the story of storycatcher®

How the StoryCatcher® App came to exist

Enjoy this video I created for you using StoryCatcher® for iPhone, the video storytelling app that prompts you with family history questions. Don’t miss some of the user reviews posted below!

★★★★★

 “A must have! The beauty of this little app is its simplicity. As one who didn’t grow up with technology, I wondered if I could achieve the things that were described in the video – but I did, and without any problems. Adding captions and photos is easy. I can see this being used frequently to record those snippets of information and stories that often occur on an impromptu basis when you are unlikely to run and grab a video camera. I’m hoping to make use of this as my son approaches his 21st birthday to get friends of his to record 60 second memories and their old photos – some have known him since primary school. Then I’ll patch it all together for a birthday presentation. So if a (ahem) middle aged citizen can mange this, then anyone can. I’m hoping that they’ll launch it on iPad soon. Top marks for making it user friendly.” ~the latest ★★★★★ review posted on the Apple App Store by Kn23writer, a happy user in Australia. Thank you, Kn23writer!

 ★★★★★

“April, Got home, downloaded your app, and tried it out. Wow! It’s just like the original iMovie: simple, clean, and does the basics well. Kudos and huzzahs! It’s gonna be fun. Good demo, too. Best, Peter & Mary ps: The high rez version is very nice—displayed quite sharp full screen on my 27″ iMac.” ~Peter & Mary Farquhar, Professional Personal Historians at Tombo Media ~in a note received after a group demonstration for the NorCal Association of Personal Historian

★★★★★ 

Reminiscing with old photos
by Kbell152
We had such a great time showing my Mom old family photos and recording short videos for each one as she spoke. It’s so cool that we can see her face as she tells her stories and also have the photo displayed on the screen at the same time! I love using the quotes to write in dates, names and places to go along with the story and picture. My sisters are loving these little keepsakes I’ve been making and sharing for our whole family to enjoy. We love this app!!

★★★★★

More than an app…it’s a gift to anyone with a loved one.  
by Monk Luver 
What a simple and fun way to capture life’s special moments. I only wish that I had this app when my mom was still here. Photos just can’t capture the essence of a person like video does. Hopefully, everyone out there discovers and uses this app to record even the simplest moments with their loved ones…while they have the chance. What a difference this app will surely make for many!

★★★★★

Thanks for making this app  
by Waterscape man
We each have a story to tell. Many of us have several. When we share our lives with those close or far it really allows us to get to know one another on a deeper level. I really like how I can use this app for sharing some simple thoughts or I can take my time and pass on what really touches me in life so that others can be touched. I love how this app allows me to express what is important to myself, to the world and for those I care about. 🙂

★★★★★

Impressive!!
by Graci B.
What an awesome app to have right at your fingertips– especially during the holidays! The best part is being able to pick from the questions made available. Love love!!

★★★★★

Fun and easy to use!
by FamilyHistory
This app was the perfect thing for me to have when my grandmother and her sisters (my great-aunties) came to visit. Using the questions provided in the app, I captured so many great stories from each of them about their lives and also some great advice on living a good life. They had great fun telling stories about each other, asking each other the questions from the “Interview Tips”. They also enjoyed knowing I was going to save and share their stories with the rest of the family. We love this app!!!

★★★★★

What a great app!
by B Flick
What a great app! I particularly like the suggested questions to use with the person being interviewed. Even with the plethora of social media apps, we miss so many opportunities to save our personal histories for our families. This app is a really fun and easy way to do just that…

 Note: Search under “iPhone Apps” in the Apple App Store when on an iPad or iPad mini and you can successfully download and use your copy of StoryCatcher on that device.

If you feel moved to, we would greatly appreciate your positive review about StoryCatcher® for iPhone on the Apple App Store!

Download StoryCatcher® On The Apple App Store

Easily create and share personal video stories. Your privacy is number one with us. Once you download the app, you have 100% control over your media and data!

My Life in Paragaphs Card Deck

My Life in Paragraphs Card Deck

Provocative Story Prompts

StoryCatcher® comes with great story prompts already loaded inside the app. Simply tap on “Interview Tips.” If you’re wanting to go deeper, we’ve repurposed our “My Life in Paragraphs” card deck into a book. It will helps you craft a true legacy video. Go for it and create a full documentary when using the “Collections” feature.  Get your prompts now.

Live & Online Retreats

Join April Bell in engaging retreat experiences to discover your legacy stories, one paragraph at a time. Learn More about My Life in Paragraphs.

by APRIL BELL

by APRIL BELL

Personal Historian | Video Producer

April Bell has been capturing people’s life stories in The San Francisco Bay Area and across the U.S. since 2008. Her work has been written about in WIRED,  The New York Times, USA Today, and elsewhere. She is proud co-creator of StoryCatcher® for iOS.

Learn more about her personal storytelling work at TreeOfLifeLegacies.com.

“StoryCatcher® is a wonderful development in the evolution of how we record, structure, and save [video] histories.”

Liz Massey, Professional Oral Historian

"StoryCatcher® is more than a home movie and more than just a slide show. This app allows you to showcase small pieces of your ... life in high quality videos without having to know any of the skills of a video editor!"

Shannon Combs Bennet, The In-depth Genealogist

"Even iPhone apps are being used to create ethical wills. April Bell, who owns a video storytelling business called Tree of Life Legacies, codeveloped the ethical will app StoryCatcher® for iPhone use."

The New York Times, Story: Ethical Wills In The Tech Age