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Lessons from History for Genealogists – Episode 15 Elevenses with Lisa
Episode 15 Video and Show Notes
Live show air date: July 9, 2020
Join me for Elevenses with Lisa, the online video series where we take a break, visit and learn about genealogy and family history.
In the last episode #14 we talked about how important it is to tell our stories. Then we went through the process of creating videos about the stories in our family history.
Every family’s story dovetails with history at large. That is certainly true for Daniel Horowitz and his family.
Daniel’s family experienced the horrors of the Holocaust. Many of his relatives tragically perished, and those who survived narrowly escaped to locations around the world like Trinidad and Venezuela.
Just a few decades later, Daniel and his family were once again forced to flee unforeseen and devastating societal upheaval. He and his young family left Venezuela and made their home in Israel.
Singer Family – 1920, Czernowitz, Ukraine
My Guest: Daniel Horowitz, Genealogy Expert at MyHeritage
Daniel is the company liaison with genealogy societies and media, lecturing, and attending conferences around the world. Dedicated to genealogy since 1986, he taught and edited the family history project “Searching for My Roots” in Venezuela for 15 years. (Learn more about MyHeritage.)
I’m grateful Daniel is willing to share his very personal story and talk about what we can learn from history.
What a powerful and inspiring story! And notice that as he told us his story out loud, he discovered new insight into some of the parallels in his family tree. Storytelling doesn’t just benefit the listener. The storyteller continues to learn as well.
Further reading:
In the video I referenced an article I wrote last year on the Genealogy Gems blog called Standing in Judgment of Our Ancestors.
From You
Lucinda wrote in to share how episode 14 on making videos got her wheels turning, and the success she recently had using strategies from my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox.
Available in the Genealogy Gems Store
Resources
Live Chat PDF– Click here to download the live Chat from episode.
Show Notes PDF – Genealogy Gems Premium Members can click here to download the show notes PDF for this episode. (Log in required.) Become a Premium Member here.
Your Help Makes a Difference
If you enjoy this show and you want to keep them coming, you know what to do: click that Thumbs Up icon for me on YouTube. This helps our distribution tremendously. Simply click where it says YouTube in the lower right corner of the player above and it will take you to this video on YouTube where you can click the Thumbs Up icon.
Please Leave a Comment
I hope you’ll take a moment and let me know in the Comments section below what resonated with you in this episode.
How to Make Family History Story Videos – Episode 14 Elevenses with Lisa
Episode 14 Video and Show Notes
Live show air date: July 2, 2020
Join me for Elevenses with Lisa, the online video series where we take a break, visit and learn about genealogy and family history.
Today I want to help you create videos. This may not be really high on your to do list currently, but perhaps it should be. Short compelling videos can have real impact on your family, helping them to understand and appreciate the family history. Videos shared can also elicit unexpected additional stories from viewers in your family. And a video leaves a beautiful legacy behind of your genealogy research.
In last week’s Elevenses with Lisa show, you saw a short video I created for Doris using the story she sent me in an email and a few photos and documents. This week you’re going to hear from another viewer, Kathy Nielsen, a Children’s Librarian in Monterrey, CA, a genealogist, and a new Grandma. We’re going to talk about her experience creating a short family history story video. I think hearing her experience will help give you an overview of what’s involved, and how really doable it is. Then I will follow up with an overview of the basic video creation process and tips help you be successful in your efforts.
Video Creation Process Notes
Select the Story
- Sometimes what is interesting to us are not interesting to a wider audience.
- Keep your audience in mind.
- Family, who are not genealogists are used to video entertainment.
A few story examples:
- A couple’s meeting and marriage
- An ancestor’s military career
- Why a family immigrated to America
Try creating a video that:
- strives to grab the viewer’s attention
- touches them emotionally
- focuses on one story
“You need to have some kind of emotional hook” Kathy Nielsen
Ask yourself: “Why am I so fascinated with this story?”
3 Key Questions
- Who will watch? (Friends, relatives? Ages? Genealogy interest?)
- Where will they watch? (Online, social media, email, offline DVD?)
- How long would they watch? (Suggestions: 1 min. for social media, 3 min. for YouTube/website, and 10 min. for family gathering)
What is the right length for a video? Generally speaking, keep it short! Kathy says, “An hour is too long. You lose the interest of your group.”
Set an achievable goal: 3 minutes
Write the script
- Shorten it to make it a little more powerful
- Practice and Record the Audio
- Practice reading your script, then record it.
- Pacing is very important.
- Try recording your script a few times. Edit as needed.
Keep in mind, not every video needs narration. You may not be comfortable recording your voice, or even writing a script, and that’s OK. Simply create an outline and use text titles to move the story along where needed. Videos that aren’t narrated are perfect candidates for adding music.
Collect the Content (Digitized photos and videos)
Listen to your voice recording and that will jog ideas for images that would fit well. Copy old family photos, documents etc. into a project folder on your computer.
You can fill in the blanks for content you don’t have. You can use public domain images. This week’s Genealogy Gems newsletter included a tip for using the free images at the Library of Congress’ Free to Use and Reuse Sets web page. Sign up for the free Genealogy Gems Newsletter here.
Internet Archive has copyright-free images. You can also google for copyright-free images as well as filter an image search down by usage. (See the chapter on Image Search in my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox.)
When in doubt about your rights to use an image, request permission from owners.
Digitize your old home movies and incorporate them. I use Larsen Digital. They can handle all types of media formats and offer special discount for my viewers and readers. They are returned as MP4 digital files that can then be cut into shorter clips using a video editing program. Click here for special Larsen Digital discount only for Genealogy Gems.
Editing
“Sometimes what you leave out is as important as what you leave in.” – Lisa Louise Cooke
Videos are really layers of content: audio, music, graphics (photos and videos)
The Ken Burns effect that Kathy referred to is effective to create movement with static images and elicit emotion. (Zooming in and out.) The animation and movement can help bring out the emotion of the story. It can help you guide your viewer to what really matters and move that story forward.
Video Creation Tools
Videos Tools in Many Shapes and Sizes: mobile apps, web-based tools, and software. You can create slideshow type videos, or fully produced movie-style videos that include video and customized features.
Kathy used We Video. Monthly or annual subscription $8/month billed annually ($96)
I recommend Camtasia because you pay one fee, and you own it. It has all the tools you need and loads of templates, music and other media assets. Software like this takes longer to learn how to use, but Camtasia offers many free tutorials. ($249 – students and teachers discounts are available.) Click here to learn more. When you use our links we are compensated at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the free Elevenses with Lisa show!
You can also use free apps like Adobe Spark Video. (website and mobile app) We will talk about Spark Video more in depth in an upcoming episode.
You may want to start with a free app, and as you gain confidence, graduate to software.
How much time Kathy spent on her video:
- Script writing and editing (3 hours)
- Time referencing her genealogy software (about an hour)
- Collecting photos (1 hour)
- Time spent finding photos to fill in the blanks (variable)
- Time to learn the video creation program (variable)
Select the Music
- Music included in video editing tools has already been cleared for use.
- YouTube has copyright-cleared music in the Audio Library (See the chapter on YouTube in my book.)
- If you upload a song, be sure you have rights to use it.
Idea for Getting Started
Try following the format of George Ella Lyon’s poem Where I’m From. Listen to Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 185 featuring Ms. Lyon.
Check out this article on the Genealogy Gems website featuring another video version of the poem by a Genealogy Gems Podcast listener: A “Where I’m From” Video and More from Our Poetry Contest
More from my guest in today’s episode, Kathy Nielsen
If you have California roots, visit the Monterey Public Library California History Room: https://www.monterey.org/library/History-Room
Watch Kathy’s webinar “Searching for Your Roots at the Library.” This is a get started webinar on how to use library resources.
Resources:
This video tutorial series by Lisa Louise Cooke is part of Genealogy Gems Premium Membership.
3-part Genealogy Gems Premium Video Series: Video Magic by Lisa Louise Cooke. Click here to learn more about becoming a member.
In Part 1 you will learn:
- The various types of videos
- key questions you need to answer when preparing your video
- the importance of story and character
- how to create videos your family will want to watch through focus and structure
In Part 2 you will learn:
- how to identify content for your video
- the different types of video editing programs available
- how to select the right program for your project
In Part 3 you will learn:
- how to find free music to use in your video
- understanding copyright issues
- using storyboarding as a video creation tool
- the special details that will make your video memorable
- how to share your video
Live Chat PDF– Click here to download the live Chat from episode 14 which includes my answers to your questions.
Show Notes PDF – Genealogy Gems Premium Members can click here to download the show notes PDF for this episode. (Log in required.) Become a Premium Member here.
DNA Kit Sale
The sale mentioned on this episode has ended.
I Want to Hear from You
Please leave a comment below and let me know if you enjoyed this episode. Outline your first video story this week and then leave a comment or question about the process and your experience. Also, when it comes to creating videos, what would you like to learn more about?
Also, I appreciate your help in spreading the word about Elevenses with Lisa. You’ll find social share buttons on this page or simply copy the URL and paste in a Facebook post. Thank you!
How to get better Google search results faster – Episode 13 Elevenses with Lisa
Episode 13 Video and Show Notes
Live show air date: June 25, 2020
Join me for Elevenses with Lisa, the online video series where we take a break, visit and learn about genealogy and family history.
Today’s Topic: How to get better Google search results faster.
Our Goal: Up to 90% reduction in the number of search results, and higher quality results on the first few pages.
In this session we discussed:
- Identifying what you already have, (the “searchables”) and
- using Google Tools to flesh out the details
- so that we can tell a richer, more complete story.
Start broad and then analyze your results to determine if you need to narrow your search by adding more details and search operators.
Reviewing your initial search results will possibly reveal alternative spellings you may want to explore.
The search operator we used in this episode was quotation marks.
Example: “Washington McClellan”
Quotation marks can be used on single words or phrases. They tell Google that:
- all search results must include in word or phrase,
- the words must be spelled exactly as you spelled them,
- the words in phrases must appear in the order your typed them.
You can have multiple words and phrases in your query.
Example: “mcalister” “harness” shop “logan utah”
If you discover an address during your searching, you can plot it in Google Earth. Search for it in the search box. Click the placemark button in the toolbar (the yellow pushpin icon) to mark the location.
(Learn more about using Google Earth in episode 12 of Elevenses with Lisa available here.)
Time Saving Tips:
- When reviewing large webpages, quickly find your keywords (“searchables”) by doing a Find on Page: Control (PC) or Command (Mac) + F. Type the words in the pop-up box to jump directly to them on the page.
- On the search results page, click Image results in the menu. This allows you to quickly spot sites with images that appear to be applicable to your search goal. Click the image to visit the site.
Use the quotations marks search operator in all of the free Google tools.
Learn More with These Resources
Book: Cooke, Lisa Louise, The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, Genealogy Gems Publications, print.
Video Series: Cooke, Lisa Louise, Google Earth for Genealogy digital video download series, Genealogy Gems Publications,
For a limited time use coupon code EARTH11 to get 25% off both of the resources above at the Genealogy Gems Store here.
Use code EARTH11 to get 25% off
Answers to Your Questions
Gwynn: If I have a My Google Map and pin on those will they show up on the google maps desktop version or do I have to redo them? For example, I have a map of Ohio with ancestor dates and locations.
Lisa: Google has recently added a button to the toolbar that will take you to Google Earth on Chrome. So, if you are looking at your placemark on the map and you click that button, it will open the same general location in Chrome, but currently it will not bring the placemark with it. I would not be surprised at all though if we see that functionality in the future.
Ceirra: I played with Google Earth from last week but couldn’t get back to even 1937???
Lisa: If you mean there were no Rumsey Maps (in the Layers panel) in a particular area, that’s not uncommon. That’s where pulling maps from other sources like the David Rumsey website can help. He has 100,000 maps digitized, searchable and downloadable that you can then use to create an overlay in Google Earth. And there are many, many other online sources for old maps. Read: The Best Way to Find Old Maps for Genealogy at the David Rumsey Website
Cynthia: If we have something from our relatives, what is the best way to put it on the internet to share with others?
Lisa: I really think posting on your own blog is the best way to share. It also provides a vehicle for being found by other researchers interested in your family when they Google. I have videos on the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel explaining how to set up a free Blogger blog.
MargtheCar: Are quotation marks case sensitive?
Lisa: No.
Steve: If you had two different spellings of a name, do you run separate searches for put both spellings in one search?
Lisa: You could run this search: “washington mcclellan” OR “Washington mcclelland”
Kelli: I ordered google toolbox 3. I have the first two. Are they worth sharing – or have things changed enough that I should just toss them? Shelf space, you know :).
Lisa: They are worth sharing if you warn them may encounter some things that no longer work or have changed. Search has some of the biggest changes. The Google Earth section hasn’t changed much since the last edition of the book.
K M Vaughan: Can we legally use the image from the library?
Lisa: Check the website for terms of use, or contact the library for permission.
Gwynn: Lisa, what do you think of the new google books viewer, Im not a fan because I cant see the source.
Lisa: It takes getting used to, I agree! But I think the overview page is actually quite an improvement. I’m publishing a newly updated version of my class Google Books: the Tool I Use Every Day in Premium membership that features the new viewer.
Karen: Can you use – minus?
Lisa: Yes indeed. Here’s an example of combining quotation marks and minus sign in the same query: “Richard Lincoln” -abraham – president
Robyn: I don’t find that the 1850..1880 works for me. What could I be doing wrong
Lisa: Problems could include:
- Running the search on mobile
- You have a space in the string – no spaces
- There are no available results that include those numbers
- Using more or less than 2 periods
K M Vaughan: Can your Google tools on mobile
Lisa: Yes, all the tools (such as Google Books, Scholar, Patents, etc.) can all be used on mobile, however you may find some minor differences, and some search operators may not work.
Cynthia: I have been trying to find the marriage certificate of my grandmother and her 3 husband, in 1953 and cannot find anything. What can I do to marrow the search
Lisa: Without the benefit of seeing the specific situation, I would recommend focusing your search on the record collection you need rather than the names of individual ancestors. I go into detail on this strategy in the book.
Carolyn: What did you use to make the video?
Lisa: I used Camtasia which I LOVE. Stay tuned, because next week we’re going to talk about making videos and some of the my favorite free tools as well.
Doug: What tool do you use to create the entries in Google Earth for the presentation (the autoplay part)?
From Lisa: I used Camtasia. Stay tuned, because next week we’re going to talk about making videos!
Genealogy Gems Premium Member Resources:
Log into your membership here on the website. (Learn more here about Genealogy Gems Premium membership.) In the menu under Premium click Premium Videos and then click the Google topic tile. There you will find videos with downloadable handouts:
- The Google Search Methodology
- 5 Google Search Secrets
Google Video Classes by Lisa Louise Cooke
Today’s Teacup
Blenheim Palace Grand Cabinet china. Learn more about Blenheim Palace, the home of Winston Churchill, at the website.
Garden-side tea time at Blenheim Palace
From You
The best part about teaching is when I get to hear back from you about what resonated with you, and how you used what you heard to make a wonderful discovery. Doris has been a Genealogy Gems premium member since 2015 and she wrote to say “I’m finally listening to the Elevenses series! Just watched Episode 1 and wanted to share a find.”
Doris explained how she used my tip on being sure to turn the page of passport application records to ensure you don’t miss additional pages. She made quite a discovery!
Thank you to Doris for sharing her story. I sent her the video I created and the photo that I enhanced and colorized at MyHeritage.
Enhanced and colorized old family photo – learn more here at MyHeritage.
Click here to try enhancing and colorizing photos for yourself!
Resources:
Live Chat PDF– Click here to download the live Chat from episode 13 which includes my answers to your questions.
Show Notes PDF – Genealogy Gems Premium Members can click here to download the show notes PDF for this episode. (Log in required.) Become a Premium Member here.
I Want to Hear from You
Did you give this Google search operator a try in your genealogy searching this week? Please share your experience. And of course I’m always interested in your questions and feedback. Please leave a comment below. This is your chance to join our community’s conversation!