About Lisa Pierce and Our Personal History
I started making films for a very personal reason. My grandfather was a great storyteller who I loved very much. Back in the 1980s, I recorded him telling me stories about his life.
After he passed away, I listened to the tapes. They needed editing and were degrading quickly. I wanted my children to hear them and understand who he was. I thought about how much more interesting and enjoyable they would be if old footage and photographs could accompany my grandfather’s voice. I needed to learn how to make movies.
Since then, I have made many personal films about people’s lives. Often, the making of a movie marks a significant event, such as a birthday, graduation, retirement, anniversary or death. Working closely with people who have recently lost a spouse or loved one has been profound and rewarding.
After he passed away, I listened to the tapes. They needed editing and were degrading quickly. I wanted my children to hear them and understand who he was. I thought about how much more interesting and enjoyable they would be if old footage and photographs could accompany my grandfather’s voice. I needed to learn how to make movies.
Since then, I have made many personal films about people’s lives. Often, the making of a movie marks a significant event, such as a birthday, graduation, retirement, anniversary or death. Working closely with people who have recently lost a spouse or loved one has been profound and rewarding.
Lisa Edey Pierce
I draw on my background as a counselor and as an artist and designer. Working together with clients, we create films that are rich, beautiful and very meaningful.
All too often I hear “I wish I had filmed him/her while I still could have.” Whether you choose to do this yourself or hire a pro, I encourage you to “get off your good intentions” and take the time to film or just capture the stories of the people you love.
We all have old tapes and photographs that are deteriorating in boxes. Watching them come to life with “voice-overs” and music is a powerful experience. Preserving them for future generations is a gift.