We recently connected with Oli Cohen and have shared our conversation below.

Oli, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

Life Stories didn’t start as a business idea. It started as a feeling.
When my sister passed away, I felt a deep sense of regret that I hadn’t captured her life story. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer during the pandemic. At the time I was living in Los Angeles. I rushed back to the UK with documentary kit, hoping to film something for her son, my nephew, who was only eight years old. But the pandemic made hospital visits impossible, and the opportunity slipped away.
That loss made me reflect on how little I knew about my own family history. I only knew one of my grandparents. He taught me chess when I was young. I wish I’d got to know him better and learnt more about his family. Those stories are now lost. I only remember him through the eyes of a child, and as for my other grandparents, I know little of what they were really like. I’ve heard some stories, but they’re mostly quite vague.
It’s a feeling many people can relate to. That moment where you think, “I wish I’d asked.”
It’s that realisation that inspired me to start Life Stories. I didn’t want other families to feel what I felt. We turn people’s lives into documentaries that matter, helping them feel seen, heard and remembered. Films that connect generations before it’s too late.

Oli, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a cinematographer, photographer and filmmaker with a passion for narrative and documentary storytelling. Throughout my career I’ve worked across a wide range of projects around the world, from independent films to large-scale productions, collaborating with some well known figures such as George Lucas and David Attenborough.
Growing up I always found solace in music and film. That feeling of sitting in a dark cinema and being so emotionally moved that you forget your own life for a while. That’s what’s always driven me. The idea that film can expand our empathy and help us see the world through someone else’s eyes. It’s what led me to film school and ultimately into the industry.
At the core of what I do, I’ve always been drawn to people. That’s what led me to create Life Stories, a personal documentary company focused on capturing people’s lives in a way that feels cinematic, honest and deeply human. It’s not just about recording memories. It’s about helping people reflect on their lives, understand their journey, and create something meaningful and emotional for their loved ones.
What sets Life Stories apart is the combination of high-end cinematic craft with a very human, empathetic approach. We don’t just turn up with a camera. We spend time with people, creating an environment where they feel comfortable enough to be themselves. That’s where the real stories come from.
This comes from something quite universal. Most people want to feel seen, heard and understood, but we don’t often get the chance to express that fully. Stories bind us together and film has a wonderful ability to do this by capturing not just what someone says, but the way they say it. The ability to see facial expressions and hear tone of voice creates a strong emotional connection, especially when combined with music, photos and archive footage.
Ultimately, fame isn’t what makes a life worth documenting. Everyone has an interesting story to tell.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The underlying goal behind what I do is to create connection.
We often go through life feeling like our experiences are isolated, and sometimes we need that separation. I know I do. But too much isolation is torture.
Our emotions are strange because on the one hand they’re uniquely ours, yet having collective emotional experiences and feeling bound to each other seems like an essential, fundamental part of being human.
That’s partly what drives me creatively. Whether it’s narrative work or something like Life Stories, I’m particularly interested in the moments where people feel seen, heard and understood. Those moments where something shifts and you recognise yourself in someone else.
There’s such comfort to be found through art, whether you’re appreciating it or creating it. It goes beyond words, so I won’t even try. I don’t completely understand it to be honest, but I appreciate it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There’s something magical that happens with creativity. There’s a bit of mystery to it, and a real joy when things click into place and you know you’re onto something. That’s particularly special when you’re creating with other people and it just works. It grounds you in the present and, for a very brief moment, it feels like you’re aligned with what it really is to be alive and human, free from the weight of the past or the anxiety of the future. It’s a natural high.

I like the words of Leonard Cohen when he says, “if I knew where songs came from, I’d go there more often.”

Being creative can feel like both a luxury and a necessity. I know that if I’m not being creative, I’m not as happy. And it’s not always about creating something good, though I always strive for that. It’s also about the process itself, about being in a mind space where you want to be expressive and creative. Being in the flow state where you’re so in the zone that you lose all sense of time. That’s a really lovely place to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lifestories.media & www.olicohen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olicohen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olicohen
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olicohen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifestoriesmedia
• Other: https://www.olicohen.com