The Process
You've never done anything like this before. That's fine — neither had they.
Every person who has made a film with Legacy House Films came in nervous and left wondering why they waited so long. Here's exactly how the biography film process works, from first conversation to finished film.
The Discovery Call
Everything begins with a conversation. No forms, no commitments, no pressure. Just Michael and you, talking about your life and what you're hoping to create.
This call has two purposes. First, Michael wants to understand your story — who you are, what matters to you, and what kind of film feels right. Second, it gives you a chance to understand how Michael works, ask any questions you have, and decide whether this feels like the right fit.
Most people leave this call having already decided. The ones who don't usually call back within a week.
What Happens
- Michael learns about your life, family, and what you're hoping to preserve
- You discuss which service tier makes the most sense
- Michael answers questions about process, timeline, or investment
- If it feels right, you move forward — no obligation if it doesn't
Pre-Production
This is where the real work begins — and almost all of it happens before the camera ever turns on.
Michael spends the weeks before your shoot doing something most filmmakers never do: learning who you actually are. He'll ask you to share memories, stories, names, and moments. He'll read what you send him. He'll think about your life the way a writer thinks about a character — looking for the threads that connect everything.
By the time your shoot day arrives, Michael will have developed a set of interview questions written specifically for you. Not generic questions anyone could answer — questions that only you can answer, about things only you have lived through. You'll receive them in advance so nothing feels like a surprise.
What Happens
- Intake questionnaire at your own pace
- Pre-production conversation to go deeper on key themes
- Michael develops your custom interview question guide
- Location confirmed and logistics coordinated
- You receive your questions in advance
The Shoot Day
This is the day most people are nervous about. It almost always turns out to be their favorite part.
The shoot is designed to feel like a conversation, not a performance. There's no script. There's no teleprompter. There's no list of things you're supposed to say. Michael asks. You talk. That's it.
The crew is deliberately small and unobtrusive — the goal is to create a room that feels intimate and safe, not a production set. Many clients forget the camera is there within the first twenty minutes. That's exactly when the best material starts to come.
We shoot at a location that makes sense for your story — your home, a place of significance, or a simple, beautifully lit studio. Whatever puts you most at ease.
What Happens
- Michael arrives early to set up — you don't lift a finger
- A relaxed walk-through before the camera rolls
- The interview: guided by Michael, at your pace, in your voice
- B-roll footage of you, your space, and any meaningful objects or locations
- Breaks whenever you need them — this is your day
Post-Production
This is where the footage becomes a film.
Michael edits your interview down to its essential truth — the moments that land, the stories that reveal, the pauses that say as much as the words. Every cut is intentional. Every frame earns its place.
Your film receives a professional color grade, a full sound mix, and a carefully chosen score — music that serves the story without overwhelming it. The result should feel cinematic without feeling produced. Warm without feeling sentimental. Honest above everything.
You'll receive a private preview link before final delivery. If there's something you'd like adjusted, we'll discuss it. The goal is a film you're proud to share.
What Happens
- Michael edits raw footage into a cohesive, emotionally resonant film
- Color grading and professional sound mix
- Licensed score selected and integrated
- Archival photos or home footage incorporated (if applicable)
- Private preview link sent for review
- Final revisions addressed before delivery
Delivery & Beyond
Your completed film is delivered privately — a secure link your entire family can access from anywhere in the world. No algorithm, no platform, no expiration. Just your film, available whenever someone wants to watch it.
Every engagement also includes an archival USB keepsake — a physical copy of your film, packaged to last. Something you can hand to your grandchildren the way you'd hand them a photograph.
This isn't a transaction that ends at delivery. Legacy House Films clients become part of a small, carefully kept community of people who made the decision to preserve something irreplaceable. Michael stays in touch. The film lives on.
What Happens
- Final film delivered via private, secure digital link
- Archival USB keepsake included with every engagement
- Optional: short-form cuts for family sharing (add-on)
- Optional: private screening coordination (Legacy Story and above)
- Film archived in multiple formats for long-term preservation
Common Questions
Everything you're wondering, answered.
Everyone says this. No one means it. In 25 years of interviewing people, Michael has never met someone without a story worth telling. The job isn't to make you interesting — it's to find the interesting that's already there. It always is.
Good. The moments people are most worried about — the tears, the pauses, the catch in the voice — are almost always the moments that mean the most to the people who eventually watch the film. You're not performing. You're remembering. That's supposed to feel like something.
Michael handles all the preparation. You'll receive your interview questions in advance, and you're welcome to think about them — but you don't need to memorize anything or write anything down. The best answers come from people who are simply present. Show up. The rest will take care of itself.
From first conversation to finished film, most Legacy Interview engagements take six to eight weeks. The Legacy Story and Family Heritage Edition vary depending on scope — Michael will give you a clear timeline during your discovery call.
The first step is the easiest one.
Schedule a discovery call. No paperwork, no commitment, no camera. Just a conversation about your story — and what it might look like on film.
Schedule Your Discovery Call →Or write to us at info@legacyhousefilms.com