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PEOPLE & COMMUNITY FAQ
You probably have a lot of questions, we've tried to capture the most common below.
Will my film remain private?
We appreciate that some of your motivations for creating a Legacy Film may be sensitive or personal in nature. We offer and sign Non-Disclosure Agreements with any client who wishes for their story to remain private. Alternatively, you may choose to allow us to include your film in part or entirely as an example of our work, to help future clients decide if a Legacy Film is right for them.
What will I see in my film?
Legacy Films are essentially biographical documentaries. They consist of an on-camera interview, with archival images and home videos that you provide. If you do not already have digital files, we can transfer them for you or provide you with the location of a transfer facility if you wish to do it yourself. Subjects will also typically show us significant heirlooms, allow us to film them spending time with family and friends, or touring their favorite places. The more we can capture, the more dynamic the film will be.
Why choose Legacy on Film?
With over 20 years of experience making documentary and narrative films, we know how to craft a story that honours a life well lived, while putting our subjects at ease. We are respectful and mindful of the emotions that may come up during our interviews. Some clients are coming to terms with an illness and wish to prepare a video component for their will, and others may be speaking posthumously of a loved one they wish to honour. We conduct ourselves as professionals but we are also human, and we are there to support you throughout the process.
What if I am nervous?
When we conduct our interviews, we have only the necessary crew in the room, which is typically a camera operator, sound recordist, and the director. There is no scripted dialogue to memorize, rather the director will prepare a list of guiding story points based on our preliminary email or phone interview, and simply have a conversation with you. It can sometimes take a bit of time to find your voice and relax, and that is perfectly understandable and anticipated. Remember that this is your story; you are the expert, and you know it better than anyone. We will choose only the best passages to use in your film, and if you do not want us to include something, we won’t. Also, you will not always be seen on camera, rather we will just hear your voice over archival images and other filmed footage, so our editors routinely clean up audio passages to remove vocal ticks and hesitant pauses. Your story is in the best possible hands.
What will my film cost?
Cost depends entirely on the scope of the project, which is determined by your needs. Some clients simply want an interview with archival photographs from their lives, while others want us to spend some time filming them with their families, at their work, or other locations. Some already have archival photos and home videos in a digital format, while others need to have us scan and digitize those materials for them. The number of interviews to conduct and desired length of the final film, are also key contributing factors. Once we have a better understanding of the amount of time needed to prepare, film and edit your project, we will provide an estimate of cost. We also keep you appraised throughout the process if you decide to add more to your film, so you will know what the additional cost would be in advance. There are no hidden fees or surprises. We believe in complete transparency.
What is archival material?
The most common materials are photographs and home videos. It is nice to see visual references to important people in your life, places you have lived or traveled to, and milestone accomplishments. This allows anyone who watches your film to not only hear about your story but see it too. From a technical standpoint, it’s also important that we have these images to cut away to, so we are better able to isolate and clean up interview audio if it becomes necessary.
How long is the process?
You can contact us immediately to tell us about the type of Legacy Film you are interested in. We will set up a time to speak over the phone or via video conference to discuss your needs. We will then provide you with a quote and a contract. If you wish to proceed, a 50% deposit will need to be paid up front to retain our services, which covers our pre-production time and filming costs. Following that, we will conduct a preliminary interview to determine the best talking points for your on-camera interview and schedule a time to film it and any other footage we need. Once all filming is complete and we have all agreed upon materials, the editing process will take 4-6 weeks. You will then receive a watermarked edit of the film for approval or to request changes. We include one round of changes for free, the provisions for which will be outlined in your contract. You will have 15 days to review the edit and request changes, after which the remaining 50% will be due. Upon receipt of that final payment, a full resolution version of your film will be made available to you for download without the watermark. If you require a faster turnaround time, we can accommodate by prioritizing your film for an additional fee.
How is my film delivered?
We will send you a link to download your film to your computer or device. Since a digital file is the most permanent and accessible form of media available, this is what we recommend. We can also quote you costs for a Blu-Ray or DVD transfer of your film as an additional option.What if I need to cancel or the person being profiled passes before filming is completed?It’s an unfortunate possibility to consider. We retain a 50% deposit for our up-front planning and creative services, and to cover equipment and crew needed for filming. If you decide to cancel, the deposit is non-refundable; however, if the request is determined to be for a legitimate cause (such as the subject passing before filming) then we will only invoice for the work we have done to that point and refund the unused retainer amount. Alternatively, we can also adjust the contract to deliver a shorter film using any materials we were able to capture.If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.