Robin Bellamy has always been a student of history and now he is hoping to share that passion so local families can discover and share their own stories through the generations.
With help from partners Tom Simes and Myron Glova of Five Stone Films, Legacy Pictures puts family histories in the spotlight by creating documentary style video autobiographies, creating a timeline that can be continued by each family well into the future.
“We really want families to take what we do and carry it on throughout the years,” Bellamy explained.
It’s a rather simple process, Bellamy and his team sit the family members down together to share their memories. Each member is filmed and once the editing process starts the interviews are cut into a cohesive, thorough one- to two-hour long video.
“Once someone starts telling the story, other people like to add to it,” Bellamy says explaining why they prefer to interview everyone together. “It’s kind of back and forth.”
The filming process can take an entire afternoon, starting with the story of how each couple met before working outwards to childhood — with Bellamy collecting any old photos or videos that will help illustrate the family’s journey.
Once completed, the finished product is delivered on DVD and a USB stick — though you get a lot more than simply the edited version Bellamy said, noting they also do small edits on the full interview, removing pauses and hesitation so the family can have the whole experience to look back on.
“Most families are happy with that edited video,” he says. “But come 100 years from now, I don’t know about you but if I could have seen my grandfather milking a cow in Russia for 20 minutes I would have loved that. So the full interview is for those future family members who might want to look back.”
In the end it’s all about sharing history and giving anyone the opportunity to leave behind a legacy.
“Everybody has a legacy to tell,” Bellamy says. “It’s not about money or how well known you are. It’s about you telling the story about what made you the person you are.”
Myron Glova, left, the vice president of Five Stones Films, with Robin Bellamy, of Legacy Pictures, at the Legacy Picture’s studio in Saskatoon on March 11, 2019. The aim of Legacy Pictures is to turn your personal history into a feature-length film, all shot in the comfort of your own home.
Legacy Pictures
Owner: Robin Bellamy
Address: B3 – 3501 8th Street East
Hours: Contact for appointment
Phone: 306-230-0045
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Erin Petrow is a reporter at The StarPhoenix. If you have started or moved a small business in Saskatoon within the last few months, contact her at epetrow@postmedia.com.