The Trick is to Make The Video While They’re Still Alive.
My video interview with “Ray ‘The Cabbie” Austin as he talked about a robbery at gunpoint and his encounters with Actors Greer Garson, Paul Newman, J. Carrol Nash and Bob Hope is a piece of invaluable American folklore about a local legend who drove the streets of L.A. in the 1950’s. As it turns out Ray was more than just a cabbie. His resume is beyond anything you could imagine. That interview turned out to be one of the most fascinating of my career as a professional L.A. Videographer, and the fact that it even exists makes a great argument for more people to record the life histories of their beloved elders. Ray’s video will be released once permissions are granted.
Revealing the wealth of incredible stories tucked away in the minds of our elders is the sweet essence of biographical videography, but one has to have the foresight to do it while the opportunity still exists. I hope you’ll find the motivation one day to record the life history of a beloved elder, because the day may come when you have occasion to contemplate the loss of a loved one…a whole magnificent life lived…and then gone. That’s the moment you’ll be humbled by the amazing significance of your accomplishment.
When I interviewed my parents, Manny and Sylvia Gold, now both deceased, I learned about my grandfather’s erratic driving that landed him in the middle of a military convoy in downtown New York City, his loss of practically everything he had during the stock market crash in the 1920’s, my father’s military service and heroism while fighting in the European theater with General Patton’s army at the Battle of the Bulge during World War Two, the armed robbery of worshipers at a Jewish temple by sing- sing escapees and my father’s own narrow escape. Watch an excerpt from Manny & Sylvia’s video.
Capturing stories like these is the focus and the reward for this very fortunate Los Angeles videographer.
More videos are available to watch at www.24ktsound.com in the video galleries.