What’s a good age to start recording people?

Oral histories take a lot of focus, concentration, reflection and willingness to be present in the moment - and that’s from both the interviewer and from the interviewee. Narrate has recorded interviews with 8- year-old children and 99-year-old adults. With patience and an open mind, almost anyone can be successfully interviewed. And don’t forget all of Narrate’s sessions - including questions, length of interview, and location - are tailored for the individual interview subject.

Why would I want to interview a child?

There are so many reasons! Children are often open to new experiences, adventuresome, and excited to share what is on their minds. Remember the world is still pretty new to a young person, and their insights can prove to be insightful - and completely original. All people love to be listened to, and to be heard especially. Like water in the desert, insights spring from the least expected places, and if you give a young person a chance to speak, and reflect, and give them an audience, they can totally amaze! And don’t forget, young people’s voices change as they grow and experience more of the world. You don’t want to lose that!

I’ve been documenting my child since birth. What’s different about what Narrate does?

Fantastic! You should come for for Narrate! Seriously however, our best response to that question has two points - training and distance. We’ve interviewed hundreds of people in our time at Narrate and we are really good at preparing for interviews, learning about individuals and creating an atmosphere for reflection for anyone, no matter their age. Our second point is distance. Bringing in a trained interviewer who is removed from family dynamics allows for different responses and a chance for young person to shine in a spotlight. Imaging the difference in a portrait photographer, and a snapshot on your phone. Both great, but for different reasons.

What’s so special About Narrate?

We’re biased - we’ve seen the benefits storytelling and interviewing have for all those involved. But you have a right to be concerned. This process is personal, and not inexpensive. What’s so special about Narrate is that it demonstrates to the storyteller that you value them, that you WANT to listen to them, that you WANT to learn from them. A gift from Narrate communicates that their life and experiences made a difference to people, and that the world is a better place for them being in it. that We look at this as a gift from a loved one, and for a loved one.