The Process

The following outline provides a general overview of our methodology. There are multiple steps which we are happy to describe in more detail. Please contact us for a free consultation.

PRELIMINARIES

Defining Wishes & Goals

Each client is unique, and our initial conversations will help us understand your wishes, define a course of action, and develop a project proposal.

Budgets & Agreements

Budgets range greatly depending on the scope, format, and amount of production involved. Life History services will submit a personally tailored project budget after determining with you the scope, format, and approximate length of your project. Each project proposal also includes standard oral history agreements regarding copyright, confidentially, and our commitment to the ethical standards of oral history. We are committed to our agreements and keep you apprised every step of the way. For a general price list or an individual estimate, please contact us.

Scheduling & Logistics

During this time of global pandemic, we are scheduling most interviews remotely, on a case by case basis. Normally, recorded oral history interviews run anywhere from 2 to 12 hours in length and are scheduled over several days or weeks at the location of a narrator’s choosing. Individual interview sessions normally run 90 to 120 minutes.

INTERVIEWS

Pre-Interviews

All projects begin with a pre-interview meeting of approximately two hours in length. Pre-interviews serve to choose basic themes and topics for the recorded interviews, gather family history and background information, prepare the narrator for the recorded interview(s), and provide the interviewer with a focus for research and interview development.

Recorded Interviews

A well-researched and skillful interview is the core any successful project. Regardless of the final format you choose, our recorded interviews are designed to capture the unique personality, voice, and life experiences of the narrator.

POST PRODUCTION

After the interviews are recorded, Life History Services begins our post-production phase. Depending on your specific project, post production may include things like interview transcription, memoir writing, audio and video editing, graphic design, and self-publishing. Post-production and project delivery is normally completed within 4-12 months of the final interview.

TECHNOLOGY

Life History Services provides all the equipment necessary to produce high-quality, archivally safe recordings. Since one cannot go back in time and improve upon the original sound and picture quality, we are committed to using state-of-the-art video and audio recorders, microphones, lights, as well as up-to-date hardware and software. We know how to operate it, and we will deliver everything to you on a project hard drive, cloud storage system, and hard copy for reading, viewing, and/or listening.

You conduct the interviews with insight, being inquisitive enough to make it interesting and yet with the discretion to make the person feel comfortable

Ariel Cojuc

Grandmother, Mexico

As the Archivist of Temple Emanu-El, an historic San Francisco congregation founded in 1850, my association with Ms. Hecht began in 2004 when she and I embarked on a project to digitize a series of decade-old oral histories she conducted in the 1990s. I cannot emphasize enough my respect for Ms. Hecht’s professionalism and for the initiative, creativity, and practicality she brought to our project. Furthermore, as I watched each of the interviews she conducted on behalf of Temple Emanu-El, I was especially struck by the sensitivity with which she guided her subjects. It was readily apparent that her preparation for each interview was extensive and that her ability to gain the trust of each subject and engage him or her in a lively, meaningful conversation was impressive. In addition, the supplementary written materials, which accompanied each interview could not have been more expertly produced.

Paula Freedman

Archivist, Edith S. Green Oral History Project of Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco, CA

I wanted you to know how meaningful the making of the oral history was for me. You are just a pro.

Fae

Grandmother, California

Being videotaped was so much easier than I had anticipated. Many of my concerns were eliminated at our first preliminary meeting.

Raymond Marks

Banker, California

The preliminary meeting also made me more comfortable so that at the interview itself, I could relax, ignore the camera and just have a pleasant chat, reminiscing with you.

Melvin

Retired Businessman, California

Being interviewed was a moving experience for me largely because of your sensitivity and capacity to sense the directions into which we should head.

Hildegard

Psychotherapist, California

Anita’s work is something we treasure. I have always believed in leaving a record of our family’s history to my children, grandchildren, and beyond, but I had no idea how captivating and meaningful the process would be. Our project soon became multigenerational, with Anita skillfully interviewing my parents, my wife’s parents, and my children as they grew up. Words are inadequate to express how much I treasure the gift these well-written and recorded family stories will be for my family as the future marches on. Anita is the best.

Scott Cook

Founder & CEO, Intuit

Your skills as an oral historian are impressive — from start to finish — from researching a hell of a lot of information to careful interviewing to a beautiful final presentation. You were not only informed, but you asked intelligent questions and listened thoughtfully and carefully. I applaud your efforts and I recommend you and your services without hesitation.

Congressman David R. Obey

It’s been a wonderful experience. One great advantage of an oral history conducted by a pro, like yourself, is you think at the time you know everything you’re going to say and remember. And then in the context of a focused, professional interview, a light goes on and you remember things that had been buried. We’re talking about the obvious, and suddenly, buried, hidden under the obvious, is new stuff. It’s wonderful!”

Kenneth Roy Feinberg

Attorney, Special Master, 911 Victim Compensation Fund

Ms. Hecht created an atmosphere of trust and comfort, both of which helped me to relate the rather difficult yet significant experiences of my life.

Hans

Holocaust Survivor, Wisconsin