DC-Area Filmmaker Offers Free Geneaology Tips to Preserve Family History

Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 4, 2009 -- You know Mom has enough flowers and picture frames to last a lifetime. Do something this year that will stand out as memorable, meaningful and will last well beyond Mother's Day: Record your family history (http://www.dmbpictures.com). DC-area personal documentary filmmaker Debbie Mintz Brodsky is offering free genealogy tips (http://www.dmbpictures.com) for those interested in preserving family memories.

"Honoring your mother, or another loved one, through a professional recording of their personal history is the gift of a lifetime and will be treasured by the family for generations to come," says Debbie Mintz Brodsky, owner of DMB Pictures based near Washington, DC.

DMB Pictures specializes in preserving family memories (http://www.dmbpictures.com/html/sample.html) by producing life stories on DVD for special occasions and milestone events, such as wedding anniversaries and 70th birthdays. Debbie is an Emmy Award-winning producer, who has more than 15 years of broadcast television experience in public television, cable and network TV.

DMB Pictures works with busy families who have the desire, but not the time, skills or motivation to record the oral history of a relative (http://www.dmbpictures.com/html/packages.html). A typical DVD package is a 15-20 minute personal documentary that includes a professionally shot and edited interview, interspersed with family photographs and music and, if available, home movies.

DMB Pictures has recorded the personal history (http://www.dmbpictures.com/html/newsletterclip032009.html) of many strong women, from 101-year old Reston, VA resident Hazel Loney who has survived two world wars, the Great Depression and Typhoid Fever, to Rochester, NY resident Pauline Newman who survived the Holocaust (http://www.dmbpictures.com/html/newsletterclip112008.html) and escaped from Europe. One of the company's most recent projects was to preserve family memories (http://www.dmbpictures.com/html/newsletterclip042009.html) for Betty Danker of Falls Church, VA who was one of the first missionaries to go to Japan.

TIPS ON PREPARING TO RECORD AN ORAL HISTORY

WHY - Why am I doing this recording?

oWhat do I want to get out of it? For me? For my family?

oWhat do I want the end product to look like?

WHO - Who is going to be the focus of my recording?

oConsider one or two people to start.

WHAT - What do I want this person to say?

oDon't just have a general idea, you need to get specific. Create a list of topics and open-ended questions.

oEnlist family members, including distant relatives, for help with generating questions. Look at old family movies and photographs for inspiration.

oUse life milestones, e.g., marriage, for jumping off points for questions.

WHEN - When am I going to do the recording?

oPick a specific day and time, rather than a long-range timeframe.

oMake sure your timing is good for filming conditions. Think about lighting, noise and the energy level of your subject(s).

WHERE - Where am I going to do the recording?

oThink about where specifically in the house you'd like to record, or if another location would work better.

oWhat does the setting look like/feel like?

oWhere is most comfortable for your subject(s)?

HOW - How am I going to do this recording?

oWhat equipment do I need to buy or borrow, e.g., camera, lights?

oAm I going to film and interview myself, or enlist the help of others?

TIPS FOR CONDUCTING AN ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW

·In general, the closer you are to a person, the less likely they are to share intimate details with you--there's too much baggage between you. Consider that it might be better for someone else to do the interview.

·Ease into your questions. Don't start out with a controversial topic.

·Keep questions short. Don't ask multi-part questions.

·Have an idea of the answers you want ahead of time.

·Try to avoid giving questions to subject ahead of time, but do give them "topics" to get them thinking.

·Be quiet and listen! Practice active listening without talking over your subject. Use non-verbal communication to encourage your subject.

·Ask your subject to answer in a complete sentence.

·Be mindful of time and energy levels. Depending on the age of the subject, one to one and a half hours is a good length for an interview.

For more information visit http://www.dmbpictures.com, or call 301-547-3490.

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