A video interview with an elderly relative can preserve not just information but presence — the sound of a voice, the way someone gestures, how their face changes when they talk about something they love. Done well, it is one of the most valuable things you can create for a family. Done poorly, it produces footage that is unusable or a conversation that feels like an interrogation. The difference comes down to preparation and the way you manage the experience for your subject.
Equipment: What You Actually Need
You do not need professional equipment. A modern smartphone records video at a quality that would have been considered broadcast standard a decade ago. What matters more than the camera is sound and light.
Sound is the most commonly neglected element. Camera microphones pick up room noise, air conditioning, distant traffic, and movement. If your relative speaks quietly or has a soft voice, this matters enormously. An inexpensive clip-on lavalier microphone (lapel mic) that plugs into a phone or recorder is a worthwhile investment — they are available for well under twenty pounds or dollars. Alternatively, a phone held closer than a camera position will capture better audio than a phone propped across the room.
For light, seat your subject facing a window if possible. Natural side-light is flattering and warm. Avoid placing them with their back to a window (they become a silhouette) or under harsh overhead lighting (unflattering shadows). If filming in the evening, a lamp positioned to one side, at or slightly above face height, works well.
Framing
A medium close-up — head and shoulders, with some space above the head — is appropriate for interview footage. Avoid extreme close-ups, which can feel confrontational, and wide shots that make the person feel small in the frame. Place the camera at eye level or very slightly below; filming from above is subtly diminishing. If your subject sits in a particular chair they favour, use that chair — familiarity makes them more comfortable.
For longer sessions, consider filming at a table where they can have a glass of water. A drink nearby gives your subject a natural pause mechanism — they can take a sip when they need to collect their thoughts — and reduces the self-consciousness of sitting in an empty chair being watched.
Making Them Comfortable
Spend time before you start filming just talking. Do not introduce the camera or recording until the conversation feels natural. When you do set up equipment, be matter-of-fact about it — excessive fussing makes it feel like a bigger deal than it needs to be.
Tell them this is for the family, not for public broadcast. Many older people are self-conscious on camera; knowing the audience is private and loving makes a difference. Give them permission to stop at any time, to skip questions, or to say they would rather not discuss something. This permission, paradoxically, often makes people more willing to talk.
Question Pacing
Start with questions that are easy and concrete: where were you born, what were the names of your siblings, what was your first job? These warm the person up without requiring reflection or emotion. Save more complex questions — about relationships, regrets, what they want people to know — for when the conversation has found its rhythm.
Leave silence. Many interviewers rush to fill pauses, but older people sometimes need a moment to locate a memory. A pause before they speak is often where the most valuable material lives. Ask follow-up questions to specific details rather than asking broad open-ended questions: not “what was your childhood like?” but “you mentioned your grandmother’s kitchen — what did it smell like?”
Two hours is usually the maximum for a comfortable session. Schedule a break at the midpoint, and watch for signs of fatigue: shorter answers, repetition, loss of focus. End while the person is still engaged, not when they are exhausted.