1.      Make sure you have some kind of tripod or stand (or box or shelf or a stack of books – whatever!) to put your camera on.

2.      Practice.  Grab your spouse, your kids, your neighbor, your best friend and interview them about anything.  Or maybe interview someone in your genealogy group who will then want to practice interviewing you!  Then look at your interviews and check out the lighting, the sound, the overall look.  

3.      Continue to scan meaningful pictures.  A few minutes each week and you’ll have a lot of your family photos digitized and organized when our project is complete.

The goal this week is to begin preparing for the interview process.  There’s no reason you can’t interview more than one person – even yourself! 

Ask three grandchildren what they remember about their grandfather and you’ll get three answers.  Ask each to tell you a story about their grandmother and you’ll likely get three different stories.  If you get two telling the same story, you’ll find comparing the two interesting.  Guess what – you’re descendants will find them interesting, too!

You’ll learn not only how each child remembers a story but also a lot about the interview process.  For instance, when they speak – you don’t!  Make sure you don’t.  That way, when you’re editing you don’t have to have your question heard and it sounds like they are simply talking about their family.  Sometimes it takes a little prompting: “Tell me a story of you and your Mom and start the sentence with, “Mom and I….’”  Make eye-contact with your interviewee and learn to smile and silently count to 3 before you laugh so you have an editing point.

You’ll learn about lighting and settings and sound.  Are they squinting from the light?  Is it too dark? Is it making shadows under their eyes?  Is the light constantly hitting their glasses so harshly that you can’t see their eyes?  Look at the background of the shot.  Is it so busy that you don’t watch the interviewee? So blank and dull it doesn’t look warm and homey? A chair next to a table with a knick-knack or two will change the entire feel of the clip.  Can you hear them when they speak with their voice at their normal level? Can you hear other people in the background talking or doing dishes?  Turn off the TV!  Is there a clock chiming every 15 minutes or someone mowing the lawn just outside the window?

Yes, there is plenty to consider but none of it is difficult, it just requires some forethought and planning.

Interviewing...
It looks pretty easy when you watch those talking heads on television, but there is an art to interviewing.  Don’t worry.  It’s not difficult but it requires some forethought.  Planning and preparation is very important.  


·         Think about who you would like to interview.  Are they nearby or will you have to plan a trip? 

·         What will you ask them?  You’ll almost always start with reviewing the family tree as you know it.  Not only will you get more information about dates and big events but it will also spark their memories. 

·         What else will you ask them?  You’ll want to have an entire list of questions for them before you meet. 

·         You may have an opportunity to find out who is in those old photos.  Do you have any pictures that they may be able to identify people and places and eras? You’ll want to plan to take those with you so put them with the other things you plan to take with you.

·         How will you capture your interview?  Do you have a camcorder and tripod? Maybe you’re planning to use your smartphone.  Do you know how to use it?  Does your camcorder or smartphone have enough memory?

We’ve put together a meeting packet to get you started.  Download it here.  This process will take some time and there is more to consider as you get ready to interview, but we need to start thinking and planning. 

When I interviewed my dad, I did everything wrong but I was so thankful I had done it because he died before I could get a second interview done.  Don’t put it off!