Expanded Question Bank
75–100 questions grouped by theme: childhood, the neighborhood, work, faith, migration, food and family history. Plus follow-up prompts that get past one-word answers.
From the team who brought you RISE
Record your elders' stories before they're gone.
The Art is Cool Oral History Toolkit is the step-by-step system behind RISE, the oral history project with over 10 million views across social media. Interview, film and preserve your family's history with the phone already in your pocket.
Digital toolkit delivered Black Friday, Nov 27. Physical kits ship Dec 1.
RISE has over 10 million views across social media
10M+views across social media
74K+Facebook followers
60KInstagram followers
50K+TikTok followers
Why now
Every elder is a library.
The recipes, the old neighborhood, how they met, what they survived. Once it's gone, it's gone. Most families mean to record these stories "someday" and never get the chance. This toolkit gives you everything you need to do it this holiday season, while everyone is together.
The best time to record your elders was years ago. The second best time is this holiday season.
What you'll be able to do
Walk in ready. Walk out with a family treasure.
- Know exactly what to ask, with 75–100 questions organized by theme
- Get real stories, not one-word answers, with follow-up prompts that open people up
- Film clear, well-lit footage on your phone, no film crew needed
- Handle emotional moments, repeated stories and memory gaps with care
- Back up every recording so it never sits lost on a phone
- Cut a 60-second clip your whole family will actually watch and share
- Make it official with a simple release so your family owns the story
- Capture a family recipe the way we filmed Ms. Vessie's cornbread
FamiliesChurchesTeachers & schoolsCommunity groupsGenealogistsHistorical societiesFamily reunions
What's inside the digital toolkit
Everything we use on RISE, start to finish.
Eight parts that take you from "where do I start?" to a finished, saved, shareable oral history.
Pre-Interview Worksheet
What to ask family beforehand, which photos and documents to gather, and how to pick a quiet spot to film.
Phone Filming Guide
Funmi's specialtyFraming, using window light, a cheap lav mic and the right phone settings. The same approach behind our videos with millions of views.
Interview Tips
How to handle emotional moments, elders who repeat stories or have memory gaps, and when to stay quiet and let them talk.
Consent & Release Template
A simple form so your family clearly owns the story and can share it later.
After the Interview
File naming, backing up to two places, free transcription tools, and how to store it so it's never lost.
Make a Short Video
A simple guide to cutting a 60-second clip to share with family or post online.
Recipe Documentation Template
How to film an elder cooking a family dish, the way we filmed Ms. Vessie's cornbread.
Choose your kit
Black Friday early-bird pricing.
Early-bird prices end after Black Friday, Nov 27. Then prices go up.
Digital Oral History Toolkit
$15$30Save 50%
Digital download, sent straight to your email.
- Expanded question bank (75–100 questions)
- Pre-interview worksheet
- Phone filming guide
- Interview tips for tender moments
- Consent & release template
- After-the-interview backup & storage guide
- Make-a-short-video guide
- Bonus: recipe documentation template
Delivered Black Friday, Nov 27
Most complete
Physical Oral History Kit
$119$149Save $30
Everything you need to record, mailed to your door.
- In the box
- Microphone for your phone
- Phone tripod
- Thumb drive to back up your recordings
- Plus the full Digital Toolkit
- All 8 parts, including the bonus recipe template
- Plus 3 months of the Oral History Lab on Skool, free $117 value · normally $39/month
- Full course on filming oral histories the right way
- Monthly live Q&A with Funmi
- Interview question guides, release forms & templates
- Archiving and preservation walkthroughs
- Feedback on your projects in the community
Digital toolkit Nov 27 · Kit ships Dec 1
How it works
Three steps to a story that lasts.
- Step 1
Prepare
Use the worksheet to gather photos and documents, pick your spot, and choose your questions by theme.
- Step 2
Record
Set up your phone with the filming guide, press record, and let the interview tips carry you through.
- Step 3
Preserve & share
Back it up in two places, sign the release, and cut a 60-second clip for the whole family.
Meet your guide
Funmi OgunroMaster Storyteller
Funmi is the director behind RISE, the documentary and oral history project honoring Austin's Black freedom communities. For more than 15 years she has told stories for film and television. Now she's sharing the exact process she uses to record elders so your family can do it too.
- Lone Star Emmy–nominated director
- Films premiered at Sundance and SXSW EDU
- Edited and produced Parker (Sundance 2023), acquired by The New Yorker
- Credits with Hulu, PBS's American Graduate and Amazon's Phat Tuesdays
- Her Name Is Silvia, made with the Webber Family Preservation Project, won Best Short Film
- Founder of Art is Cool and director of RISE
Questions
Good to know.
When will I get my toolkit?
The digital toolkit is delivered on Black Friday, Nov 27, to the email you use at checkout. Physical kits ship Dec 1.
Does the physical kit include the digital toolkit?
Yes. Buy the physical kit and you get the full digital toolkit too, delivered Nov 27, so you can start preparing before your gear arrives.
What is the Oral History Lab on Skool?
It's Funmi's online community for people recording oral histories: a full course on filming oral histories the right way, a monthly live Q&A with Funmi, question guides, release forms and templates, archiving and preservation walkthroughs, and feedback on your projects. Membership is normally $39 a month. The Physical Kit includes your first 3 months free.
How do I join the Oral History Lab with my Physical Kit?
After you buy the Physical Kit, you'll get an email invite to the Oral History Lab on Skool. Your free access lasts 3 months, and you can choose to stay for $39 a month after that.
Do I need a fancy camera or experience?
No. Everything is built around the phone you already have. If you can make a video call, you can record an oral history.
Who is this for?
Anyone who wants to save an elder's story: families, churches, teachers, community groups, genealogists and historical societies.
I already have the free questions. What's different?
The toolkit expands to 75–100 questions organized by theme with follow-up prompts, and adds the full process: prep, filming, interview tips, a release form, backup and storage, editing a short clip, and the bonus recipe template.
How long does early-bird pricing last?
Early-bird pricing ends after Black Friday, Nov 27. After that the digital toolkit goes to $30 and the physical kit goes to $149.
Can I get a refund?
All sales are final. No refunds on digital toolkits or physical kits.
Black Friday early-bird sale
Their stories won't wait. Neither should you.
Lock in early-bird pricing before it ends after Black Friday, Nov 27.
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Oral History Toolkit
Early bird from $15 See the kits
Early bird from $15 See the kits