3. Planning Your Storytelling Project

A. Project Blueprint Template

Project Title: Theme: Story Goals: (e.g., preserve Grandma’s traditions, learn about family business history, capture how school projects shaped my growth) Audience: (Family members, school community, future descendants) Interview List: (Who will you talk to? Grandparents, parents, siblings, teachers, neighbors…) Key Questions: (Write out 5–10 deep questions per participant) Media List: (Photos, documents, awards, recipes, letters, report cards, objects) Filming Schedule: Editing Plan: Archiving Strategy: (Evaheld Vault folder structure, backup plan, etc.)

B. School/Educator Collaboration

Teachers can integrate documentary projects into curricula as part of language arts, social studies, history, or technology lessons. Collaborative ideas include:

• Assigning students to document family histories, neighborhood changes, or cultural traditions.
• Encouraging students to submit essays, video reflections, or oral history interviews for grading.
• Inviting family members to class presentations, or uploading finished projects to digital portfolios.
• Creating interactive classroom story maps using digital tools.

For high school projects, educators can grade not just content, but self-reflection, editing, and digital management. See resources like Digital Storytelling in Classrooms for curriculum ideas and best practices.

4. Recording and Editing Family Stories

A. Interview Techniques

• Prepare open-ended questions in advance.
• Record in a quiet place with good lighting and minimal background noise.
• Use smartphones, tablets, or dedicated recorders—today’s consumer technology is sufficient.
• Ask participants to share stories, objects, and photos on camera.
• Encourage natural conversation and gentle follow-up questions (“Can you tell me more about that?”).

B. Storytelling Inspiration Prompts

• “Tell me how our family originally got to this town.”
• “What’s your favorite holiday tradition, and where did it come from?”
• “How was school different when you were my age?”
• “What advice would you give your teenage self?”

C. Filming Tips

• Shoot horizontal video for consistency.
• Use a tripod or stable surface to reduce shake.
• Film close-ups of hands with meaningful objects, not just faces.
• Collect “b-roll” footage of family homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, special events.

D. Integrating Schoolwork and Creative Projects

• Film the process and results of science experiments or art projects.
• Narrate reflections after completing an essay or presentation.
• Add scans of written assignments, awards, and certificates.
• Keep a video diary of learning milestones and setbacks.

5. Digitizing, Organizing, and Archiving Projects

A. File Naming and Organization

• Use clear, consistent file names: `YYYY-MM-DD_Project_Title_IntervieweeName.mp4`
• Organize folders by year, theme, family member, or event.
• Add written notes or transcripts to accompany audio/video files.

B. Digitizing Old Media

Best Practices (Digitizing Family Archives):

• Scan photos at at least 300 dpi for prints, 600 dpi for smaller items/slides.
• Save files in uncompressed or lossless formats like TIFF for archiving, JPEG/MP4 for sharing.
• Use moderate image enhancement (contrast, rotation), but avoid irreversible edits.
• Transcribe or caption videos and interviews for searchability and accessibility.
• Back up all files to cloud storage and at least one external drive.

C. Using Evaheld Vault

Evaheld Vault is ideal for long-term storage, organizing, and sharing digital storytelling and student work. Set up the Vault with folders for different projects, school years, or family branches. Tag and index content so it’s searchable by names, topics, or keywords.

D. Digital Safety and Data Protection

• Password-protect archives and backups.
• Use two-factor authentication where possible.
• Assign clear permissions for editing and viewing—especially for sensitive or private content.
• Check out Digital Preservation in Education and Community Archives Digital Preservation Toolkit for robust digital safety practices and access management guidelines.
• Always include a “digital will” or written instructions so heirs know how to access the archive.