Laura Griffin, Family filmmaker, Ireland

What is your favourite childhood images or old family video clips that you have? That one image or video you would grab and take with you to a desert island.

What makes it so valuable? Is it the familiar but forgotten voices you get a chance to hear again; or maybe it reminds you of a time in your life that you would love to go back to. Are there any photos or film clips that you wish you had from your childhood? Maybe a favourite family tradition you used to love doing or a snapshot of a family relationship that was special to you?

These moments that you are creating today with your family, the moments you are capturing now, are what your children will have to look back on in years to come. What special moments do you want them to be able to relive when they are older? 

Thinking back…

Whenever I think back on some of my favourite memories, it’s usually only a distinct few seconds or a short scene that I can remember. For the details in-between what can be remembered, my siblings and I try and fill them in as best we can but we often have very different versions of events. I’m doubtful we will ever get to the bottom of some of those stories…

Thankfully we have albums full of photos (Thanks, mom!) and stacks of VHS-C footage (Thanks, dad!) to look back on and fill in some of those missing bits and pieces as well as jog new memories that we had long forgotten about.

While the footage is entertaining in its own right, I find it interesting to watch through a different lens years later. To see what it says about the time I grew up in and the changes since; not only in clothing and hair styles (I did have some questionable perms back in the day), but how we passed our spare time, for better or worse. And what we were consuming back then, not just in terms of food but also books, TV, media, etc… It offers interesting insight into my past that I’m grateful to have.

Here are a few of my favourite home footage clips.

SISTER TIME

While we were growing up, my sister and I spent a lot of time together. I loved playing with her and with my numerous stuffed animals so having a short clip of our little interactions and voices is lovely to have to look back on.  

CINDERELLA 

This clip brings me back to our summer camping trips in our Palomino pop-up; smoky campfires, cycling around the campsite and getting bitten despite putting on loads of mosquito repellant!

SWIMMING TIME

Looking back and seeing myself do an activity that I would still be enjoying 30+ years later is fun to rewatch. I’m grateful to have been able to take lessons from such a young age so now I’m even faster at swimming away from jellyfish (or running into them!).

Next time, when you are snuggling on the couch for reading time or when they really want to help with the washing, pull out the camera and film a few of these simple, everyday moments. When they are older, they might enjoy seeing a few of these simple everyday moments (and it might clarify a few disagreements in the process!). 

Check out some of the home footage I have created for my clients to look back on in years to come and remember way back when.

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