Shooting Your Family History Documentary Video

A member of our family reunion planning group said they have begun putting together a family history documentary but only have little snippets of information. Fact is little snippets of information mark the path to the bigger story. Here are some tips to help you get as much information as you can.

Ask questions, show pictures and play the music of the era. Questions spark memories, experiences and interesting stories. When interviewing groups of family members and friends of the family ask questions about things in the photos to get the juicy details. Who, when, how and why.  Example: Who is that next to such and such? What kind of dress is that? Did she like that dress? Where did he get that hat? Whose house are they standing in front of? Whose car is parked in front? What did you do there? 

To fill in the gaps of the video spend no more than 1-2 minutes talking about the cosmetics of a house, car or dress and the aesthetics of the artist, designer or builder.  

Finding Pictures. 

Collect old magazines and clip pictures of old movie and music stars of the day. Look for news clippings regarding concerts, festivals, fairs and historic events in the area at the time. Search for archived photos of stores, shops, offices and municipalities.

Finding Music

Finding the music of the times is not at difficult as you might think. Just go to YouTube and enter keyword music of the 20's, 30's etc. You'll be amazed at how much video footage is available regarding markets, news reels and memorabilia of the time.  Link to music and video from YouTube using your tablet or iPad.

Dealing With Camera Shyness
Camera shyness is typical. While some family members may be camera shy, others are not and many friends of family members may actually help them feel less inhibited especially when they want to get the facts of a story right. Interview groups of family members and their outspoken friends. You'll get a wealth of information and a lively and enriching discussion.

Regarding taking video: Aim the camera at the album. As the interviewees turn through the albums get shots of the hands pointing to subjects in the pictures and allow the interviewees to tell their stories behind the picture. 

Instead of taking video of the person face to face as if they are staring into the camera tell them you would like to take video of yourself with the video pointed at yourself from behind the back of the interview.  As the interview progresses slowly bring the camera forward turn the camera slightly toward the interviewee to catch a profile so that the edge of the cheek and mouth shows but keep the camera out of their peripheral vision. 

Follow these steps carefully and you'll likely have more video content than you know what to do with. If that's the case, it's save the extra footage for Family History Documentary Part II.

And what better way to present your documentary than at your next family reunion. 

How To Plan A Family Theme Party

Home Coming - Graduation - Award Ceremony - After Party - Engagement Announcement - Anniversary Party - Retirement Party - Outdoor BBQ Picnic - Family Talent Show

Children grow up. Folks get married. People move. Others retire. That means phone numbers and email addresses change. A lot can happen in a few year. How can you make sure the family keeps up? Much depends on you. How can you get keep up to date? Plan a family reunion. The process of planning is a great way to start getting everyone connected and considering your families cause for celebration. Here are some tips to get started today.

How To Plan A Family Theme Party

1. Update your family contacts (list reasons to get together and celebrate family)
2. Send a theme and activity survey
3. Select your family reunion planning committee from first responders according to skills, talent and experience.
4. Hold a reunion planning committee meeting
5. Read my eBook Fimark's Family Reunion Keepsake or get the web app at http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/index1.html for worksheets and details on how to prepare and hold the first reunion planning committee meeting. It's everything you need to plan your next family reunion event what ever the reason.

#How To Plan A Party #How To Plan A Home Coming, #How To Plan A Graduation Party, #How To Plan An Award Ceremony, #How To Plan An After Party,  #How To Plan An Engagement Party, #How To Plan An Anniversary Party, #How To Plan A Retirement 

The Fabric of Our Lives

Congratulations. Our Total readership including followers from Facebook, P interest, Twitter, Google Plus and Yahoo Groups is now 9000 and growing.

What We've Accomplished
This Family Reunion Planning blog's objective is to present fresh new ways to celebrate family with good old family values weaved throughout, the stuff of happy family life is made of. The result? Family fun activities everyone can enjoy.

Over the past 5 years we've released two event planning books now published across the most popular book distribution syndicates world-wide.  Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Keepsake and Guidebook and My Keepsake Wedding Planner.

We've released three event planing software versions with the latest Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app now accessible from my profile page. We have successfully helped thousands of family reunion planners organize and manage their reunion events throughout North America, Africa, Europe and Canada. We love what we do and we continue to see good for all our hard work.

Keeping It Fresh
We literally spend months developing, writing, editing and and publishing content we find meaningful, uplifting and creative with suggested activities, tips and tools designed to make your event planning successful and your events memorable.

We've kept you up-to-date with our community outreach activities including, plays, public talks and family bubble shows. Our shows have opened up a world of wonder and awe into the life of each attending child and parent. Our shows have had an amazing impact unlike anything we have ever experienced. They've helped families connect to each other in way they might not otherwise have. And what an honor it is for Brenda and I to be a part of that.

The Fabric Of Our Lives
That said, thanks to the 9000 for connecting to this ever growing quilt of family reunion planners and telling us that you are out there loving family life and enjoying our content, books, tools and apps. Thanks for writing and wanting to support this growing movement. This is just the beginning. There is so much more to come.

Our Gift To You
Do you like getting gifts? So do we? And we intend to keep giving. Many often write me and ask how to support our work. I usually respond, keep reading and getting inspired to plan your next family reunion.  And if you read or use something of particular value to you likes us on Facebook or a 1+ it on Google. These acts of thoughtfulness go a long way in promoting and supporting our cause.

To those who are trying to reach out to us with donations, Thank you. Now you can send your donations conveniently and securely using the orange donation button. Thanks to your support we'll keep weaving family fun and reunion planning inspiration into the fabric of our lives right here under the Golden Tree.

________________________________________________

Bubble Master Show - Great Family Fun

Nothing is more exciting than watching kids and their parents have the time of their lives. And nothing compares to a Master Bubble Show to do just that. It brings out an innocent delightful joy from deep inside. 

So what's a bubble show anyway? Watch the attached video and see what all the fuss is about. http://youtu.be/clrs7a_zdlY. If you couldn't hold back from smiling wait until you actually experience a full blown bubble show for yourself. Nothing compares to it.

A Performance Art

The Bubble Master Bubble Show. A delight for kids and adults of all ages. Awe at the enormous car and van sized mega-bubbles using giant bubble wands. Be amazed as one bubble eats up the other bubbles. Delight as bubbles are blown inside of a big bubble and suddenly fly out of the top. See the wonder of sparkling sunlit rainbow bubbles. Thrill at white tornado bubbles. Standing in the blitz of a bubble spray is a lot like getting tickled or watching the feathers fly after a pillow fight. But it also seems to slow down time and connect us with the child within in a way the says it's OK.

Catch a glimpse of brilliant tiny bead size micro bubbles. Become astounded at the brilliance of white pearl bubbles and a bubble snow fall. Watch the Bubble Master Make a Bubble Snowman. See children enthralled at the sight of a 10 foot long funnel bubble. Get engulfed and stand inside a giant bubble wrapped around you. The show is highly charged, and the fun is an endless display of unimaginable dreamlike wonder.

The Choreography Of Bubbles

As a performing bubble artist I enjoy seeing the look on the faces of kids and adults as they are entranced by the beauty and choreography of bubble art painted an open air canvas. Intrigued by the challenge of scientific explanation. Gripping background music and unexpected bubble antics keep even the oldest teens and adults fully engaged. The bright colorful bubble blowing wands and gadgets fascinate the youngest of spectators.  Volunteer bubble apprentices keeps everyone cheering, laughing and having a good time.

What I love most about bubble art performing is the feelings you share with everyone there. Bliss, euphoria, warmth, nostalgia, affection, wonder, innocence. I've found no past-time more fulfilling. The crystal clear message it sends without a spoken word is even more touching. A message of how delicate yet precious life is. A message nurturing virtue, kindness, love and peace. A message of hope that keeps you smiling long after the show has ended.

For more on blowing bubbles see my other blogs. Art of Blowing Bubbles

Mark Angelo Askew

To book a bubble show in the Baltimore MD metropolitan area send an email to fimarkhome@gmail.com with "Book A Bubble Master Show" in the subject line. 

#BubbleFun #BubbleShow, #BubbleMaster, #BubbleMasterShow, #GiganticBubbles, #BlowingBigBubbles, #HowToBlowBigBubbles

How To Plan A Wonderful Family Reunion

Now's the time to start planning your next family reunion.

Watch this video and get inspired.

Let's Get Started. 

Step 1.  Click Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app

in the profiles section of this blog.

Have A Sweet And Easy Sunday

Hello family reunion planners. You've worked hard to keep the home fires burning. Wishing you all a Sweet 'n Easy Sunday Morning, Afternoon and Evening.  From under the Golden Tree.

How To Design and Sell T-shirts Online

It's mid-January. Needless to say this it the time to assemble the reunion planning committee. The goal would be to agree on the color and basic design of the illustrious family reunion T-shirt. Start with theme and slogans agreed upon. Use these as a basis for the logo, colors and design style.

If you're like me, taking orders by phone and putting each order status on a T-shirt roster spreadsheet is not what you would call a blast. Still bringing the family together to affirm identity, maintain a support system, infuse empowerment and just have a good ol' time makes it all worth the effort.
Still you have to wonder if there is an easier way to step through the T-shirt ordering process.

The quick answer is Yes. Do it online. How?  First step. Design it. There are scores of top notch T-shirt design apps out there but the one you want is an app that will not only allow you to design the shirt, but send a snap shot to all family members via email or social network plugin.  Even better, you want an app tha twill help you keep track of orders. And taking it up a notch how about an app that will help you make money that can be added to event funding. Now that's an app!

 I do like the T-shirt designer app featured at Zazzle. In the past the site catered to young artists who wanted to display their brilliant designs on shirts, shoes or carrying cases.  Now Zazzle has matured and has become well seasoned in the art of online custom design and printing. That said you can be assured your design will be rendered and printed just as it appears on the T-shirt design app. Even better you can create matching accessories for your shirt like caps or aprons, not to mention invitations and banners. Best of all you can sell the entire ensemble online and send it to family and friend across the social galaxy. And if you're not careful you might even consider it a means to earning a second income. These T-shirt designer apps are available for immediate use under the golden tree...

Another popular T-shirt designing app I particularly like is the one featured at CustomInk.com. This site boasts hundreds of design graphics and styles including a wide selection of beautiful ink colors. In addition you can present the T-shirt design to family friends online and event Boost it! Sell your t-shirt designs on your own Booster page to support your cause, passion or project.  You can present them on your Facebook page, and before you know it CustomInk.com is cutting you a check.

These designer web apps are featured on Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social. What could be more practical and time saving? The online web app is simple and easy to use. Nothing too complex.

The features are so user friendly even your pre-teen can plan an event with it.

Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. Click the link in my profile to access the T-shirt designer app and get started design your family reunion Tees.