When we think of preparing for our eventual demise, our minds often revert to getting paperwork in order and reaching out to our team of professionals to ensure that everything is finalized. Whether you are facilitating your own estate or doing so on behalf of someone, preserving a life legacy is a crucial aspect of the process. Fortunately, there are some wonderful and creative ways to achieve this.

Nearly every industry has shifted to a more digital-centric existence, and the world of estate planning is no exception. We see technology play a more prominent role with wills, funerals, and celebrations of life. Specifically, life legacy videos have been growing in popularity as more and more people use them to capture someone’s story in a meaningful way. 

We sat down with Ruth Wiart, the owner of Reel Story Communications, to learn what a life legacy video is and the impact that it can have on future generations. Below we summarize the key points from our interview, and we hope that it helps our readers better understand this beautiful way to honour someone’s legacy.

What is a Life Legacy Video?

A life legacy video is a living memoir captured on camera that tells someone’s story. Professional videographers conduct interviews in the individual’s home or a preferred location and film some action shots. This content is edited and thoughtfully woven together with family photos to produce a compelling, moving portrait. 

Each life legacy video is as unique as the individual. There is no one way to preserve someone’s memory. These videos tend to have a tremendous emotional impact as they share someone’s story in their own words, an impossible task to accomplish once they are gone. The finished product is a video that will last forever and a priceless keepsake that can be passed down to future generations. This magical form of storytelling is truly a celebration of life. 

Why Create a Life Legacy Video?

These videos are creative and meaningful ways to leave a legacy or gift to your loved ones. As humans, we are visual and emotional beings, and life legacy videos cater perfectly to those innate qualities. It is incredibly impactful to hear or recall someone’s story through a first-person perspective. Hearing their voice, seeing their face, and feeling their emotions is truly what it means to remember someone. 

The creation of a life legacy video is often instigated by grandkids or children who want an elder’s life preserved somehow. The video offers a wonderful way to honour family members and create a lasting digital heirloom. This is a relevant and applicable form of preservation for today’s generation. A digital video is a medium that we all have access to and can easily be shared. A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video allows us to relive precious memories.

Ruth Wiart is the Founder and Executive Producer at Reel Story Communications. Ruth specializes in storytelling and knows how to connect, engage, and deliver results for her clients. Her 20-year career has involved broadcast television, marketing, communications, and digital video production. For more information on Life Legacy Videos, contact Ruth directly at ruth@reelstorycomm.ca.

Guardian Estate Company strives to provide relevant resources and education for individuals undergoing the estate planning process. To learn more, visit our website or email us at hello@guardianestate.ca.