How To: Create a Family History Video

A beautiful and lasting story can be told by creating a family history slide show on cd. I do this each year around Christmas and send it to family members and friends, as an update. They are deeply touched and can't get through it without crying and enjoy some laughs as well.

I use "Proshow" software, but there are other programs similar and with various features. You can add pictures, background music, titles, captions, as well as timed transition effects. Pictures, music and effects can be synchronized. There are updated programs that offer even more features, such as ability to add sound clips, voice-overs, etc. Pictures can be easily dragged and dropped and moved around to set up in chronological order, if that's your preference.

You can add any type of music from easy listening to rock and roll and anything in between. You can create on cd's, but format for DVD, VCD, and CD, which allows you to playback on a computer or dvd player. Format ability will depend on the program you use and playback and your dvd player's capability. The possibilities are broad and the cost is relatively inexpensive.

For a family history slide show, I started with an introduction slide, a pretty background, created by using photo editing software, then adding a caption, "It all started with one boy, one girl". I used the song, "One Boy, One Girl", by Collin Raye for the beginning background music. The song fit perfectly with the pictures of my mother and father when they were dating, then married

Pictures of myself, my brother and sister as babies and then growing up, were added along with the song "Thanks Again" by Ricky Skaggs. It's a beautiful dedication to parents. The one picture I hold dear is my father sitting on a porch holding this tiny bundle, that was me. I could see his pride and love. I added several pictures of holidays and everyday situations. Some were humorous and some were more sentimental.