A practical guide
How to make a memorial video
Whether you make it with us or on your own, these are the things that help a tribute film feel right on the day.
01Start from the date of the service
Work back from the day. Collecting photos from family is usually the slowest part, so ask for them straight away. With us, adding photos and approving the script usually takes an evening; the film is made after you approve your preview, and we email you when it’s ready. We can’t promise an exact time, so please don’t leave it until the morning of the service.
02Choose 20 to 60 photos
As a rough guide, a photo held on screen for five to eight seconds feels unhurried, so a five-minute film holds about 40 to 60 photos. A few well-chosen photos are better than many rushed ones.
- A clear portrait that looks like them, to open or close the film
- Childhood and school photos, if the family has them
- Milestones: weddings, new babies, graduations, homes, travels
- Everyday moments: in the garden, at the table, at work, with friends
- A few photos with the people they loved most
- For old prints: photograph them in daylight, without flash, flat and square-on
03Put them in order
Most memorial videos follow a life from beginning to end: childhood, young adulthood, family, later years. Some families prefer chapters by theme, such as family, work, faith and friends. We organize your photos into chapters for you, and you can reorder any scene. Either way, end on a photo that feels like them.
04Fit the time you have
For a service, three to ten minutes is usually right: long enough to tell their story, short enough to hold a room. Ask the funeral director or celebrant how much time is set aside. A longer film can be shared afterwards with family who want to watch it again.
05Questions to ask the family
The narration is where a memorial video becomes theirs. A few honest answers are enough.
- Where did their story begin, and what was home like?
- What did they love doing, and what were they proud of?
- What did they always say?
- Which story about them does the family still tell?
- How do you want people to feel when the film ends?
06What to say
Keep the narration simple and true: who they were, what they loved, what they gave. Use their name, and the names they were called by. Leave room for quiet between lines. If you’re not sure how to begin, start with a place and a year: “Rose was born in 1941, in a small house by the river.”
07Showing it at the service
A little preparation means nobody has to think about the technology on the day.
- Ask the venue early what they can play: a laptop by HDMI, a USB stick, or a link
- Download the film rather than streaming it, so a weak connection can’t interrupt it
- Test it in the room beforehand, with the sound at the volume you’ll use
- Bring a second copy on a USB stick or a phone, just in case
- Send a private link to family and friends who can’t be there