A gentle way to remember them

A tribute film gathers their photos and videos, the ones scattered across phones and old drives and other people's cameras, into one short film set to music. It does not try to tell their whole life story or explain what they meant to everyone. It simply puts their face, their laugh, and the moments people already have back in front of the family, in one place, ready to watch whenever someone needs to.

Gathering footage. Start with whatever is easiest to find, usually the phone of whoever took the most photos of them. There is no need to track down everything at once; a handful of clear, real moments says more than an exhaustive archive.

Inviting family to contribute. A short message to a few relatives, asking for one or two photos or a short video each, often turns up things you did not know existed. People tend to want to be asked; it gives them something to do with what they are feeling.

Choosing the timing. Some families want something ready before the service; others would rather wait until the rush has passed. Both are normal. There is no deadline here except the one your family sets for itself.

Now, or later. You do not have to decide today whether this is a service piece, a keepsake, or both. Many families gather the footage first and decide what to make from it only once they have had time to look through it together.