input for biography on a dad for a daughter

thartley

thartley

Veteran
I have had a project rattling around in my head for a long time now and would like some advice or input from you guys on getting started. My daughter's father was killed when she was nine years old, and she tells me that she has a hard time remembering a lot about him. She is sixteen now. He and I knew each other since highschool and remained very close over the years until his death. What I would like to do is paint a whole character, true to who he was, as best I can, using interviews with his real life family and friends as brief introductions to scripted enactments of their recollections. I can see the whole thing so clearly in my mind, yet when I try to start putting words on paper, even to organize it, I am just blank. Like I dont know where to start; shooting the interviews and writing scripts based on them, writing my own scripted recollections first, do I need to have his family sign any kind of release or permission form? I really want my daughter to know the person her father was. I have half a lifetime of memories of my own, but she had so little time with him. If anyone out there can point me to a good starting place to help me organize this thing, I would be MOST appreciative.

Regards,
Terri
 
Re: input for biography on a dad for a daughter

What a wonderful idea. That would be a great thing for your daughter to have and I wish you success in this project.

I don't have as much experience as some on this board, but I would start shooting the interviews. Just make a nice backdrop, set up the camera and have family members recount memories. You might want to write down a few questions in case some of your relatives are camera shy, or don't know where to begin. I think in a lot of circumstances an interview like this would be hard to start, but once the ball is rolling you might go through several tapes per person. Then you would have an incredible amount of footage, and you could watch it and find the "natrual" story in the context of what everyone is saying. From there you could make the jump to an actual written script. Then you could fill it out with a narrator drawing everything together and inner cut photos or if you have any old footage of the family you could use that too.

I hope that helps. And again good luck.

Chris
 
Re: input for biography on a dad for a daughter

So im guessing your the mother but were not married hence the permission question. I dont see why you would need permission from his family unless you plan to dig around in his past on their side which i think you should do. I would think any family would be blessed to have someone want to do that for a loved one. You always hear about people wanting to do it but never do for whatever reasons but i think you should go ahead and just take in everything you can. Maybe even get her involved by asking some of the interview questions. Usually the best friend can tell you things about someone that no know else knows. Little secrets they have shared. I know my best friend knows things about me no one else does. If I should ever pass before my time I would hope someone did that for my daughters.
 
Re: input for biography on a dad for a daughter

Actually, her dad and I were married twice to each other. Just made better 'friends' than spouses and we saw each other thru the best and worst this life had to offer. In my daughter's mind, she can only retrieve flashes of the person he had become, but without the experience of him with a whole life. I just dont know in what circumstances one would have to get releases signed by anybody being interviewed on camera. If I dont get releases, could the final project still be shown to people other than family/friends? Can the footage be used in anything beyond its original purpose? I may see if I can actually turn this into a real film of some kind later. Of course I might be biased, but he was too good a person for the world not to know him. (not that the world would see my movie, but someone might.)

Thanks,
Terri
 
Re: input for biography on a dad for a daughter

If you're thinking of the general public seeing this film, in one form or another, I would get releases.
 
Re: input for biography on a dad for a daughter

I would as well. Family is family, sure, but as soon as a dollar appears, it's amazing how family can fight.

Sounds like a magnificent project, and I'd echo what Chris said: just start interviewing some people. Make sure they're ones you can interview again if you decide to go in for more coverage, but just get started, and I bet you it'll start to snowball and you'll be off and running in no time.
 
Re: input for biography on a dad for a daughter

I agree with the majority of posts that I read in response to your situation.

Basically, the best thing you can do is to just get started. Don't coach your subjects. Since its family, try to keep it as informal as possible. But if there is a chance that you might have this "aired" then I would suggest you get the release forms signed.

Its a wonderful idea for a film regardless of what you do with it when your finished.

Good luck! :)

--Bop
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top