No more floral nightgowns! (What grandma really deserves these Holidays)

United States of America -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Feb 4, 2010 -- "Are we really going to waste another year?" asks Jane Shafron. "What parents really want from us is our honor and our interest. Not another blouse or more after shave. If you are not getting serious about preserving their stories for your own kids - and for future generations - then you are missing our one sure chance at creating immortality.

As baby boomers age, they are starting to think about their legacy. And for those lucky enough to have parents still alive, they are realizing that time is running out to get those family stories. So instead of wasting time and money these Holidays, some smart boomers will be recording their parents' stories to video by creating video biographies.

"Our business is simple: We preserve parents' stories for future generations in attractive and entertaining ways. We let their voices ring down through the ages!'

Jane Shafron is the CEO of video biography start-up Your Story Here LLC (http://www.yourstoryherehome.com). In business for only two years, this small Orange County CA based video production company has already garnered an impressive number of awards. Like Best Short Documentary and Best Documentary Audience Award at the Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Film Festivals. Not to mention a peer reviewed Telly award in 2009.

"I think it reflects the care and effort we put in," continues Jane. "We decided early on that our number one priority would be quality of the production. Our goal is making "A&E" style life story videos."

The cost? "It varies," says Dhyan Atkinson. Atkinson is a marketing expert who runs "The Five Essential Skills" (http://thefiveessentialskills.com/) and consults to small businesses including personal historians across the United States. "Prices range from around $3,000 for shorter projects to around $10,000 for a fully edited, large scale documentary. I know some New York production companies who charge upwards of $20,000 - but you have some pretty deep pockets over there!"

Jane Shafron says that Your Story Here's video documentaries are mid-priced, usually coming in between $4,000 and $8,000. "You get a lot for the money," she says. "We pre-interview the subject, do genealogical and other research, interview, and edit. We add personal and archive photographs, old home movies, voiceover as well as captions, titles, chapter breaks and add music. We create unique DVD cover art. Often all members of the family pitch in and make it a joint present to Mom or Dad, which helps with the cost."

Why haven't we heard of this before? The video biography industry is pretty new. Says Atkinson: "It's only been in the last 5 to 7 years or so that this product has been available. Before high quality - but modestly priced - non-linear editing technology became available, video biographies would have been well out of the reach of most of us."

So how exactly do you give a video biography as a gift? "It was easy," says Todd Doney, LA-based Vice Chairman of C B Richard Ellis Brokerage Services. Todd gave his mother the ultimate gift last Christmas. "I called them up, emailed them some photos, they designed a DVD box with an inscribed blank disk and we gave it to Mom at Christmas. She was completely thrilled," says Doney. "Jane contacted Mom later, they got together, and Your Story Here put together a terrific personal history documentary. I just wish I had done it for my Dad before he passed."

How can you be sure you are buying right? "Do your research," says Atkinson. "Look at samples, talk to the owner. One test I apply is this: do they talk about themselves or do they ask about the subject? If they are interested in the subject, then it's a good sign. Also, most good companies have real-life samples on their Website and some even have their own YouTube channel. If you don't know where to start, try contacting the Association of Personal Historians."

Grandma a star? A personal video biography in Santa's sack? Immortality? It never happened in Grandma's day. But you can be sure that this time around Grandma (or Grandpa) will be glad that some things aren't still like the good old days.

Your Story Here is an award winning boutique video production company based in Southern California and specializing in video biography. Their short films have won awards including at the Lake Arrowhead Film Festival and the Big Bear International Film Festival. They have made over 60 private documentaries for people who wish to preserve their story for future generations. Follow Jane on her blog: http://yourstoryhere.blogspot.com/

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Jane Shafron
http://www.yourstoryherehome.com