So powerful, Doug, thanks for sharing. I’m grateful for a family history course I had at the University of Maryland when I was an undergrad. I was already interviewing my grandparents and other relatives on occasion, but the class got me to think about doing these interviews more comprehensively, like a journalist or historian, but without hiding the fact that you are intimately connected to the person you’re interviewing, because that’s very unique and part of the story.
Great piece, thanks for posting it. I’m going to watch your film on Kanopy today.
I’m just finishing my own personal doc, “Maxie & Shelly and the Whole Mishpocha.” A story that also has a Long Island thread and links back to Russia.
The film is an homage and a remembrance to a colorful cast of New York characters and to their culture, experiences and lives. A piece of history I was lucky to be a part of and which is quickly fading away.
Unfortunately my parents were gone when I started this project, but I did get to interview some of their contemporaries. I started the film in 2017, in my 60s, and I’m finishing now, at 75. In those years I researched, interviewed, wrote, and reconnected with folks - unearthing many photographic gems (like the shot of your great-grandparents.) Like you, I also encourage everyone with a smart phone to interview their parents NOW. They are the archival librarians of our personal story and they are only available for a specific period of time. Don’t take their presence for granted.
Making the film has given me a perspective on my life, my culture and my place in the world, and has been a fascinating journey.
I’m looking forward to your event at DC/DOX next month. If your interested in viewing my film I’d be more than happy to send you a link.
Thanks for commenting at length, Jeff. I'm impressed with your persistence and good luck finishing your film.
Our DC/DOX panel is on Friday, June 12 at 10am at the Eaton Hotel. The D-Word will be hosting an informal breakfast meetup at the hotel starting at 9. There's a good place to get coffee and breakfast food at a connecting cafe on the ground floor. Hope to see you there.
Thanks for sharing, Doug. I have always had a great interest in genealogy and family history, and in 2009 interviewed my parents, my aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles and put together a three family history videos, two on my father's side and one on my mother's. We also shot my parents 50th wedding anniversary surprise party and gave them a video of their story together, woven into the events of the party. It was a great experience, and now that most of the people in those videos are gone, a family treasure. I would encourage any to do it. I am also from Huntington, Long Island.
So powerful, Doug, thanks for sharing. I’m grateful for a family history course I had at the University of Maryland when I was an undergrad. I was already interviewing my grandparents and other relatives on occasion, but the class got me to think about doing these interviews more comprehensively, like a journalist or historian, but without hiding the fact that you are intimately connected to the person you’re interviewing, because that’s very unique and part of the story.
A great strategy to do it like a journalist or historian, Philip. I pretended that I was a filmmaker :)
I should add, doing it on audio is fine, too, if a parent is camera shy.
Doug,
Great piece, thanks for posting it. I’m going to watch your film on Kanopy today.
I’m just finishing my own personal doc, “Maxie & Shelly and the Whole Mishpocha.” A story that also has a Long Island thread and links back to Russia.
The film is an homage and a remembrance to a colorful cast of New York characters and to their culture, experiences and lives. A piece of history I was lucky to be a part of and which is quickly fading away.
Unfortunately my parents were gone when I started this project, but I did get to interview some of their contemporaries. I started the film in 2017, in my 60s, and I’m finishing now, at 75. In those years I researched, interviewed, wrote, and reconnected with folks - unearthing many photographic gems (like the shot of your great-grandparents.) Like you, I also encourage everyone with a smart phone to interview their parents NOW. They are the archival librarians of our personal story and they are only available for a specific period of time. Don’t take their presence for granted.
Making the film has given me a perspective on my life, my culture and my place in the world, and has been a fascinating journey.
I’m looking forward to your event at DC/DOX next month. If your interested in viewing my film I’d be more than happy to send you a link.
Thanks for your work,
Jeff Roth
jeff@focusedaudio.com
Thanks for commenting at length, Jeff. I'm impressed with your persistence and good luck finishing your film.
Our DC/DOX panel is on Friday, June 12 at 10am at the Eaton Hotel. The D-Word will be hosting an informal breakfast meetup at the hotel starting at 9. There's a good place to get coffee and breakfast food at a connecting cafe on the ground floor. Hope to see you there.
Already got my all festival pass and tix to your event. See u there. Thanks again for your work and your efforts helping the doc community
Thanks for sharing, Doug. I have always had a great interest in genealogy and family history, and in 2009 interviewed my parents, my aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles and put together a three family history videos, two on my father's side and one on my mother's. We also shot my parents 50th wedding anniversary surprise party and gave them a video of their story together, woven into the events of the party. It was a great experience, and now that most of the people in those videos are gone, a family treasure. I would encourage any to do it. I am also from Huntington, Long Island.