A Treasure Trove of Stories
Every family holds a treasure trove of stories, wisdom, and values to pass down. Our client, a vibrant, 24-member family spanning four generations, embarked on a cinematic journey to capture the best of their G1 stories. In this case study, we dive into their inspiring project, showcasing how StoryKeep helped them preserve their unique family history and values for current and future generations.
The client was a closely-knit, outdoors-loving family characterized by their casual, humble, and comedic style. They hold annual family meetings, are actively involved in philanthropy, and have established robust governance structures. Their family values include: love, fun, integrity, stewardship, security, wellness, communication, honesty, and education. These are at the core of their identity.
Driven by a deep desire to document the stories and values of their family's first generation, the client commissioned a project that would capture stories from both the matriarch and patriarch separately, as well as together as a couple. Their goal was to create one legacy video that would celebrate their parents' life stories and a series of shorter videos that would highlight their family's guiding values.
When deciding to invest in the project, the client had three considerations in mind: everyone in the family could agree on working with StoryKeep (they voted after reviewing StoryKeep's proposal), the comfort level the Family Champion had with StoryKeep's crew members, and the level of professionalism during the initial meetings and design of the project.
The project was initiated and led by the Family Champion, who worked closely with StoryKeep and his family members. His role involved introducing the project concept to his parents and the other adult family members, gathering key family information, offering scheduling date options and reviewing the various drafts of the film. StoryKeep conducted pre-interviews and ensured that every production detail was completed.
The matriarch and patriarch described their experience with StoryKeep as "a grand adventure." They remarked that StoryKeep's professionalism, patience, and humor throughout the process eased what could have been burdensome challenges, guiding the family through scene setup, interviews, and adapting to changing weather conditions.
The project encountered an unexpected hurdle with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a pause between initiation and film production. Nevertheless, when commercial airline travel resumed, the client and the StoryKeep crew were able to reschedule filming dates and complete the project.
The family's patriarch and matriarch enjoyed being interviewed inside their family's lodge. Alongside StoryKeep's ever-eager crew, the couple ventured into the vegetable garden, went clay pigeon shooting, and told stories about treasured family objects. Importantly, their descendants shared a newfound appreciation for their life stories and the values they articulated.
The family screened the longer film (45 min.) during their annual summer family meeting. They continue to use the series of 5 short clips (2-4 min.) in various gatherings and council meeting to facilitate better communication among family members, spark important discussions around shared values, and even in one case, to help mitigate a dispute between members.
When asked if they could imagine working with StoryKeep again, the client expressed a positive outlook, envisioning the possibility of documenting more of their family's values, as they had captured only five of the nine values outlined in their family charter.