Life story & documentary FAQs

A family documentary is an edited film built around someone telling their own stories on camera. Their voice and expressions lead the film, while selected photographs and home movies add context. Your Life, Filmed works with people who are living and can share their memories in their own words. A life story film may also be called a legacy video, personal documentary or video biography.

Yes. Most interviews happen at home, where the surroundings are familiar and personal. We serve Lake County and surrounding cities, including Lake Forest, Libertyville, Highland Park, Gurnee and Waukegan. Another private location can be discussed during planning. Tell us where the person being filmed lives so we can confirm access, travel and a suitable filming space before the proposal.

They do not need camera experience. We begin with story preparation and familiar subjects, so the first introduction does not happen in front of a recording camera. The interview moves one question at a time, with room to pause and think. Tell us what helps the person being filmed feel comfortable and which stories they enjoy sharing.

No. We do not ask the person being filmed to memorize lines or rehearse answers. A few life chapters, important people or memories are enough to start the planning conversation. We prepare questions around those priorities and leave room for details that emerge during the interview. Broad themes can be shared in advance if that helps.

Start with specific experiences: their childhood home, family traditions, first job, important relationships and turning points. Ask what those experiences meant to them. Photographs, familiar names and a simple timeline can help introduce a story. Your relative does not need to remember every date or cover their entire life in one conversation.

Yes. Tell us about subjects the person being filmed wants to avoid before filming. During the conversation, they can pause, take a break or decline a question. We plan the interview around the experiences they want to share and discuss the session length beforehand.

Yes. Tell us who the gift is for and whether you have a birthday, anniversary or family gathering in mind. The person being filmed should be involved in planning and comfortable participating. If you want to include other voices, the Signature Documentary includes up to two interview participants and the Extended Documentary includes up to five.

Yes. Personal biographies can focus on your own experiences, military service, family history, a relationship or a business you founded. You choose the subjects you want to discuss. A veteran documentary can include life before, during and after service; it does not need to focus on combat.

Short Documentary starts at $4,500 for a 15–20 minute film. Signature Documentary starts at $8,500 for a 30–40 minute film. Extended Documentary starts at $14,500 for a 45–60 minute film. Each package includes preparation, Lake County travel, filming, editing and private delivery. The number of participants, filming time, archive allowance and revision rounds vary by package. Optional additions are listed separately in the proposal.

Share your target date when you first contact us. Estimated completion is 6–8 weeks for Short Documentary, 10–12 weeks for Signature Documentary and 14–18 weeks for Extended Documentary. These are estimates, not guaranteed delivery dates. Filming availability, archive readiness and the time needed for review can affect the schedule. We confirm the project timeline in your proposal.

Every package includes a private gallery, an HD master and a sharing copy. Keep more than one copy in separate places, retain the highest-quality delivered file and label it clearly. Check periodically that your saved copies still open and play. A viewing link is convenient, but it should not be your family’s only copy. Physical drives and other keepsakes are quoted separately.

No. Any package can focus on one person. Short Documentary includes one camera angle; Signature Documentary and Extended Documentary include two angles operated by the same filmmaker. Longer films allow more chapters, supporting photographs and context.