Life story recording at home in Livingston, NJ

A short film for the grandkids

For families in Livingston, a short film is a popular choice. Some storytellers bring a video camera and lights and help turn a few sessions into a film the grandchildren can watch for years. Seeing Grandpa's face and hearing his voice telling the story of how he met Grandma is different from reading it.

Others record audio only, which is simpler and less intimidating. Some help turn the recordings into a printed book with family photos. Each storyteller's profile says what they offer.

Whatever the format, the goal is the same: capture your parent in their own words, with their own sense of humor, before the details fade.

The Livingston chapter

Many families arrived in Livingston in the decades after the war, when it grew from a farm town into a suburb. If your parents moved here then, they probably remember open fields where neighborhoods are now, and roads like Mount Pleasant Avenue, one of the oldest routes through town, before the traffic.

Questions about the move to Livingston often open up a lot: why they came, the first house, the schools the kids went to, the neighbors who became lifelong friends. A storyteller will follow those threads wherever they go.

How sessions work

Sessions feel like a conversation. The storyteller asks open questions and lets your parent talk. Most projects take several sessions, each with a loose theme like childhood, work, family or advice for the next generation. A 1.5 hour session is a good length for most people.

Before the first session, families can send questions in a message. Ask the ones you've always wondered about. The storyteller will work them in naturally.

Old photos and objects help a lot. A wedding album, a high school yearbook, a medal, a letter. Put a few on the table before the session and let your parent pick what to talk about first.

Booking and cost

Each storyteller charges an hourly rate they set, somewhere from $50 to $150. A film project may take more sessions than audio. You can book four weeks at the same time for a project with a clear end, or one session to start. Gift cards from $50 let siblings each contribute. After each session the storyteller writes a short note about what was covered.

If you're coordinating from out of state, send the storyteller the family's questions and a little background on your parent. That way the first session can skip the basics and get right into the good stories.