We were lucky to catch up with Oli Cohen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Oli, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Life Stories is about connecting lives through story.

We create personal documentaries that turn memories and stories into a lasting legacy. But it’s not just about documenting the past, it’s about meaningful human connection.

Fame isn’t what makes a life worth documenting. We believe everyone deserves to be heard and understood. By capturing the voices, faces and experiences of loved ones, we bridge generations and deepen understanding, reminding each other that we’re not truly alone.

On a personal note, I lost my sister not that long ago. When she unexpectedly fell ill I was living in Los Angeles. I rushed back to the UK with documentary filming equipment, hoping to capture her life story mainly for the benefit of my nephew, who was only eight years old at the time. But the pandemic made hospital visits impossible, and the opportunity slipped away.

I wish I could have captured her stories and shared her values with future generations. This realisation inspired me to start Life Stories.

Oli, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Oli Cohen: Cinematographer, Photographer & Legacy Filmmaker

My Journey

I’m Oli Cohen, a cinematographer, photographer and filmmaker based between London and Los Angeles. My career has taken me around the world filming documentaries, narrative films and commercials. I’ve had the privilege of working with NGOs like UNHCR and Save the Children as well collaborating with renowned figures such as George Lucas and David Attenborough.

My background was in classical music, philosophy and the social sciences. The music led to me into audio production and sound design. At the same time I always pursued my passion for photography, especially documentary and travel photography. Initially drawn to journalism, my love of filmmaking led me more towards documentaries and then onto narrative films. Ultimately what I’m interested in is human-focused emotional story telling.

A Global Perspective

Having travelled to over a hundred countries I’m increasingly fascinated not only in different cultures and places but also with the individual lives and the different stories of the people who live there or who’s ancestors are from that place. It’s always intrigued me that when we’re taught history it’s typically just about powerful, wealthy or famous people as though the other people didn’t matter, as though their lives aren’t interesting or important but I’ve always felt that they are.

Part of the problem is that it’s not immediately obvious how to document an individuals life. Many people’s lives, though rich with meaning, are never documented in a way that truly reflects their value. Families often struggle to authentically convey the lives and values of their loved ones for future generations. When memories are passed down verbally within families, the emotional nuance and context is often diluted or entirely lost. Memories and emotional recollections often fade over time without proper documentation.

The Power of Film

Whilst you can get to emotion through written words it’s much harder to achieve that compared to the medium of film. Documentaries capture more than just words. They record facial expressions, tone of voice and subtle mannerisms that create powerful emotional connections, especially when combined with music, photographs and archive footage. Video offers a powerful way to immortalise elements of someone’s personality and their stories. It’s an accessible and enduring medium that connects generations in a deeply personal way.

Life Stories: Creating Lasting Legacies

At Life Stories, we turn lives into documentaries, creating lasting legacies that will endure for generations. We bring decades of experience producing high-end films for major broadcasters and global brands to the intimate process of personal storytelling.

We understand the power of filmmaking, the importance of storytelling and the essential human need for connection. Using Netflix approved cinema cameras we film beautifully lit interviews that form the heart of the story. These interviews are crafted into bespoke documentaries intercut with old photographs, archive footage and music creating a one of a kind legacy.

Through our work, we ensure that stories that might otherwise be lost to time are recorded with dignity and authenticity allowing individuals to share their wisdom, experiences and perspectives with family members they may never meet, but who will know them through the power of film.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

As a cinematographer and filmmaker I like to think that my reputation has come from the quality of my work but there’s so much more to it than that. The reality is that it’s about people knowing who you are. Nothing quite compares to meeting face-to-face. Going to industry events is important but also just getting out into the world and being open to meeting all kinds of different people is very relevant too. There are so many unexpected and interesting opportunities that are out there waiting for you if you’re open to them.

Most of my work comes through people who I’ve worked with in the past. Whilst it’s important to be professional and do a good job it’s equally important to be a decent person. To me that means looking for opportunities to be kind, to admit your own mistakes and to generally treat people well.

I’m always on a mission to improve so I’m always learning new things and upskilling. Being curious, allowing yourself to be vulnerable and being genuinely interested in others goes a long, long way.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

As both a freelancer and a business owner, maintaining genuine connections is essential in our increasingly digital world. I try to do it naturally and authentically in various many different ways.

I make a conscious effort to accept invitations as much as I can. While social media platforms offer convenience and they’re pretty much essential these days, they often lack the personal dimension that builds true connection. A phone call typically creates more impact than a passing comment online.

As attention spans have shortened, communication styles have adapted. Brief emails have become standard. In the past I’ve sent out email newsletters but I’m not a fan of doing it. I prefer the more personal touch.

WhatsApp has become a great way to quickly let someone know that you’re thinking of them. My general approach is that if I see something that makes me think of that person I share it with them. Similarly, my thinking is that if you’re feeling grateful and thinking positively about someone it’s better to just let them know rather than keep it to yourself so that’s something I try to do. Perhaps paradoxically, this approach ultimately benefits me as much as them. It makes me feel good. So I like that kind of approach generally. I like staying in touch with people just for the sake of it and to wish them well rather than doing it with an obvious ulterior motive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lifestories.media
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifestories.media/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeStoriesdotMedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifestoriesdotmedia
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifestoriesmedia