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In the beginning is the story, the story of the life
of the celebrant shared with the Living Celebrations core team. Typically,
a Premier Piece takes six to twelve months to create. In the first three months,
the Living Celebrations team works closely with the celebrant to capture
the essential elements of the story.
Exploring and reflecting upon that story becomes
a fascinating experience for the celebrant, and it’s a thrill
for the members of the Living Celebrations team, as they begin to
see a design for a masterwork emerge from the tale of a lifetime.
Interviewing the celebrant
In the first month of production, team members will
spend eight to twelve hours in interviews and discussions with the
celebrant. These conversations are spread out over three to five sessions,
and take place in the celebrant’s home or some other comfortable
spot. The purpose of this initial dialogue is to help the team learn
about the celebrant’s attitudes, preferences, passions, and
quirks in order to determine how this particular story should be told.
Telling the story
No two stories are done in exactly the same way.
A life story can be told in words and pictures, lyrics and music,
as an opera libretto, a travel journal, or a mystery thriller. A life
can be illustrated in Christmas ornaments, fishing flies, or doll
collections. The possibilities are endless. It is here, at the beginning,
that the Living Celebrations team determines what form this story
should take.
Determining the audience
It is also at this point that the patron or celebrant
will decide for whom the story is to be written. Is it an intimate
chronicle meant for a small, personal audience? Is it a gift to posterity,
a history for future generations? Or does it have a broad audience
of friends, extended family, and business acquaintances? This is one
more aspect that determines the style and tone of the Premier Piece.
Adding perspective
To complete the picture, the Living Celebrations
team will ask the celebrant for the names of friends and family members
who are willing to participate in the process by adding their own
perspectives to the story.
By the end of this stage, the team has learned enough
about the celebrant’s story to begin to fashion the Premier Piece
by developing The Concept.
 Next: The Concept
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