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A Sincerely Yours digital memoir is a timeless personal documentary of a life well-lived. Based on a conversational interview from the comforts of home and artfully woven together with cherished family photos, home videos and beloved music, your loved one’s legacy comes to life as a lasting visual memoir that can be celebrated now and passed down for generations.
There is a wealth of hidden magic to be found in the lives of those we love – a full life story waiting to be expressed, preserved, and shared.
When someone close to us is gone from our lives, what we often miss the most is hearing their voice and the stories that made up their life: childhood homes, travels, sibling squabbles, risks taken, songs sung out of tune, hardships faced, and the missing pieces we later regret not asking about.
Ordinary life doesn't get much attention. But it's where people spend their time and make sense of things. And it's what we miss the most when it's gone.
“Our stories live in the power of our senses.”
As a concept author, stage director, award-winning choreographer and producing director, I was passionate to explore excellence in storytelling for countless collaborations in live entertainment, including 14 years with Cirque du Soleil.
But there was a rock in my shoe I couldn’t shake. While working around the world with remarkable people and cultures, I had missed the opportunity to explore the lives of some of my closest relatives before they passed away, including my grandmother and the wonderful parents of my husband. I yearned to feel near them again and hear them recount their life stories with their remarkable blend of candor and humor.
My professional attention began to shift. I felt a sincere calling to turn the lens around and shine a spotlight on the lives of those around me.
I reached out to my father’s sister, my aunt, in rural Manitoba, Canada, and asked if she would consent to be interviewed. After first expressing concern that her life had been ‘too ordinary’ to record, she eventually agreed.
In our two hours together, I asked her about her – where she grew up, her childhood bedroom, her part-time job, her first love, her favorite songs in high school, and why they moved from the big house on the corner to a small house a block away in 1954.
I listened while my aunt recounted familiar stories and unearthed new ones. I put her interview together with photos and home videos, documentary-style. My family had a viewing party.
It was simply marvelous.
By watching and hearing my aunt express herself – her distinctive laugh, how her eyes lit up, or how she paused with reflection – we discovered her stories and perspectives not only shaped the woman she is, but shaped all of us around her.
Storytelling is not just entertainment… it’s a fundamental part of being human.
When we strip away the lights and stagecraft, there lies an extraordinary life history at our core. That raw, dynamic story is where our unique magic lives. Without stories we cannot grow. Without stories we cannot learn.
So, with passion and commitment I dedicate this chapter of my creative path to capturing and preserving – with comfort, dignity, and collaboration – the rich life stories of your loved ones to enjoy and share, now and forever.
During our interview, my aunt revealed that her favorite singer is Vera Lynn, a famous chanteuse from the UK during wartime years. I discovered that Vera Lynn had her own radio show in the UK in the 1940s called…Sincerely Yours. A woman – her own radio show – 1940’s wartime – what was her story? That’s how I came up with Sincerely Yours. Thank you, Auntie Gail! Stay curious.
A Sincerely Yours digital memoir chronicles the life of someone you love through a semi-structured interview, captured in the comforts of home using a simple, online, high-definition platform or in-person 4K videography.
With their voice at the heart of the visual memoir, stories and memories come to life with seamless curation of photos, family videos and music to create your customized personal documentary.
You will receive a digital file (MP4) of your documentary for your family to own and share using our easy-to-use and secure Sincerely Yours application.
Interviews are approximately two hours with a final product (your life story documentary) between 45 and 120 minutes.
The entire process, from the interview to receiving your final life story documentary, typically requires three months to complete. This can vary depending on several factors which are discussed during our initial conversations.
There are countless benefits to digital life storytelling.¹ People are drawn to multi-sensory experiences. Viewing your life story bestows a sensory experience that makes us feel like the person is in the room with us.
Interview Benefits: Studies have shown that speaking in one’s own voice is more powerful than anything in written form. For the subject, the simple act of reminiscing has been shown to stimulate and awaken memories, improve sense of self, pride, and well-being.¹ We believe the most authentic portal to capture one’s life story is orally and visually
Our interview approach embraces:
Sharing Benefits: A Sincerely Yours personal documentary can be watched anywhere in the world with family and friends, on any smart device. Viewing and sharing your loved one’s memoir not only promotes greater understanding, conversation, and connection, but as well helps discover the stories that shape our own identities across generations.
Experience Forever: A Sincerely Yours digital memoir offers the invaluable gift of preserving your loved one’s legacy, now and forever. Its value grows and increases over time.
¹My Memories, My Digital Heritage, McMaster University, January 2023
Sincerely Yours offers a simple, clear, and flexible process to create your loved one’s visual memoir.
Discover:We share a discovery call with your family to discuss your goals and priorities including specific subjects you would like to explore in the interview.
Prepare: Following our discovery call, we curate a list of questions for you to approve and send to your loved one in advance of our interview. This phase of the process serves as the start of a meaningful, often delightful, journey of reminiscing before the actual interview takes place. Questions serve as a guide only. Spontaneous dialogue during the interview is welcome – there are no right or wrong answers!
Interview: We typically schedule a two-hour interview between your loved one and Sincerely Yours Founder, Krista Monson.
We offer two equally valuable ways to conduct the interview:
Collaborate: Following the interview, your family is asked to send photos and home videos from your family’s collection that correspond to your loved one’s interview. We find it helpful when there are one or two ‘point people’ who can access your archives and collaborate with Sincerely Yours throughout the process.
Collaboration with your family is critical to the development of a truly meaningful and personal visual memoir.
Create: In the post-production process, we use our professional editing suite to first review the raw footage of your interview to remove any unsavory moments, ensuring your voice clearly remains at the heart of your story. We then weave the recorded conversation simultaneously with photos, family videos and favorite music. Our goal is to artfully capture the genuine essence of who you are – then and now.
Deliver, Watch, Share: You’ll receive login instructions to create your own private and personal Sincerely Yours account. We will provide you with up to three drafts of your digital memoir. Once approved, you’ll receive a high-definition digital file (MP4) of your personal documentary to download for safekeeping, and to share with family and friends wherever they reside in the world.
Sincerely Yours removes the frustration of searching through your inbox. With the Sincerely Yours web and mobile application, you’ll have instant access to watch and share your visual memoir on your tablet, phone, personal computer, or smart TV – safely, securely, and privately stored.
This is a very common first reaction. Our response? What was ordinary for them may not be ordinary for us. In fact, when in the context of a life fully lived, we discover it is not ordinary at all.
At Sincerely Yours, we are wholeheartedly convinced that each of us has a unique life story waiting to be shared and cherished.
When we turn our attention to telling our ‘ordinary’ stories – including the delightfully imperfect moments or grandest achievements – we discover heart, humor, and a tremendously rich sensory history that can be enjoyed for generations.
With personal subjects being discussed, it is our utmost priority to ensure you and your loved one feel supported.
We’ve found that with the interviewer not being from your family, this provides a neutral perspective and allows questions to be asked with curiosity, without assumptions. The key is listening to the details and respecting the individual’s recounting of their life.
We promise to listen, collaborate, and work with integrity and unwavering care. Your loved one’s utmost comfort serves as our guiding principle.
Of course, Sincerely Yours embraces a collaborative approach and will always respect your priorities.
Please let us know before the interview any material you wish to avoid as well as any areas to explore with sensitivity. Communication is key!
Yes, this is a wonderful idea and absolutely possible.
This is a delightful idea! When curating interview questions, it can be fascinating to integrate questions and curiosities from your children, special friends or grandchildren. In our experience, you’ll be astounded at where their curiosities lie and what they want to know about you.
No. No part of your documentary will be used for any purpose without your consent. It is for you and your family to own and share as you wish. The Sincerely Yours web and mobile-based application allow for safe, secure, end-to-end encrypted sharing. You control who has access and can share your life story.
Of course. Any opportunity to ask questions and learn about the lives of our family members is invaluable.
At Sincerely Yours we are passionate about achieving a comprehensive life story video memoir using today’s multimedia technologies.
Our price point reflects the extensive care, expertise and production value that honors a life fully lived. We are dedicated to delivering an exceptional service and product that will increase in both meaning and value over time.
At Sincerely Yours, we understand it can be emotionally difficult for families facing the cognitive decline of a loved one yet wanting to preserve their life story. We’ll work closely with you to ensure we create a digital memoir that best captures your loved one with dignity.
Research has found that digital life storytelling has been found to improve mood, enhance memory, increase social connections, improve quality of life, and promote intergenerational relationships. (McMaster University, January 23, 2023).
We have found that families have been delightfully surprised by the recounting of memories of the past which suddenly arise when talking about the full context of one’s life.
Like a fingerprint, everyone’s life is unique. Interview questions are customized with both openness and specificity. This flexibility allows your loved one to tell their story as they wish and in their perspective. There are no right or wrong answers.
Some examples of interview questions include:
By having the questions in advance, we have found it allows your loved one time to reflect before the interview takes place.
We have taken careful steps to test and ensure the process is simple to follow and technically accessible and for those who may not be technically savvy. The online recording platform is an easy-to-use, high-definition platform requiring Chrome or Firefox applications. There is no need to download any dedicated software for the interview to take place. In advance of their interview, we will send your loved one an easy-to-follow guide and be available by telephone or virtual call for any questions.
Ultimately, it is our experience that the result of watching your loved one in a familial setting encourages comfort as well as contributes to a deeper emotional connection with the viewer.
We do not offer pre-determined pricing packages. We wholeheartedly believe each life is unique and so are your needs.
Our price point reflects the extensive care, expertise and production value that honors a life fully lived. We are dedicated to delivering an exceptional service and product that will increase in both meaning and value over time.
Contact us to share a conversation and discuss pricing options.
We invite you to reach out and discuss how we can help you with your customized life story documentary or that of someone you love. We say with grace: please don’t hesitate. Take the first steps today by emailing info@sincerelyyoursmemoirs.com, by filling out the form below or call us at 702-291-8350. All queries will be responded to within 48 hours.
