A life story video is a professionally filmed and edited documentary-style film that preserves a person’s life, memories, experiences, personality and stories in their own voice. Think - a Netflix documentary about your life! At Relative Memories, we combine a relaxed, guided interview with photographs, home videos, meaningful places and other personal memories to create a lasting life story film or legacy video for you and your family. It is more than a recording — it is a way to preserve the voice, stories and character of someone you love for future generations.
The cost of a professional life story video in New Zealand depends on the length and depth of the project, the amount of filming and editing involved, the number of photographs or home videos included, and how many people and locations are involved.
At Relative Memories, our life story film packages currently begin at $1,200 NZD for a Tribute film, with our more comprehensive Legacy package at $3,000 NZD. Larger Estate & Heritage projects are individually tailored and priced according to the scale of the project. We can discuss your family’s story and recommend an approach that suits your needs and budget.
Of course! You can add as many extra interviewees to your selected Relative Memories package. Whether it’s the story of how you met, your wedding day, or the wild moments you shared when you were younger, telling your story together often brings even more warmth, laughter, and memories to the surface.
You don’t need to prepare anything or worry about what to say. We will provide you with a list of prompts and questions far in advance so you can have a think about which stories you may like to preserve. On the day, we take the time to have a relaxed chat and gently guide the direction of the session so everything feels natural and comfortable.
And you definitely don’t need to have lived an extraordinary life or have any dramatic stories to share. Many people feel like they don’t have “much to say,” but in reality, every life is filled with meaningful moments—the everyday routines, relationships, values, and small details that make you who you are. These are the details your great-great-grandchildren will cherish.
Ultimately, it’s not about having a remarkable story—it’s about showing who you are so your family in the future can truly know and understand you.
The time required to create a life story film varies depending on the size and complexity of the project. The filming itself may take a few hours, while larger projects can involve multiple interviews, locations or filming days.
After filming, we carefully review, organise and edit the footage, incorporate photographs and home videos, and shape the material into a coherent documentary-style story. We will give you a clearer timeframe when we discuss your project, based on the package and scope of your film.
The interview is a relaxed conversation rather than a scripted performance. We guide you with carefully considered questions about your childhood, family, relationships, work, travels, achievements, challenges, memories and the moments that have shaped your life.
You do not need to memorise anything or prepare a speech. We allow the conversation to develop naturally, asking follow-up questions when an interesting story emerges. The aim is to capture your personality, memories and stories in your own words, rather than simply collecting a list of facts.
That is completely normal. You do not need to be experienced on camera, confident at public speaking or comfortable performing for an audience. Our life story interviews are designed to feel more like a relaxed conversation than a formal video shoot, so you forget the cameras are even there.
We take our time, explain what is happening and allow breaks whenever needed. If someone stumbles over an answer, loses their train of thought or wants to say something again, that is fine. The editing process allows us to remove awkward pauses and repetitions while keeping the person's natural voice and personality intact.
Yes. Old photographs and home videos are an important part of many of our life story films. We can incorporate printed photographs, Polaroids, slides, digital photographs and suitable home video footage into your finished film.
We can also help with photographs and older media that need scanning, digitising or restoration before they can be used. Family photographs and home movies can add another dimension to a story, allowing viewers to see the people, places and moments being remembered.
Yes. We typically film life story videos in someone's home, which is often a comfortable and meaningful setting for the interview. A familiar environment can help people relax and can also provide opportunities to capture photographs, possessions, rooms and other details that are part of their story.
We can work around the space available and set up professional camera, lighting and audio equipment with as little disruption as possible. Other meaningful locations can also be considered depending on the project.
Yes. We understand that filming a life story of an elderly or unwell loved one may require a gentler and more flexible approach. The person's comfort comes first, and interviews can be adapted around their energy, mobility and needs.
Rather than expecting someone to sit through a long filming session, we can take regular breaks or divide filming into shorter sessions where appropriate. If someone's health is declining, it is worth starting the process sooner rather than later so their voice, memories and personality can be preserved while they are still able to share them.
The finished life story film belongs to you and your family. Relative Memories does not claim ownership of your personal stories, photographs or family memories.
We treat your family's material and the finished film with care and confidentiality. Our clients retain exclusive ownership of their finished film, giving your family control over how it is kept, shared and passed down to future generations.
Relative Memories is primarily based in the Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay and Auckland, but we create life story films and legacy videos for families throughout New Zealand. We can travel to your home or another meaningful location for filming, depending on the project.
For projects outside our usual local area, travel requirements and any associated costs will be discussed with you before you commit. If your family is based elsewhere in New Zealand, get in touch and we can discuss what is possible.
Yes. Alongside life story films and legacy videos, Relative Memories can create a printed memoir book using the stories gathered during the interview, together with your family's photographs and other memories.
A memoir book provides a different way to preserve a person's life story. While a film captures their voice, expressions and personality, a printed life story book creates a physical keepsake that can be held, displayed and passed down through the family.
Yes. Our Tribute package was designed with this purpose in mind. We can create memorial videos, funeral tribute films and celebration-of-life videos using photographs, home videos, music, recordings and other personal material supplied by your family.
A memorial film can tell the story of a loved one's life and provide a meaningful tribute to share at a funeral or celebration of life. We can also create a longer keepsake version for the family to preserve and revisit after the service.
That's completely fine. You do not need to sort through every photograph yourself before contacting us. We can help you determine which photographs are most relevant to the story and which will work best within the finished film.
For larger collections, we can discuss photograph scanning, digitisation, restoration and selection as part of the project. The goal isn't necessarily to include hundreds of photographs — it is to select the images that genuinely add something to the person's story.
Yes. We can restore old, damaged and deteriorated photographs as part of your life story film or family history project. We are professionally trained in photo restoration and can carefully repair and enhance photographs affected by fading, scratches, tears, stains, creases and other damage.
Where appropriate, we can digitally restore photographs while preserving their original character and appearance. Restored photographs can then be incorporated into your life story film, legacy video or printed memoir book, helping bring precious family memories back to life for future generations.
