My Memory Factory is the first video recording platform dedicated to the life stories of grandparents.
“The idea is to transmit the life journeys of grandparents, in videos, from home and independently,” explains Loïc de Chabot, founder of the company Les Souvenirs solidaires, who arrived from France six months ago. to settle in Montreal.
“I would have loved for my grandfather to tell me about his journey, his memories, his life, but we often think about it too late and we have regrets,” he says. It is for this reason that he created the platform so that people can better understand where they come from, from generation to generation.
“The video recording platform is very easy to use. It is automated, divided into 11 chapters, by theme, from childhood to today. There are questions that are asked for each chapter, and the grandparents click on “save” and can thus testify to their life, and download the final result,” explains Loïc de Chabot.
The latter points out that everyone likes the idea of being able to tell their story, but no one takes the time to do so. “With this very accessible platform, we download the videos, we keep them, and we can watch the life journeys of our grandparents, 20 years later. Whether it’s family memories, their meeting, the birth of children. »
The entrepreneur recalls the benefits of knowing the life of his ancestors, all generations combined.
“Their children are sensitive about transmission and want to keep precious memories, and for the grandchildren, it reinforces the dialogue with their grandparents, but it also has benefits for their identity, because you have to know where you come to move forward and make good choices in life,” said Loïc de Chabot.
This former French journalist himself has met many families, since he has been offering since 2017 (in France) to shoot the memories of grandparents at home. “It was the first service we offered. A videographer comes to the house, we record the memories, and we put a USB key in a nice memory box,” he says.
This service is not currently offered in Quebec. “The rates are higher, however, hence the creation of the platform, to make it more affordable. Three packages are offered ranging from $15 to $143 (monthly, six months or one year) so that each family can record their life journey at their own pace.
Loïc de Chabot has just moved to Montreal with his wife and their 3-year-old daughter. “I did the immigration course for business people, I created my business here, and I have been supported for a year by an incubator, La Piscine, in Montreal, an organization that helps businesses in all stages of their growth. »
He hopes that this idea of transmitting memories will appeal.
“It can also be a family business that wants to tell and preserve the company’s story on video,” he adds.
Loïc de Chabot also offers souvenir workshops in private residences for seniors (RPA). “I’m going to start in two residencies this month, a collective memories workshop. For a quarter, with groups of ten residents, we will ask questions about their lives and record their answers and testimonies on the platform. A film will be given to the residence with the best moments of these workshops. The goal is to create a dynamic and a social bond between the residents. »
In a society like Quebec where the population is aging, a reflection must be made about the place we give to seniors. “There are human values in the transmission of memories, and for me, that is what is most important,” says Loïc de Chabot.
