People love looking at old photos and watching video footage of family and friends. Funeral tribute videos are a great way to share the memories and milestones that were important to your loved one.
You can show a memorial video during a funeral, or after the service accompanied with refreshments. Film footage and photographs can be set to favourite songs and music to make a truly personal tribute.
To help you create a funeral tribute video, we offer these suggestions.
Things to include
Photographs
Photographs will form the basis of your video tribute. Choose a selection of around 25 to 30 photos of your loved one at various stages of their life. Remember to try and include a range of family and friends in the photos too.
Set the photos out in chronological order. This will help you to see if there are any gaps or imbalances in your selection.
Collections
You can take pictures of special memorabilia. Photos of trophies, artworks, records, costumes or sporting paraphernalia can help to create a unique and personal tribute.
Interviews
You can also include short video reflections or interviews from family and friends. This is particularly good for those who are unable to attend the funeral.
Prayers, poems and quotes
Comforting prayers, favourite poems and special quotes can be used in the funeral video. This can give guests some quiet time to listen to music, read the meaningful words and remember the life of the deceased. Our article on Funeral Poems and Readings includes a wide range of prayers, poems and quotes to help guide your selection.
Choose a soundtrack
Think about the songs and music your loved one enjoyed the most. Try to include the songs that remind you of that person. You can share your feelings by choosing songs with meaningful lyrics.
Arrange the sequence of the songs to match the order of the photographs. It is very moving when the music and the visual images are shown together. Generally, remembrance videos last for the length of around 2 songs, so keep this in mind when putting everything together.
The songs and hymns listed in our Funeral Planning Guide are available to help you when choosing a soundtrack.
Create a video
Now that you have collected a range of photographs, and chosen the music, you are ready to combine the two and create a funeral tribute video. Here are a few options for video creation:
1.Programs on your computer
If you have a computer at home you could use iMovie if you own a Mac, alternatively PowerPoint or keynote, to create a funeral slide show. Please do remember, if using when you are finished creating the video to convert to a DVD. The photographs and quotes could be scanned into your computer and then copied onto slides to create a beautiful display. PowerPoint and Keynote both let you set music to the slideshow. You can choose from a variety of colours and effects to bring out the personality and interest of the video.
- Free and purchased video making apps
There are many apps available to make slideshow tributes on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC. Most apps allow you to create a simple video free of charge. This can mean you need only purchase an app if you wish to include greater levels of detail in your video. Apps including MakeMyMovie, PicFlow and Animoto are all good places to start.
- Get professional help
If you don’t have the time, skills or confidence to create a funeral tribute video there are many professional video production companies available to assist you. Organisations including
A good thing to remember is to always test the video before the funeral service to avoid any interruptions and technical difficulties on the day.
Share with others
You might be able to make copies of the funeral video tribute on DVDs or USB sticks. After the funeral, you might like to share copies of the remembrance video with close friends and family. This is especially meaningful for those who were unable to attend on the day.
If you are thinking of creating a memorial video for your loved one, please refer to ourFuneral Planning Guide for further tips and suggestions of things you might like to include.