Our Mission
At Family Movie Story Books we’re all about supporting you, the family historian of your family. We know it can be a thankless job gathering up your family’s story and imagery to shape it into something that’s immediately consumable by the next crop of grand babies.
We offer community, education, and services to help get you to the finish line where you’re going to be proudly handing out your family story book and showing your family history movie.
On behalf of the next generation we say, “Thank you!”
Our Vision
Our Family Movie Story Books community is a group of passionate and committed (perhaps we should say addicted?) family historians who support each other through the multiple steps involved in publishing a family history story book or movie.
We learn together. We help each other tell family stories in interesting, compelling, and inspiring ways. We talk each other through complex technology and centuries old information.
We cheer each other on and then celebrate together at our Family Story Book Reveal Parties and Movie Screening Parties.
Together, we inspire the next generation. Good gosh, those kids are certainly going to need it!
Founders
Barbi Braude
Ever since Barbi can remember she has always been interested in where her family came from, and what did they do for their occupations. She always had questions. Whenever her family had a function she recalls always being the photographer. Also, pouring over old family photo albums was one of her favorite things to do.
In her professional life, she specialized in designing family storybooks. During COVID-19 she decided since she had done so many of these awesome keepsakes for other families that it was time to do her own family. Together with her cousin Irene, she corralled stories and family trees detailing 188 people from 10 countries. The result was a 412-page hard case book that weighed 6 lbs (apologies to the poor mailman who had the job of delivering these heavy books).
Barbi also loves collecting miniature vintage items and creating digital artwork. She has a craft room that would rival even the most ardent collector and it’s organized to boot! She also loves traveling and has met well over 100 people that she discovered doing her family storybook.
Cory Bretz
Cory Bretz is a video and print storyteller who for two decades has helped families and organizations tell their own story. He specializes in personal interviewing, writing, editing, digital conversion of photos and films, and creating modern media that moves hearts anywhere, anytime.
As a former member of the now defunct Association of Personal Historians, Cory honed his storytelling craft to be able to seamlessly combine narrative story and imagery into storybooks and films that his clients were thrilled to leave for their descendants.
Cory also loves to coach and teach, believing that every family historian doesn’t need to be an expert in anything other than determination.