The Best 80th Birthday Gift for Someone Who Doesn't Need More Stuff

Jack’s daughter Brooke commissioned his film as a gift.

If you're shopping for an 80th birthday, you've probably already hit the problem. What do you give someone who has everything, and is actively trying to have less?

By 80, most people are downsizing. They're clearing out cupboards, passing on furniture, and quietly deciding what really matters. Another candle, another jumper, another framed print is just one more thing someone will have to sort through later.

But there's one thing almost everyone at this age wants to leave behind. It isn't an object. It's their story.

Their story is the thing they want to leave behind

Eighty years is a lot of life. Childhood homes, first jobs, the way they met, the hard years and the good ones. Many of those stories have never been told properly, even to their own children.

A Life Story Film captures that story on film, in their own words. We film them at home, where they're comfortable, and talk them through their life in a relaxed, guided interview. Then we bring it together with their photographs, music and footage of the places and things that matter to them.

The result is a short documentary about their life, made by experienced documentary filmmakers. It's something the whole family can watch together now, and something grandchildren and great-grandchildren can watch long after.

Brooke and Jack French

Brooke's gift to her dad, Jack

Brooke French commissioned a Life Story Film for her dad, Jack, a fifth-generation sheep farmer from Tumut in regional NSW. For Brooke, it was personal. She'd lost her mum without ever capturing her story, and she didn't want that to happen again.

Here's how she describes it:

"When I came across Big Stories Little Films, it stopped me in my tracks. I immediately thought – I wish I had one of these films for my mum, but it was too late. So, I took action straight away. I called and said 'I want one of these films for my Dad and one of these films about me' - so my daughter isn't wondering about my life story, like I so often wonder mum's. The filming process was so relaxed, and I discovered stories in the filming I never knew. The resulting films blew us away. They are genuinely priceless. The quality is outstanding, and now I know those precious stories will be remembered forever. If you're thinking about creating a legacy film with Big Stories Little Films, PLEASE do it! It will be the best money and time you have ever spent! I just wish I had found this company earlier."

— Brooke French

That feeling of "I wish I'd done this sooner" comes up again and again. An 80th birthday is a natural moment to act on it.

Giving a Life Story Film as an 80th birthday gift: your questions answered

Can it be a surprise? Yes, it can. There are two lovely ways to do it.

Surprise them on the day with a gift voucher. We print it on luxe paper and box it up, so you have something beautiful to hand over at the party. The filming happens afterwards, at a time that suits them.

Or film it in the months before, and screen it at the party. The film becomes the centrepiece of the celebration, watched together by the whole family.

What happens on the day of filming? We come to their home for about five hours. We film a relaxed interview about their life, then film them around the home and the things that matter to them. Most people are surprised by how much they enjoy it.

What do we receive? The finished film is delivered digitally, so it's easy to share with family, and on an engraved timber USB in a gift box.

What does it cost? A Life Story Film start from $3,990 including GST. If you'd like to record a couple together, a Couples Story Films start from $4,990.

Can siblings share the cost? Of course. It's often a gift from all the children together.

Do you film outside Sydney? Yes. We work with experienced documentary filmmakers in every capital city of Australia. Regional shoots are also welcome, which incur an additional travel fee.

A gift for them, and for everyone who comes after

An 80th birthday is a celebration of a whole life. A Life Story Film makes sure that life is remembered properly, in their own voice, for their children, grandchildren and the generations they'll never get to meet.

I'm making films for 80th birthdays right now, and every one reminds me why this matters. If there's someone in your family turning 80, I'd love to talk with you about their story.

Book a free, no-obligation film planning session or see what's included in a Life Story Film.