents were always too busy trying to make ends meet when my siblings and I were younger. Sure we did a lot of family stuff too, but getting those memories on tape or photos wasn't really a priority. I certainly don't hold that against my parents, but I promised myself that when I have kids, I want to be sure to get every moment of it. This is one of the reasons I got into photography. So now I have a kid on the way, and I want to keep that promise. Well I got the photography part down, but I would also like to capture moments on video as well.

Does anyone have any tips on this matter? Any good books or videos that anyone came across?

[carrbowl]

Brian, I can't help with the videography, but the one thing I did find for two of my kids was a book. It's called "grandmother remembers" and basically grandma is suppose to fill it out. My mom found it to be a pain and it took her a while!!! But it is in her handwriting, which I find nice, and it has a timeline, from a couple questions of her birth and growing up, to more questions about my birth and my growing up, along with meeting my husband, and the most questions about the childs birth.

I tell you this, as this might give you some great ideas for what to include in your video. My kids do like to look at the book occasionally, and they are still young (14-10)...I imagine the older they get, the more they will appreciate it.

[RandySmith]

Brian -

Something that I have done over the years, is to set up a camera on a tripod behind me, point the camera at an elder member of the family and "talk". Ask lots of questions about their youth, their life, etc. Before you know it, the camera will be forgotten about and you'll capture an enormous amount of information. I'm in the process of transferring footage from VHS to DVD of parents, grandparents, and yes even great-grandparents (audio only). I've recently purchased an HD camera to upgrade the quality of the videos. Maybe do something similar of the kids, pretend to "interview" them about what they "think" is going to happen in the future. I'm sure once they get to their 40's and 50's they might have entirely different perspectives ... and of course it would be entertaining for them to hear what their own expectations were.

My dos centavos.

later.
Randy

[Redmouse]

One piece of equipment that's always overlooked but usually available is a point and shoot camera. They usually have a video mode. While it won't be HD or pro quality, it still records that moment.

In the end, it's the memory that counts. Not the pixels.