Your Elder Has a Story. Your Job Is to Capture It.
Become an investigator and content creator of your elder's life. Document it with RISE Social — for connection and legacy.
A short film they — and your whole family — can keep forever. 🎬
⏱ About 1–2 hours total — an interview session with your elder, then a short editing session to build the film. Parents/guardians: you'll help by scheduling the elder, downloading the prep PDFs, and setting up the recording device.
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You're the Investigator
Ask powerful questions and uncover stories never told before.
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You're the Content Creator
Record, produce, and narrate a 2–3 minute legacy film.
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A Gift to the Future
Your family will carry this story forward for generations.
Before You Begin
🔒 Your data never leaves your device · RISE Social is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit · Privacy Policy
Step 2 of 10
Mission Briefing
Tell us a little about who you are and who you'll be interviewing. This personalizes your whole experience.
Step 3 of 10
Get Ready to Film
Download your prep guides, pick your filming setup, and you're ready to go.
Share the Questions for Your Elder guide 1–2 days before the interview so they have time to think and remember.
Help your teen share the Questions guide with the elder ahead of time — even a quick text or email with the link works great.
Simple rule: Choose Vertical if you're posting to social media. Choose Horizontal for everything else.
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Horizontal
Best for YouTube, TV, and family screenings
16:9
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Vertical
Best for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts
9:16
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Phone Camera
Best audio + video quality. Use the native Camera app. Prop it against something steady.
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Zoom FREE
Free 40-min calls that record to MP4. Your elder doesn't need an account — just send them a link.
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Google Meet FREE
Great when elder is in another city. No app needed — works right in the browser.
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FaceTime
iPhone/Mac only. Very familiar for elders. To record, use QuickTime on Mac — ask a parent for help with this step.
✅ Got it — filming in Horizontal mode. You're all set for Step 4.
Step 4 of 10
Interview Notes
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Complete this step after your interviewCome back here once you've filmed your elder and jot down what stood out. These notes will shape your film.
For each question below, write 2–3 sentences about what your elder said. These help you identify the key stories to pull from your footage.
Don't have AI set up? Just type your notes below — no setup needed.
Or use the Open in Claude.ai button: paste your notes there and ask it to summarize them for you.
Get a free API key →
Step 5 of 10
Upload Your Footage
Add photos and video clips from your interview. These become the visual backbone of your legacy film.
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Drop photos & videos here
or click to browse — JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV supported
That file type isn't supported. Please use JPG, PNG, MP4, or MOV.
💡 What to include
Video clips of your elder speaking, old family photos, photos of meaningful places or objects they mentioned. 5–12 items work well for a 2–3 minute film.
✨ Bonus: A photo of them when they were young — if you can find one — is especially powerful.
Step 6 of 10
Build Your Storyboard
Arrange your photos and clips in the order they'll appear in your film. Use the arrows ↑↓ to reorder — you can rearrange as many times as you want.
🎬 Story arc tip
Think of this like building your film in order: Start with who your elder is, then move through their story and experiences, and end with a reflection or message to the future.
Your photos and clips will appear here once you upload them in Step 5. Come back and arrange them!
Step 7 of 10
Choose Your Film's Mood
The music sets the emotional tone of your legacy film. Click ▶ Preview on any mood to hear what it sounds like before choosing.
Record a short narration to weave the film together. Your voice is the thread that connects past and future.
🎙 Before you record
Your browser will ask for microphone permission — click Allow to continue. Record in a quiet room for the best sound quality.
0:00
Ready to record
🎙 Narration prompts — use these as a guide
Opening
"My [relation][Name] was born in [year] in [place]. Growing up, I never really knew their full story — until now."
Middle — something that surprised you
"When I sat down to interview them, I learned something I had never known before — [a moment from the interview that surprised you]."
Closing
"I made this film so that whoever watches it — my family, our future — knows exactly where we came from. And knows [Name]."
Step 9 of 10
Generate Your Legacy Film
✅ Your Progress
🎬 Film Generation Coming Soon
We're still putting the finishing touches on this feature. While it's being set up, you can download your Story Package below — it includes all your notes and step-by-step editing instructions so you can build your film in iMovie, CapCut, or any video editor.
✓ You're on the list! We'll email you when it's ready.
Assembling Your Legacy Film
Processing your story...
Waiting to start...
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Your Legacy Film Is Ready
You've just done something remarkable — you've preserved a piece of history that would have otherwise been lost. Your elder's story will live on.
Share the Mission
Know a teenager who should do this project? Share the RISE Legacy Project with someone who needs it.
Help More Families Tell Their Stories
RISE Social is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. A $20 donation helps us bring this project to more teenagers and families who need it most.
"Every family has a story the world needs to hear. Thank you for making sure this one gets told."
— RISE Social Team · risereporting.com
Share Your Success Story
RISE Social Legacy Project is growing. We want more families to explore and share their family legacy—how they connect, talk, and pass on their culture.
If you’d like to share your story, bring it to your community, volunteer, or support this work, please fill out the form below. We review every submission and will respond as soon as we can.
Together we can help parents guide their kids through social media and influencer culture in healthier ways.
