01 — Guided Autobiography Classes
Guided Autobiography is a semi-structured process of recording important life stories conducted in a small group format. Each weekly class will have between 6 and 8 students and run for 2-3 hours (depending on number of participants). The class is offered in either a 5-week or a 10-week series. Each week, participants will write 2 pages on the assigned topic and read their piece to other participants in their class.
The cost is $125 for a 5-week series and $250 for a 10-week series. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend every session in their series, and no refunds are given for missed sessions.
*NEW!* GAB Alumni Groups: For those who have completed the GAB series and would like ongoing structure and support while writing, we also facilitate monthly or biweekly GAB Alumni groups. Up to 8 participants may participate, with advanced payment confirming your spot for each session (no refunds). We will try to keep groups together if possible.
See About GAB to learn more about Guided Autobiography and read a sample piece.
02 — Oral History Recordings
We will conduct a preliminary interview to decide together what will be covered and determine what the final product(s) will be. Next we will conduct the full interview, scan any supplemental materials, edit the footage, and deliver the finished product on a flash drive. The flash drive will also include scans of any photos used and your portrait (taken the day of filming, for the video thumbnail). You will also receive a link that you can use to share your video with your loved ones. Please note that the use of any copyrighted music will mean that you may not post the video publicly. Subtitles are available.
Price varies according to use and organization/quality/availability of supplemental materials (such as photos), amount of editing required, length of interview(s), and filming location(s).
Final cost will be $25 per hour, plus the cost of flash drive.
See the Gallery for sample clips from personal and family history videos.
03 — Archival Assistance
We can work with you to develop a strategy for sorting and preserving your photos and old videos. This assistance may help prepare you for Guided Autobiography classes or audio/video recording sessions. Sorting and strategizing can be done with you in your home; scanning or digitizing will be done separately. Subtitles may be added depending on the original material audio quality.
The price for archival assistance is $25 per hour, plus the cost of flash drives for any digitized content.
See the Gallery for a sample of a digitized VHS (scanned photos can be seen in the personal and family history video clips).
