Frequently asked Questions

How long is a This Is My Story interview session?
The recorded interview itself is 45 minutes. The whole process takes about an hour.

Will anybody be there to help me with the interview?
There will be a facilitator there to walk you through the interview process and to handle all the technical aspects of the recording.

How many people can I bring to my This Is My Story interview?
A two-person interview is ideal: you and your interviewee. (A trained facilitator will be with you as well.) It is possible to include an additional person, but interviews between two people tend to work best.

How early should I arrive?
Please arrive ten to fifteen minutes before your scheduled interview time.

What should I bring? What should I do to prepare?
Bring a list of questions with you or allow time to choose questions from our suggested list. If you would like to decide on a list of questions prior to coming to the interview, we would be happy to email you a list of ideas that you can choose from before you come to the session.

Can I come alone?
This Is My Story interviews are designed to be conversations between people who are part of each others' lives, so we ask that you bring a partner. However, we are also happy to ask you the interview questions if you do not have someone you can bring with you to conduct the interview.

Can I read something during my recording?
If you have something short to read, like a poem, a short story or song, that's fine. But, in general, This Is My Story interviews are designed to be conversations, so the recording should be unscripted.

Can I bring my child/grandchild?
We suggest that you do not bring a child with you for an interview who is younger than 10 years of age.

Can I just show up?
You need to make a reservation - we can't take walk-in appointments.

Can I do more than one interview?
Yes. You are welcome to schedule as many interviews as you would like.

Can I order extra copies of my interview?
Yes. We can make additional copies of the CD for you at an additional cost. You are also free to burn copies of the interview CD yourself, and most copy centers will copy CDs for approximately $10 each.