How often have you heard people say, “I wish I had interviewed my parent (or grandparent) while they were still alive.” Perhaps you’ve said it yourself. It’s completely understandable. Our lives are busy. Their lives were busy. Maybe they seemed uninterested in talking. Maybe we forgot to ask. Or maybe they told us stories, but we didn’t write them down or record them.

FILM SCROLLS are custom-produced, personally curated short documentary films that capture and preserve a person’s unique life story and legacy. They consist of sit-down interviews, archival family photographs, shots of the person at home (B-roll), music, and the option of filmed scenes alone or with family (verite). These elements will be skillfully woven together to create a beautiful and compelling film.

By documenting personal narratives, we create a priceless and enduring gift – a time capsule of our family’s history and memory - as told by those one who lived it. We also paint a portrait of a living, breathing human being – their dreams, hopes, personality, sense of humor, and philosophy towards life. We capture how they look, think, sound, smile, sneeze, and laugh.

FILM SCROLLS are for those who want to honor, preserve, and share their history, culture, and legacy through the medium of film. They are for those who want to give their friends, family, or community a deeper understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of who they are and where they came from.

FILM SCROLLS will be produced by Emmy-award-winning documentary filmmaker Pamela Tom and her team of collaborators.

Director’s Statement: From the first day I picked up a movie camera, I’ve been drawn to creating character-driven stories that capture a person’s unique experiences and challenges. From my first film - a portrait of a 16-year-old Chinatown teenage girl to the pioneering Chinese American artist, Tyrus Wong, to the Hollywood icon, Sidney Poitier - they all have a common thread: finding the humanity, resilience, and beauty in an individual’s
life.

FILM SCROLLS allow me to apply years of experience as a documentary storyteller to create personal portraits and to make quality documentaries accessible to more families. One of the most essential skills of a documentary filmmaker is the ability to earn the trust of the person they are filming. This means respecting them and their lived experiences, being excellent listeners, honoring their boundaries, being culturally sensitive, and having the communication and interpersonal skills necessary to elicit personal stories. I work with people who share these same values and ethos. They bring a high level of professionalism and awareness to the “set” and in the edit room.