Personal-Documentary.com

09/06/2017

It's not just documentaries we do. We can do a variety of video projects. For this one, someone wanted us to film her music performance. Not only does the video look much better than it does from a phone, professional audio inputs let us hard wire sound straight from the venue's audio system.

06/25/2015

Interview your mother, too. The list in this post makes a good starting point. But don't just read questions off a paper. Have a conversation. One thing we do when we interview people for our productions is have them go through old photos. It will amaze you how someone who struggles to remember where she parked the car will recall exact details about something that happened decades ago.

32 questions to ask your father, if he is still with you. I encourage you to record the conversation so you'll have it forever. My father's response to question #31 below? "Be yourself. Be honest. Do your best. Take care of your family. Treat people with respect. Be a good citizen. Follow your dreams."

We lost my dad to leukemia in 2009, but it seems like yesterday that I heard his laugh and felt his embrace. Dad was a good hugger. Today is always a hard day for me and my family, it being Father’s Day. I’m lucky to remember his message to us, imparted by his humble and simple example throughout his life, but also because I interviewed him in the weeks prior to his passing. (From diagnosis to death we had just 59 days with him). I asked Dad what he wanted us to do and know after he was gone, and his words inspire me to this day. He wanted us to take care of our mom. And we do. He wanted us to love one another. And we do. He also said that the secret to a good life was “Be yourself. Be honest. Do your best. Take care of your family. Treat people with respect. Be a good citizen. Follow your dreams.” That, I think, tells you everything you need to know about the man.

Dad's dedication to others spoke for itself. 20 years in the Marines with three tours in Vietnam. 20 years with the State of Montana. 34 years, it would have been the year he passed, with Mom. 69 years as a very good man. He was hard on us when we were young and then he became sort of a big bellied buddha in the last decade or so of his life, so loving, so thoughtful, just a simple man who loved golf and racquetball and bowling and football and mom's food and his country and each of us.

If you are blessed to have a good father and a good connection with him, I encourage you to interview him about his life, and to record the conversation. (And if you don't know him well or have that connection, perhaps an interview could help). Below are some questions you might ask him (or any parent or caregiver). I hope it helps you get to know him even better, and that the recordings connect you to him should he ever pass away and also serve to share his message with your children and future generations.

In honor of my dad, I hope that you get to know yours even better.

And, if you have lost your father like me and so many of us, remember him kindly today, for it is his day.

With love,

- Brendon

INTERVIEW SOMEONE YOU LOVE ABOUT LIFE
Questions from Brendon Burchard

1. What comes to mind when you think about growing up in [hometown]?

2. What did you love to do as a kid, before high school?

3. What did you love to do in high school?

4. What do remember most about your teenage years?

5. What do you remember most about your mom (grandma)?

6. What was most important to her?

7. What do you remember most about your dad (grandpa)?

8. What was most important to him?

9. If grandma and grandpa had a message to you and their grandchildren, what do you think it is?

10. How did you meet [spouse] and know (s)he was the one?

11. How did you choose your career and what was your favorite part about it?

12. What made you successful at work?

13. What did you believe about yourself that helped you become successful and deal with hard times?

14. What times in your life truly “tested your mettle,” and what did you learn about yourself by dealing (or not dealing) with them?

15. What three events most shaped your life?

16. What do you remember about when each of us was born?

17. Were you ever scared to be a parent?

18. What three words would you say represented your approach to parenting and why?

19. When you think about [sibling] how would you describe him?

20. What message do you have for [sibling] that you want him to always keep in mind?

[Do the last two questions above for each sibling in your family]

21. When you think about [spouse], how would you describe her/him?

22. What message do you have for [spouse] that you want her/him to always keep in mind?

23. What three words would you say best describe who you tried to be in life and how you want to be remembered?

24. When they think about their careers, what do you want your children to focus on?

25. What have you learned about other people in life? (trustworthy, kind or not and mean)?

26. What do you think the world needs more of right now?

27. What do you believe people want the most in life?

28. What were the three best decisions you’ve ever made?

29. What are you most proud of in life?

30. What were five of the most positive moments of your life?

31. What message would you like to share with your family?

32. What are you most thankful for?

04/29/2015

Here is a photo that the Tampa Tribune shot of PRP owner John McQuiston at his editing computer. The paper published an article about preserving family stories that featured our company.

04/29/2015

Our humble enterprise merits an article in Tampa Tribune. We hope it gets across the importance of preserving your family's stories, even if you don't hire us to do it - though we'd recommend that, too!

Every family has a story. John McQuiston wants to preserve it for generations to come.

04/17/2015

A reporter from the Tampa Tribune contacted us because he wants to do a story about personal documentaries. We're glad for the opportunity to spread the word about why it's important to save your story. He'll do the interview Sunday, and we'll post the link when the article goes online.

03/23/2015

"How can I be sure my kids will know me after I’m gone?" A reader asks syndicated columnist Mr. Dad. Our answer: save your story in a film so that your kids will always have it. One day, it will be the most valuable thing they own.

Dear Mr. Dad: My father died when he was 48. He was a great dad, affectionate, playful, and a fine role model. And he had life insurance so the family was provided for. But when my brother and sister and I were going through his stuff after the funeral, we realized that we barely knew …

02/04/2014

A mother learns she has terminal cancer the day she gives birth to her fourth child. Before she dies, she gives her new son one last gift.

02/03/2014

We break our stories down into chapters. It lets people go back and watch particular parts of the documentaries, and also breaks the overall story down into smaller bites as they watch. Here's an example.

01/21/2014

New business cards in! Too bad they don't have paper that can play video. We would embed video samples right on the card!

12/31/2013

Have a great 2014!

11/06/2013

We met someone today who thought we had a wonderful business. She told us that her father had been a newspaper reporter, and she so ardently wished that she had recorded some of the stories he used to tell about his work. We said, "your kids and grandkids will find YOUR stories just as fascinating, and some day will wish they had video of you telling them."

10/02/2013

Just got off the phone with a man who wants to have us tell his grandmother's story. He had called months ago about having a film made about his grandparents, but put it off. When he called today, he said, "my grandfather passed away, and I don't want to make the same mistake with my grandmother."