Professional experience
Documentary producer
Independent film projects, 2014 to present
Self-reported
All professionals
Personal storytelling in Maplewood
Priya Raman
Personal storytelling: Family history and immigration stories
Documentary producer who helps families record the stories behind the photographs
- 4.8 from 13 reviews
- Lives in Maplewood
- All five checks passed
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Credentials
Training or degree
Oral history workshop
Montclair Public Library, 2022
Self-reported
About me
I produce short documentaries, mostly about neighborhoods and the families who built them. The best part of every project is the interview, the moment someone picks up an old photo and says, I have not thought about this in years.
I started doing storytelling visits after recording my own grandmother in Chennai and realizing how much I almost missed. On a visit I set my phone on a small tripod, we spread out a shoebox of pictures, and I ask about the trip over, the first apartment, the food you missed and the food you learned to love. I keep it relaxed and you can skip anything. Afterward the household gets the audio file and a written summary with a short timeline of names, places and years.
I live in Maplewood near the village and love the Saturday farmers market. I speak English and Tamil and can follow along in Hindi.
I also bring a compact camera and two small lights when a family wants video. At the end I cut a ten minute film of the family story, with old photos laid in.
What a first visit looks like
- 1
Minute 0 to 10
Get settled and pick three photos to start with.
- 2
Minute 10 to 15
Set up the phone and test the sound.
- 3
Minute 15 to 45
Guided conversation about where the family came from and how it got here.
- 4
Minute 45 to 55
Build a quick timeline of names, places and years together.
- 5
Minute 55 to 60
Choose what to bring out next time.
What to have ready
Nothing to buy before the first visit
- Old photo albums
- Letters or keepsakes
- Passports, letters or papers from the move
- A quiet room with a table
- Names and dates you want to remember
Where Priya goes
- MaplewoodLives here
- Millburn
- Short Hills
- South Orange
Where in the home
Dining tableLiving roomKitchen
Usual week
Mon
Off
Tue
Off
Wed
10am
to 2pmThu
1pm
to 5pmFri
9am
to 12pmSat
Off
Sun
Off
What families say
“Dad loved having someone so interested in his life.”
Andre E.
“Messages back fast and remembers the little things.”
Nancy W.
“Booked it as a gift for my grandmother. She keeps asking for more.”
Steve R.
“We have hours of Mom's voice now. I cannot put a price on that.”
Lisa H.
“My mother talked about it all through dinner.”
Denise L.
“My mother says it is the best part of her Tuesday.”
Lisa S.
“Second month now. Still the highlight of Dad's week.”
Michael W.
“We played the recording at Thanksgiving and nobody spoke for ten minutes.”
Janet B.
“The printed book is the best gift we ever gave the grandkids.”
Paul C.
“Patient and kind. Dad looked forward to it all week and the written summary was a treasure.”
Robert K.
“Mom told stories I had never heard. We played the recording at Thanksgiving and everyone cried, in the good way.”
Linda M.
“Lovely visits. Dad warmed up by the second week and now asks when they are coming back.”
Tom W.
“The questions were so thoughtful. We finally have Grandma's story about coming over, in her own voice.”
Angela S.
Checked and vetted
- Online search
- A real conversation with our team
- Signed provider agreement
- Criminal background check
- National sex offender registry check
$120 per hour
Plus a $2.50 booking fee and 10% service fee.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before.