Category Archives: Podcasts

Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 15: Transcripts & Legacy Videos

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:10 — 12.6MB)

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The Legacy Video Lounge Podcast, Episode 15
In this episode, personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender urges you to properly label and organize your family history assets and storyteller recordings so you can find them when you need them. Steve also talks about how he uses interview transcripts to create the editing scripts he uses for the longer documentary-style video biographies Family Legacy Video, Inc. creates for clients. Transcripts, which are text versions of interviews, allow you to scan interviews more efficiently and highlight the portions you’d like to use. Steve also cuts and pastes from transcript files to build the scripts he uses to guide the final video editing. You can create transcripts yourself, hire transcribers to create them, or use an online service like transcribeme.com.

Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 14: Keeping the Energy Level High!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:36 — 8.2MB)

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The Legacy Video Lounge Podcast, Episode 14
In Episode 14 of the Legacy Video Lounge Podcast, personal historian, video biographer, and Family Legacy Video, Inc. president Steve Pender answers a listener’s question about keeping up the energy during a life story interview.

Here’s the question, which came in via email:

“One thing that occurred to me after I listened to your podcast on the pre-interview (which was excellent) is regarding the energy levels. I did radio for years – and I know – people (of all ages) can tend to go monotone, if you don’t keep lifting up the energy. I hope you’ll address this in a future podcast.”

Some tips:

  • Inquire about storyteller’s energy level during preproduction. Do they have the energy for a full day’s shoot?
  • If material is extensive, you may want to look at two days or more.
  • If you’re determined to keep the finished video around an hour or so, plan on no more than around two hours of raw interview.
  • Stay engaged with the storyteller – maintain eye contact, use nonverbal cues by varying your expressions, nodding, gesturing.
  • Keep an eye on the storyteller’s energy level and mental focus. If he or she tires or starts to stray from the topic at hand, take a break.
  • Do all the things you need to do to make your interview set a comfortable and fun space: Provide water, let the storytellers take breaks when they want, and let them know that do-overs are okay.

    • Storytellers who are having a good time are likely to maintain better energy levels – so have fun!

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 13: The Association of Personal Historians

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:16 — 10.0MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 13
    NOTE: The Association of Personal Historians has been dissolved.
    In this episode, personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender introduces you to the Association of Personal Historians, an organization devoted to promoting personal history and helping personal historians working in video, audio, and print polish their skills and improve their business practices. Steve also describes the annual APH conference, the “must attend” annual gathering of personal historians. The 2016 conference takes place from October 23-27 in Fort Worth, Texas. Whether you create video biographies, audio legacies or print memoirs, you owe it to yourself to check out APH and the yearly conference.

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 12: Stimulating Memories with Keepsakes & Places

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:34 — 8.8MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 12
    Family keepsakes, as well as objects and places associated with important times of our lives and those of our ancestors, can play valuable roles in stimulating life stories for video biographies. In addition to stimulating recollections, these items and places can be included in legacy videos as visual elements. Personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender shares some personal experiences and observations about “Stimulating Memories with Keepsakes & Places.” in this episode of The Legacy Video Lounge.

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 11: The Power of Personal Storytelling.

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:51 — 15.9MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 11
    If you’re a “story junkie,” there’s probably nothing you like better than hearing a great story, related by an enthusiastic storyteller. Getting access to captivating stories and storytellers is growing easier, due to the proliferation of live, storytelling events. In cities across the U.S. and around the world, regular folks are stepping onto stages, shedding inhibitions, and sharing personal stories on a wide variety of topics. One place live storytelling has been flourishing is in Tucson, Arizona, thanks to the efforts of Penelope Starr. Penelope founded Odyssey Storytelling over twelve years ago. She’s also the author of a soon-to-be-releasedSteve Pender - Penelope Starr book packed with valuable advice for folks who’d like to start storytelling series in their own towns. In this episode of The Legacy Video Lounge, personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender chats with Penelope about Odyssey Storytelling, the power of sharing personal stories, and her upcoming book.

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 10: The Preinterview.

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:29 — 12.9MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 10
    In Episode 10 of The Legacy Video Lounge, video biographer and Family Legacy Video president Steve Pender describes one of the important first steps for any successful video biography – the preinterview. The preinterview is basically the “interview before the interview,” where a video biographer chats with a storyteller in an informal setting. A preinterview helps to break the ice and gives a personal historian a chance to learn the storyteller’s stories in advance of the on-camera interview. Armed with this information, the video biographer can craft questions designed to elicit specific stories. As you’ll hear, a preinterview provides other benefits as well. Here’s what Steve covers in this segment:

  • Organizing for success – Preproduction, Production, Post production
  • What is a preinterview?
  • Preinterview benefits
  • Preinterview techniques
  • After the preinterview

    • Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 9: Camera, lighting, & sound for legacy video interviews.

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:21 — 28.6MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 9
    In Episode 9 of The Legacy Video Lounge, personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender of Family Legacy Video, Inc. in Tucson, Arizona takes the podcast on the road! During a recent drive from Tucson to a legacy video shoot in Santa Monica, California, Steve recorded a chat with his cameraman and lighting director Dan Crapsi and sound technician Chris Hall. Both Dan and Chris have decades of video and audio experience, working on commercial, news, corporate and legacy video projects. During their conversation, Steve, Dan, and Chris touch on a variety of aspects surrounding recording personal history interviews, from the technical to the creative, including shot composition, lighting, microphone selection and placement, and more.

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 8: Audio Biographies

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:06 — 11.7MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 8
    In Episode 8 of The Legacy Video Lounge, personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender of Family Legacy Video, Inc. in Tucson, Arizona, talks about capturing the voices of your loved ones for posterity, in the form of audio-only oral legacies known as audio biographies. If you’re not crazy about appearing on-camera in a video biography, if you’d prefer a less-costly alternative to video, or if you prefer the spoken word, an audio biography could be right for you and your family. Steve shares his approach to creating an audio biography, as well as an audio biography excerpt. You’ll also learn about the audio gear Steve uses. In addition, Steve shares some sources for audio transfers – King Tet Productions, free audio editing software – Audacity, new and used equipment – B&H Photo/Video, and equipment rentals – BorrowLenses.com.

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 7: Let’s talk legacy video benefits – Pt. 2.

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:12 — 10.3MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 7
    In Episode 7 of The Legacy Video Lounge, personal historian and video biographer Steve Pender of Family Legacy Video, Inc. in Tucson, Arizona shares his thoughts on who should save their life stories and why. Steve also touches on some of the benefits that a legacy video project brings to both families and storytellers. Steve begins with a reading from “Like A Library Burning,” by Scott Farnsworth and Peggy R. Hoyt. Steve then describes the following benefits that come with legacy video projects including: validation of a meaningful life, finally telling the full story, energizing mind and lifting spirits, and uncovering little-known or nearly forgotten stories. Steve also shares the results of three university studies that document benefits to storytellers and their families, especially young children.

    Legacy Video Lounge Podcast – LVL 6: Let’s talk legacy video benefits – Pt. 1.

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    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:54 — 6.0MB)

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    The Legacy Video Lounge, Episode 6
    How can legacy videos benefit your family storytellers and your families? In Episode 6 of The Legacy Video Lounge, host Steve Pender, of Family Legacy Video, Inc., explores this topic with David Lamb. David is a successful businessman who hired Family Legacy Video to produce two family video biographies. David explains what led him and his wife, artist Robbi Firestone, to pursue legacy video projects for David’s mother and Robbi’s father. He also touches on his expectations for the projects, and the ways the legacy video process – and the final results, were of value to both the storytellers and their families.