Generational Story FAQs
Answers to the most common questions
01
What is Generational Story?
Generational Story is the premier app to record, store, organize, and share valuable, personal histories of their loved ones for themselves and generations to come.
Interview clips, taken in a single session or over time, are stored in unique albums. Together, these clips form a life story video that can be viewed as a whole or in brief, natural segments in an online personal file called an album. Photos, descriptions and links may be added to supplement clips.
Comparable professional service packages range from $1000 to over $30,000 in price. Now, through Generational Story’s straightforward interface, you can quickly create individualized albums for you, your loved ones, and your clients at a fraction of the cost.
02
Is Generational Story easy to use?
Yes. Generational Story automatically guides you through the recording process.
The app will initially prompt you to create your first album i.e. 'Jane Doe.' From there, you may immediately begin recording or, if you prefer, plan your interview by loading a series of questions from our suggested list or customize your own questions to step through during the interview.
When you select a question or custom recording during an interview, a record button will appear. Press record to begin recording and stop to finish. When you finish a recording, you will be asked if you wish to 'save' or 'delete' your clip. If you delete, you will be given the option to record again. When you are satisfied, press the 'save' button.
The app will seamlessly process and upload video to your Generational Story album.
03
What are the primary features of Generational Story?
Create, upload, organize and store personal interview online albums.
In-person recording on any smartphone.
Custom, spontaneous, recording mode as well as planned interview options.
Curated, high-impact questions available individually or in personalized templates.
Sharing options for an entire album or individual clips.
Album and clip privacy settings.
Download options.
Dual Sign-on.
Subscriber/Manager may edit all account albums. Contributors have access and editing capabilities for their individual albums.
Company brand name recognition.
Remote video conf recording.
Video Upload from another source.
Add photos, links and descriptions to clips.
QR labels included
04
What advantages are there in using a QR label?
QR placed on objects or documents gives recipients direct access to an album. This offers accessibility for future generations long after login information is forgotten.
QR labels can be linked to either an individual clip or to an entire album. If linked to the album, the user will open to the first clip on the album when scanned. If linked to a clip, the user will open the album to the designated clip. Linking a specific clip may be useful when using QR codes on heirlooms. For example, a person may designate a specific vase to a favorite niece. When the QR code on the vase is scanned, the individual may see the explanation or story of the vase along with a special message to the niece.
We have a variety of QR code labels cover a variety of applications
- Laser-engraved stainless steel for outdoor applications such as a headstone
- Anodized aluminum for indoor/outdoor applications such as a urn, vase or frame
- Thin plastic with archival adhesive for sensitive applications such as photos
05
What are back-up names and emails used for?
At Generational Story, we take our promise to preserve life histories seriously. Should something happen to the owner of an account, the back-up email provides us with an alternative contact to determine if and by whom the account will be maintained.
06
What is a contributor?
You can add contributors to standard or legacy albums. Contributors have editor access to the albums they have been added to. This allows individuals, like family members, to create or enhance an album with video clips, photos, descriptions, and links.
07
How will I know what to ask during an interview?
Generational Story gives you the unique opportunity to plan the interview in advance or simply let the conversation flow.
Plan the Interview in Advance
Before the interview, you may type in your own questions or select from our curated bank. You may edit and organize them in any order prior to the interview and even send a copy to the interviewee. During the interview, once one question is completed, the software will advance to the next question in the queue. You always have the option to skip questions or go off-script and label later. You may end your recording session at any time and pick up again where you left off.
Letting the Conversation Flow
Sometimes spontaneous opportunities arise to archive a unique experience or story. Perhaps you'd like to record a story told at a dinner table or allow the interviewee to reminisce. Simply open the Generational Story app and select the 'custom recording' option to easily capture the moment.
For more suggestions on starting your first interview, see Interview Tips.
08
What does ‘custom recording’ mean and when is it used?
A custom recording is simply an unlabeled recording. For instance, if you want to immediately record a story or go off your planned interview script, select "custom recording." You may always label the clip at a later time before or after saving and uploading the clip to your album.
09
What is the difference between a clip ‘label’ and clip ‘description’?
A Clip Label acts as a title or heading i.e. 'Tell me About Your Mother'. Albums consist of labeled clips. A quick glance through the labels helps viewers select a clip for viewing or sharing. We suggest short labels for quick scanning, but allow up to 70 characters.
A Clip Description appears once a clip is selected. This optional field may be used to give further details about the clip such as background information or a photo link. Descriptions are allowed 240 characters.
10
How do I upload a video?
Open the album
Select the Upload Video tab
Browse your computer to select the video you would like to upload
Note: Video uploads up to 500MB are allowed.
11
How do I upload a photo to a clip?
Once you are in an album select the clip you would like to attach a photo to.
Underneath the video clip you will see the section labeled ‘Picture (optional)’
Click on ‘Browse files’ to upload.
12
What is an audio-only clip?
Owners or contributors may designate a particular video clip as ‘audio-only'. An audio-only clip will not show the visual portion of the video in playback. If a photo is added, the photo will be displayed while the audio is playing.
13
How do I share my recordings?
Share the entire album - You may copy and share the URL for the entire album. The person receiving the link, the 'viewer', will be able to see, re-share, download or order a physical digital copy of all the clips not marked private.
Share a particular clip - Each clip has an associated dropdown menu. A single clip may be instantaneously shared on Facebook or Twitter or the URL may be copied and shared via email. Sharing a clip does not grant access to view the entire album.
14
What is a private clip?
A private clip can only be seen when logged into the account. Thus, only those individuals with login access could see clips marked as private even if the album is shared. This is a good option if there are special concerns such as messages to children that an individual would like to save until after passing away. Clips can be marked private or public through a toggle switch at any time.
15
Can I use my account across multiple devices?
The Generational Story app is free to download. There is no account device limit. You may use your credentials to login to your account on any device. Personal account holders may even choose to share credentials with other family members for them to contribute recordings to a specific person's album (such as a grandmother).
16
Why is there a time limit for clip recordings?
For ease of uploading, sharing and quickly accessing a particular segment in the interview, clips are recorded or uploaded in segments.
17
How can I extend the time limit for a particular topic?
From the mobile app, when you reach 4 min 30 sec on a single clip, an option will appear to "Continue in new clip if time runs out." Unless unselected, the recording will seamlessly advance to the next clip under the current label followed by the sequential order i.e. "Tell me About Your Siblings (2)"', "Tell Me About Your Siblings Clip (3)", etc. On the web app, you may extend the question up to 15 min.
18
How many clips may be stored in an album?
A standard album starts with 50 clips. A legacy album starts with 100 clips. Additional clips may be added for a nominal upgrade cost.
19
How do I track which of the suggested questions have already been recorded?
You can see all the questions that have been answered and remain to be recorded in your queue when you open the album under "Plan Interview." When you are recording, you will also have access to your list of questions to help you anticipate the next question (if you are going in order) or to select a different question in your line-up to be recorded.
20
Can I edit my videos once they are uploaded?
As clips never exceed 5 min, we suggest you delete and redo any short clip you are unsatisfied with. This is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient way to edit without complex software or technical training. (You can always download and edit on a 3rd party platform if required.)
21
What if I want to record from my smartphone in a location without access to wifi?
Once you download the app and open the album, you may use it in any location. When you save the clip, the file is held in your local memory and automatically uploaded when access to the cloud is detected and the app is open. You have the choice in settings to upload only when connected to wifi or using either wifi or data.
22
Do clips recorded on my smartphone unload only when I’m connected to wifi?
By default, if your device is not connected to the internet for uploading, the recordings will remain on your device until an internet connection is established. Once your device detects a connection and the app is open, automatic upload will begin. If you prefer to have uploads occur over data when an internet connection is unavailable, please go to settings and toggle the “Upload clips only if connected to Wi-Fi” to off.
23
How do I view my album?
You may may view your album online, download the clips to your device, or order physical electronic copies on USB devices and 1000-year archival DVDs from the Generational Story store.
24
How do I download an album?
An album owner may choose to download his album at any time in the GS format to store on his own electronic device (i.e. hard drive, USB). To download, open the album and open the top right menu (3 dots next to “Copy link to album”) and click ‘Request download.’
25
Can I use Generational Story albums for more than
storing legacy interviews?
The possibilities are endless. For instance, albums may be used to preserve information such as historical locations or cultural heritage.
The Generational Story platform has also been used to archive and share: special moments in the lives of children, weddings, or memories at family gatherings and funerals.
26
Deletion Policy
At Generational Story, we take our responsibility of storing precious memories seriously. The GS deletion protocol is set up to help ensure that histories are not accidentally lost.
Account Deletion Policy
For accounts with:
No albums - the account may be terminated immediately upon request. This applies only to albums which the user owns. (Trial albums or albums for which the user is a contributor albums do not apply.)
Annual Subscription or Legacy Albums - must have all albums deleted or transferred to another account before the account can be deleted.
Album Deletion
Only the owner can delete an album. Once an album is deleted it cannot be retrieved.
Deleting Standard or Trial albums from an owner’s account:
1. Login to www.generationalstory.com.
2. Open the album to be deleted.
3. Under the About tab click the 3 dot menu in the top right.
4. Select Delete Album.
Deleting a Legacy Album
1. Delete all clips from the album.
2. Follow Deleting Standard Album steps.
Important Note: Legacy albums are one time payment options made to be available into perpetuity without additional cost. It is not anticipated that this album would ever be deleted.
GS story encourages album owners with recorded clips to transfer albums (perhaps to other contributors on the album) rather than deleting them to preserve important recordings.
