You don’t need to be a professional to create meaningful films for your family
Imagine pressing play on a film that doesn’t just show your family but lets you feel the year you lived together—the laughter, the chaos, the quiet moments in between. That’s what members of Project 52/365 inside FilmingLife® Academy set out to create.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE: LESSONS FROM A YEAR-LONG FILMMAKING PROJECT
What is Project 52/365?
Project 52/365 is a community for filmmakers who want to document their family life in a meaningful, ongoing way. Members choose their pace—filming weekly (Project 52) or daily (Project 365)—and compile clips into monthly films. At year’s end, those monthly films are woven together into one powerful piece: a visual record of a year in their family’s life.
It’s not about perfection or rigid rules. Missing a day—or even a week—doesn’t diminish the value. The heart of the project is simply this: to commit to noticing, recording, and preserving the stories unfolding right in front of you.
Who Can Join?
The project welcomes anyone inside FilmingLife® Academy—whether you’re a hobbyist just learning how to shoot video, or a professional photographer who wants to shift the camera toward your own family. You don’t have to be a professional filmmaker to create meaningful films. Many participants start with nothing more than their phones, leaning into the project as a way to practice and grow. What matters most isn’t the gear or technical skill—it’s the commitment to telling your family’s story.
Members lean on each other for encouragement, share their monthly films in a private and supportive space, and learn together as they grow.
Lessons from the Filmmakers
Over the years, participants have taken away powerful lessons—about filmmaking, family, and themselves. Here are three of the most impactful:
1. Your “why” matters more than perfection.
Many members began their projects in seasons of grief, transition, or simply a longing to hold onto fleeting moments. Knowing their why—whether it’s to process loss, to build a family archive, or to notice joy in the everyday—keeps them pressing record, even when life feels messy.
2. Small, consistent effort beats overwhelm.
Some edit clips daily over coffee. Others work month by month. Either way, breaking the project down into small steps makes it sustainable. And the consensus is clear: you don’t need to film every single day. What matters is showing up often enough to create a body of work that tells your story.
3. Film changes the way you see your life.
Participants talk about how filming transforms them into better parents, artists, and humans. Watching their footage back is like holding up a mirror—it helps them notice the beauty, recognize where they could be more present, and see their family through eyes of gratitude and hope.
Why It Matters
The films that come out of Project 52/365 are more than home videos. They are legacies. Children ask to watch them on their own, sometimes choosing them over cartoons. Teenagers—even the ones who roll their eyes at being filmed—voice how much it means to them that these records exist.
For the parents behind the camera, the films become touchstones: reminders of resilience during hard seasons, proof of growth, and an anchor to joy. As one filmmaker reflected, “I am a better mother because of this project.”
Creating a year-long family film is no small task—but ask anyone who’s completed it, and they’ll tell you the same thing: it’s worth every bit of effort.
