What is an Oral History?

An Oral History is a recording of someone telling a story in their own words. Ideally it should convey a sense of who the person being interviewed is and make real in the mind of the listener the story they are telling.

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Why hire someone to record an Oral History?

A professional interviewer will know what questions to ask and how best to draw a story out and make sense of it. In general, when someone has a conversation with someone they don’t know, things get explained more fully. It makes for a much clearer and structured telling.

What’s needed do an Oral History?

An allotted time, in a quiet comfortable space, ideally with table and chairs.

 

What do I get at the end of the Oral History?

An edited hard copy recording of the Oral History.

 

Do you do video?

Generally no, video can be very off putting when talking. In my experience , just recording with microphones gets the best results.

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To Zoom or not to Zoom?

Conducting a remote interview is easy and very convenient, but it works best for short interviews. To build a proper rapport and do an in depth interview, nothing beats face to face.

 

What about quality of sound?

To get a high quality of sound requires specialised  equipment. I use a Rodecaster Pro 2.

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Do you have a DBS?

Yes, I have had a DBS since 2012 and it has been renewed this year.

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So how do I get started?

Go to the Contact page and get in touch. I can help you firm up what it is you want from an Oral History and we can go from there. 

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