Interview Films
Stories worth keeping.
Interview clip with Caryl R.
There are things about the people we love that we think we'll always remember.
The sound of their voice. The stories they've told a hundred times. The way they laugh. The things they've learned. The details of a life that only they know.
Going West Films creates beautifully filmed interviews and documentary films that preserve those things — in their own words, in their own voice, while they're still here to tell them.
Three ways to tell their story:
01 — THE SIGNATURE INTERVIEW
A beautifully filmed conversation.
A thoughtful, in-depth interview with one person or a couple, filmed in their home or another meaningful location.
I'll guide the conversation with questions designed to draw out the stories, memories, relationships, wisdom, and personality that make them who they are.
Includes:
90+ minute filmed interview
Half-day production
Director + cinematographer
Professional lighting and sound
Edited into thematic chapters
Customized chapter guide
Digital film + keepsake USB
A wonderful choice for:
Someone who wants to preserve their story without making a big production out of it.
Note: The Signature Interview package can be bumped up to one or both of the other packages after the fact- please reach out for details if this applies to you
02 — A DAY IN THE LIFE
Their story, in conversation and in motion.
Everything in The Signature Interview, plus documentary footage of the everyday moments that make their life theirs.
Maybe they're cooking with their grandchildren. Walking the dog. Gardening. Looking through old photographs. Sitting around the dinner table with the people they love.
These moments become part of the film, too.
Includes:
Everything in The Signature Interview
Full day of filming
Two documentary "day-in-the-life" scenes
Each scene professionally edited into a short watchable length
Digital film + keepsake USB
A wonderful choice for:
Someone whose story is as much about how they live as what they have to say.
03 — THE HEIRLOOM FILM
A cinematic portrait of a life.
For families who want something more fully produced, The Heirloom Film weaves the interview together with photographs, home movies, documentary footage, music, and other pieces of a person's life.
The result is a finished short film that you can sit down and watch, screen for a large crowd at an event, or share virutally with loved ones for years to come.
Includes:
Everything in The Signature Interview
A professionally produced 5–7 minute film
Selected interview moments woven into a story
Music + titles
Photographs and home movies (provided by client)
Archival/documentary footage
Color correction + finishing
Client review before final delivery
Digital film + keepsake USB
Photographs and home movies can be digitized for an additional fee.
A wonderful choice for:
An anniversary gift! Or for those who want a memorable, engaging, sharable, professional short film and the full family heirloom experience.
Why Going West?
You can absolutely pull out your phone and record someone you love.
And you should.
But there's something different about sitting down with someone who knows how to ask the right questions, create a comfortable space, listen closely, and turn those moments into a film you'll actually want to watch.
I'm an Emmy-winning filmmaker, former TV producer, and legacy film specialist with 20+ years of experience telling real people's stories.
I'm also trained in contemplative care and end-of-life support, which has taught me how to be present when conversations get personal, emotional, or difficult.
I bring my filmmaking experience and the human connection to the heirloom film space.
THE PROCESS
01 — WE TALK
We start with a conversation about who you'd like to film, what you hope to preserve, and which approach feels right for your family. Once you book your film, we have another call where I learn more about your loved one/s and the life they’ve lived, which helps inform my custom interview questions.
02 — WE FILM
After booking a shoot date that works for everyone, we travel to your loved one’s home or another meaningful location, set up our equipment, and begin filming. My goal is for the experience to feel natural, relaxed, and genuinely enjoyable.
03 — I MAKE THE FILM
I take everything we've captured and shape it in the edit into a linear journey through your loved one’s life. The film comes with a custom Chapter Guide with thematic headings and time code, so you can skip around and watch any section when you choose, or you can watch it all in one go.
04 — YOU KEEP IT
You'll receive your finished film digitally, along with a physical keepsake USB drive, so your family is in charge of preserving it for the future.
Considering this idea for your loved one?
Interview Films make meaningful gifts.
Flowers fade. Objects get tucked away. But a film of someone’s voice, laughter, and stories is a gift that grows more valuable with time.
Contact us for custom gift cards you can give to your loved one.