An archive portrait from about 1900, projected through a film gate.

Keep their stories, in their own voice.

For a hundred years, families sat for a portrait.

  1. Mrs Alfred William Foote with baby Lucy, c. 1864. An archive photograph.1864
  2. Elderly woman, possibly dressed in mourning clothes, 1890 to 1900. An archive photograph.1890s
  3. Willie Dennis and his bride, Esther (née Barnes), May 1895. An archive photograph.1895
  4. George Kunowski and his wife Minnie on their golden wedding anniversary, Peachester, c. 1900. An archive photograph.1900
  5. Photographer Henry William Mobsby, Barcaldine, c. 1905. An archive photograph.1905
  6. Portrait of Ivy Bell of Buderim, 1908. An archive photograph.1908
  7. Studio portrait of a young woman with an infant in a pram, c. 1915. An archive photograph.1915
  8. Happy smiles from the new bride and groom, c. 1920. An archive photograph.1920
  9. Jerry Palmos and his baby son Denny, East Brisbane, c. 1937. An archive photograph.1937
  10. William Sneyd with his Rolleiflex camera, c. 1940. An archive photograph.1940
  11. 2026

A life film is the portrait for now: their face, their voice and their stories, filmed in their own home and kept for the grandchildren.

Four kinds of life film.

The life story

Mum, Dad, Nan or Pop at home, telling their life their own way, with their photos and home movies running through it.

Film
12 to 50 min
Filming
Half a day to two days
From
$4,500

Chapters

Your child, filmed now and every five years until they turn twenty. Each time, you record a message for them to open at twenty.

Film
One each chapter
Filming
Half a day, every 5 years
From
$3,500 a chapter

A milestone film

An 80th, a 90th, a golden wedding or a retirement. We film them before the day and premiere the film at the party.

Film
12 to 35 min
Premiere
On the day
From
$4,500

A founder’s story

A family business, a long career or a life in the community, told for the family, with a shorter cut you can share in public.

Film
Private and public cuts
Filming
2 to 4 days
Price
Quoted for each story

Every word, in their voice.

The question: Where did you and Dad meet?

Their answer: At the pictures in Caloundra, nineteen sixty-two. He spilt his lemonade down my good dress, then walked me all the way home to say sorry.

An example answer, written for this page. Your film keeps their words as they said them, and you keep the whole interview, uncut: about three hours of them, in two weeks.

Everything you keep.

The book of their words.

Man and woman on the steps of a holiday home at Cribb Island, 1928. An archive photograph.

The pictures at Caloundra

At the pictures in Caloundra, nineteen sixty-two. He spilt his lemonade down my good dress, then walked me all the way home to say sorry. It took him six weeks to ask me out properly, and by then I’d decided.

Scan to hear this chapter in their voice.

Chapter four 63

An example page. The photograph is an archive portrait; your book uses your family’s photographs and their own words.
  • Their words, unchanged. The interview, edited for reading by a person, with nothing added.
  • Pictures from the day. Stills from the film beside the family photographs we scanned.
  • A QR code on every chapter. It plays that part of the film, in their voice.
  • Copies for everyone. Extra books for the grandchildren’s shelves.

From the first call to the family screening.

  1. Week 0

    A free planning call

    Who the film is for, where we film and what matters most. Twenty minutes on the phone.

  2. Week 1

    Ready, not rehearsed

    A photo guide and the questions, sent ahead, so nobody is put on the spot.

  3. Day 1

    Filming at home

    Sittings of 30 to 45 minutes with breaks. One quiet camera, one small microphone, and you are welcome to sit in.

  4. Day 1

    The family archive

    Photos and home movies scanned on the day, or collected and returned.

  5. Week 2

    The uncut interview

    Every minute they spoke, with a transcript.

  6. Week 8

    The film

    Your first look, with one round of changes included.

  7. Week 9

    The screening

    Watch it together. The box arrives.

A film of your child, every five years.

  1. Age 02026
  2. Age 52031
  3. Age 102036
  4. Age 152041
  5. Age 202046

Your messages to them, one for each chapter, sealed until they turn twenty.

$3,500
a chapter, paid when it is filmed. Nothing is prepaid.
½ day
of filming each time, at home or somewhere that is theirs.
$150
a year from chapter two keeps every chapter stored safely, in two places.

The same five questions, every chapter

  1. What makes you happy at the moment?
  2. Who are your favourite people?
  3. What are you good at?
  4. What do you want to do when you are older?
  5. What would you tell yourself in five years?

Every frame is real.

  • Everything you see was filmed: real people, in their own rooms, by a person.
  • We never generate, alter or clone a face, a voice or a scene.
  • Old photos are scanned and colour-corrected. Never animated, never invented.
  • The words in your book are the words they said.

The camera-original interview comes to you uncut, so every word can be checked.

Three films, one price each.

The Conversation

$4,500

Half a day at home and one sitting, for a short film you will play at every birthday.

  • Half a day of filming at home
  • One sitting of up to 90 minutes
  • A 12 to 15 minute film
  • The full interview, uncut
  • 40 photos scanned
  • Recorded messages

The Story

$8,500

A whole life, told properly, with the time to tell it.

  • A planning call before filming
  • A full day, in sittings with breaks
  • A 25 to 35 minute film
  • A 3 minute cut for sharing
  • The full interview and a transcript, in 2 weeks
  • Recorded messages
  • 100 photos scanned
  • The timber box, the USB and a printed portrait

The Family

$15,000

Two days and more voices: them, three of the family, and a place that matters.

  • Everything in The Story, plus:
  • Two days of filming
  • Three family members interviewed too
  • Filming at one place that matters
  • A 40 to 50 minute film
  • The book of their words

Straight answers.

Mum hates being filmed.
Most people do, for about ten minutes. It is a conversation, not an interview: sittings of 30 to 45 minutes, as many breaks as she likes, and nothing goes in the film without her say.
It’s a surprise. Can we give it as a gift?
Yes, as a voucher. We talk with them before filming, because the film only works when they want to tell it.
Dad isn’t well. How soon can you come?
Choose “health, sooner is better” in the chat and I will call you the same day. A short film can be made within days, at home, in care or in hospital when the staff agree.
Do you use AI anywhere?
Not to make anything. Ordinary editing software cuts, colours and cleans the sound, and speech to text drafts the transcript. Nothing in your film or book is generated.
Who owns the film?
You do. The film, the uncut interview and the scans are yours to keep, copy and share.
We have old home movies and tapes.
Bring them. We digitise photos, slides and tapes for $750 and weave the best moments into the film.

Whose story should we keep?

Tell me who it is for in one message. I reply by text.

A first name and a mobile number is enough to start.

Whose story should we keep?

Lifeby Koko

Their film starts here

Your conversation with Life by Koko

Your answers come to me as you give them, so I can reply by text. Your number is used only for your enquiry. Please don’t share health details here; if health matters, say so and I will call.

Picture credits

The portraits on this page are real archive photographs, out of copyright or openly licensed. They are not KOKO’s films or clients. The drawings and the projected film are made in code by KOKO.

  1. Mrs Alfred William Foote with baby Lucy, c. 1864. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  2. Elderly woman, possibly dressed in mourning clothes, 1890 to 1900. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  3. Willie Dennis and his bride, Esther (née Barnes), May 1895. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  4. George Kunowski and his wife Minnie on their golden wedding anniversary, Peachester, c. 1900. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  5. Photographer Henry William Mobsby, Barcaldine, c. 1905. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · No known copyright restrictions (Flickr Commons)
  6. Portrait of Ivy Bell of Buderim, 1908. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  7. Studio portrait of a young woman with an infant in a pram, c. 1915. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · No known copyright restrictions (Flickr Commons)
  8. Happy smiles from the new bride and groom, c. 1920. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  9. Jerry Palmos and his baby son Denny, East Brisbane, c. 1937. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · No known copyright restrictions (Flickr Commons)
  10. William Sneyd with his Rolleiflex camera, c. 1940. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · No known copyright restrictions (Flickr Commons)
  11. Man and woman on the steps of a holiday home at Cribb Island, 1928. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  12. Sir Augustus Gregory, c. 1903. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  13. Mr and Mrs Connolly of Gayndah, 1908. The Queenslander, 26 September 1908 · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  14. Eileen Heaslop and her son Robert, 1918. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  15. Newton family, 1920. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · No known copyright restrictions (Flickr Commons)
  16. Attree family portrait, Toowoomba, 1940. Norton-Trevaire Studios · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)
  17. Joe and Win Bristow with their son John, 1933. Unknown photographer · John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland · Public domain (PD-Australia)