• Interview of a Lifetime

  • It’s the interview that really matters – the Interview of a Lifetime. The voice, the smile, the look in the eye – keep them forever by asking the questions that matter now, while you can.

    Our conversations are recorded on the highest quality video, produced by experienced professionals. Filming is done in the interviewee’s home, with all editing and post-production included, making a seamless process as easy as possible.

    We’ve produced dozens of interviews and invariably people love being part of it. And their families love it even more!

    An interviewee smiling during a relaxed conversation at home

    How it works

    1. 1. We chat first, maybe several times

      You contact us and let us know about your mum, dad, friend who you’d like to record. We have a long chat with you so we understand as much as possible about them and what matters most to you. We need to know how to steer the conversation to get the best result.

      We also chat with them directly to put them at ease. We are happy to visit early on and meet in person as this helps us know them even better.

    2. 2. Interview day

      We come to their home, or anywhere they prefer. Set up is quick, and we have a relaxed conversation about their life, their memories, what matters most – all filmed on the spot.

    3. 3. The result

      The interview is edited so it’s smooth, warm and truly reflects the person (or couple) we spoke with. The editing process then takes two to three weeks.

      You check and approve, we then deliver the final copy in any format you choose eg. USB, disk, secure online link.

    Enquire now

  • The Interview

    We help people record a lifetime of stories, in their voice, and shape them into a rich life story that can be held forever.

  • The Founders

    As professionals at Interview, we will craft and produce a conversation with your parent, grand-parent or friend, leaving you with a treasured memento.

    Ian MacWilliams

    Ian MacWilliams

    Ian has worked in film and television for over 40 years. He loves capturing the simplicity of people talking about their own lives.

    With a focus on sound for much of his career, Ian has worked on all types of audio post production from radio and TV commercials, through to top end television drama. This includes productions such as RocKwiz, The Castle, Offspring, Miss Fisher and many more. Ian’s expertise has seen him expand into podcast production and talking book audio. Ian is the video, light and sound expert in the Interviews team.

    Jeff Trounce

    Jeff Trounce

    Jeff has a long history in publishing and content strategy. He genuinely enjoys working with people and getting results they are happy with.

    Jeff has held senior roles at Lonely Planet, Wiley and Hardie Grant Media and has worked with countless clients – individuals, groups, companies and governments – crafting stories and ideas across all media to be shared with others. Much of this work has been in conjunction with creative agencies handling media and production, and much of it has been direct, but all of it involves working with people to get the best results. Jeff’s direction and personal stamp has been key to all his work, especially these conversations with people about their lives.

  • Testimonials

    The process felt so natural. I was nervous at first, but it just turned into a conversation. The final film blew us away.

    Sarah

    We couldn't have asked for a better experience. Everything felt relaxed and genuine, and the final video captured our story perfectly.

    James

    Thank you so much for the wonderful video interview. It really gave me pleasure thinking back over all those working years about what I have achieved. You helped me capture that.

    Deborah

    I would just like to let you know that sadly our dear dad passed away last week, one week before his 93rd birthday. We had a beautiful service last Wednesday, celebrating his life. We will be forever grateful for the video interview you made with Mum and Dad - this will always be treasured. Thank you Ian and Jeff.

    Maria

  • Packages

    Choose from our range of packages to find the perfect fit for you and your family’s needs.

    Individual
    $3,950

    The all-inclusive fee for a one-person interview is $3,950. This includes all management and co-ordination, research, interview time, editing and post-production, and delivery of the final product in your preferred format.

    Payment terms are 50% on signing and 50% on delivery of final product.

    Travel Costs: there are no additional travel costs if the interview is within the Melbourne metro area. For further afield there are nominal travel costs for time – give us a call to discuss.

    Enquire now

    Couple
    $4,950

    The all-inclusive fee for a couple interview is $4,950. This includes all management and co-ordination, research, interview time, editing and post-production, and delivery of the final product in your preferred format. Essentially there is more time involved for couples, both for the interview and the editing.

    Payment terms are 50% on signing and 50% on delivery of final product.

    Travel Costs: there are no additional travel costs if the interview is within the Melbourne metro area. For further afield there are nominal travel costs for time – give us a call to discuss.

    Enquire now

    Custom

    Do you have a custom request?

    Whether you’re looking for a longer feature, a shorter highlight video, or something tailored for a funeral or memorial, we’re here to help.

    We are also experienced in corporate histories, family company histories and commercial branding production.

    We also produce podcasts and can manage book publishing options.

    No worries at all, just let us know what you’re after and we can put a range of ideas for you to think about. It’s the Interview of a Lifetime after all, so let’s give it what it deserves.

    Enquire now

  • FAQs

    We’ll chat well ahead of the interview day to make sure this is relaxed and fun. Our questions generally run chronologically from early in life to later, but we aim to focus on what matters most to the family and the people being interviewed – it’s a gentle conversation, so the heart and soul will bubble to the top, guided by what we hear and what we’re told in the pre-interview chats. We’re professionals and we deliver a tight, warm, insightful memento.

    The time can vary with each individual or couple but generally we aim for three to four hours in total, including set up. From this we will aim to edit to a final version of 35 to 45 minutes.

    Every story is unique, so there’s no set length. Most finished films are between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the amount of footage, the number of interviews, and any photos or home videos included. Our focus is always on creating something engaging, heartfelt, and beautifully paced - never longer than it needs to be. We have found that longer than 45 minutes tends to be watched and shared less often than a shorter length. We are happy to talk about this with you.

    Absolutely. We encourage you to include family photographs, home videos, letters, and other meaningful keepsakes that help bring your story to life. Music can also be incorporated where appropriate, helping enhance the emotion and atmosphere. We’ll guide you through what works best and how to provide everything before editing begins. Be aware this all takes extra time in post-production, so there are minor extra costs.

    The person or couple interviewed owns the copyright. Once your film is complete and delivered, it's yours to enjoy and share with family and friends. We retain the copyright to the production itself, but you receive a perpetual licence to watch, copy, and privately share it as you wish. The video will never be reproduced or shown anywhere by IOAL without their consent.

    You could. But will you ever get around to it? What we bring is the experience of knowing how to put people at ease, ask thoughtful questions, gently guide the conversation, and capture beautiful sound and visuals. Being independent and not part of the family allows us to ask questions that will capture the essence of the person or couple in a way that can be hard to do when you’re already part of the family. Also, you’re paying for a professional studio with sophisticated sound, light and post-production facilities all working for you.

  • Contact

    We’d love to speak to you about capturing an Interview of a Lifetime for someone close to you. Tell us a little about who the interview is with and we’ll take care of the rest.

    If you prefer to reach out to us directly by phone or email, please
call Jeff:

    0413 085 965
    jeff@ioal.com.au