Self-publish or we edit: which package fits

An honest comparison of doing the edit yourself versus handing us the footage — cost, time, and what each one actually asks of you.

4 min read

There are two honest paths here, and the cheaper one is genuinely right for a lot of families. The question is not budget. It is how much of the work you want to be holding while you are grieving.

Self-publish is right when

  • You already have a video you're happy with, or you're comfortable trimming one.
  • You mainly want the memorial page, the permanent link, and the QR code for the stone.
  • You want it live this week.
  • Someone in the family enjoys this kind of thing.

A guided and edited package is right when

  • You have raw footage, old tapes, and photos that need to become one film.
  • Nobody wants to be the person who has to watch it forty times to cut it.
  • You want help running the interview so the right questions get asked.
  • You want review rounds — someone to send changes to, and a person to answer.

What both include

Every package includes the hosted memorial page, a permanent web address that we never recycle, a print-ready QR code in PNG and vector formats, a test-scan page, and the ability to update the video later without touching the stone.

The whole service is remote. We are not filming in your living room — we guide, we edit, we publish, and we give you the code for the monument company.

Ready to make one for your family?

We guide the interview remotely, edit the footage, and send a print-ready QR code for the headstone. Packages start at $249.

Not ready yet?

Take the free planning checklist.

What to record, what to ask, and how to keep it under ten minutes. No cost, no calls.

Examples of a finished family story

What the work looks like.

Illustrative examples — not customer testimonials. We'll publish real, verified reviews here once families give us permission to share theirs.

A daughter records her father at the kitchen table, answering the questions in our guide. The family scans the plaque on his birthday.

Story PackageIllustrative example — not a customer testimonial

Someone uploads their own footage over two evenings, follows the editing checklist, and hands the finished QR file to the engraver.

Guided Self-PublishIllustrative example — not a customer testimonial

Six relatives in three states join separate video calls. Their answers are woven into one film that plays at the service.

Legacy FilmIllustrative example — not a customer testimonial