The stories that matter most deserve to be remembered.
MAEDOC FILMS creates handcrafted legacy films, preserving family memories, personal histories, and the voices of the people we love.
Led by award-winning filmmaker Steven Tabakin.
Based in the New York City metropolitan area, available to families everywhere.
Every family has a story worth preserving.
Some of the most important stories we tell are about people the world has never heard of.
How your parents met. The journey across an ocean. The business that started with almost nothing. The difficult years survived together. The traditions, the laughter, the small moments that became family legend.
These are the stories that tell us where we came from, who we are, and what matters.
Imagine a great-grandchild watching your film fifty years from now.
What will they want to know?
What do you hope your family will remember?
It all started with my grandmother.
In 1927, my grandmother left Ireland alone to begin a new life in America. She was 16 years old.
In 1999, seventy-two years later, we traveled to the small town where she was born to put a marker on the long-forgotten graves of her mother, Elizabeth, and her baby sister, Theresa. She asked me to say a few words about her mother, who had died during the turbulent years surrounding the formation of the Irish Free State, so I began asking what her mother was like and what she remembered about growing up in Ireland.
“She was a very good, loving mother, very kind,” she began.
I had a borrowed video camera and began asking her about the life she'd lived: her childhood in Ireland, crossing the Atlantic on a steamship, adjusting to life in America, bringing her sister Mary over, raising families together, and working at General Electric. She wouldn’t see the five siblings she'd left behind until a family reunion in Oxford, England, in 1970.
I didn't realize it at the time, but I was making my first family legacy film.
Today, that video is treasured by generations of relatives in Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
She lived to be just a few months shy of 100. Some remember her well. Some barely knew her. Many weren't even born when the film was made.
But they can all meet her.
That experience ultimately inspired MAEDOC FILMS.
Watch a short excerpt of that video from 1999.
A filmmaker's experience.
A personal approach.
MAEDOC FILMS is led by Steven Tabakin, an award-winning filmmaker and producer with more than twenty years of experience creating documentaries for PBS, HBO, public media, and leading cultural institutions.
His work has explored the lives of celebrated artists, musicians, writers, and extraordinary people whose stories deserve to be told.
But what interests him most isn't celebrity or accomplishment. It's the experience of being human: the places people came from, the choices they made, the people they loved, and the little details they remember that no one else would think to ask about.
Steven brings that same curiosity, care, and professional filmmaking experience to every MAEDOC project.
"A good interview isn't just a series of questions. It's a conversation built on curiosity, trust, and the ability to listen."
Representative Work
John Schreiber Tribute
Linda Harrison Tribute
Margaret Whitton Tribute
Every film begins with a conversation. We take care of the filmmaking details, guiding you through a thoughtful, collaborative process designed to make everyone feel comfortable.
The Production Process
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PLAN
Tell us who you are thinking about.
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RESEARCH
People, places and stories that shaped their life.
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FILM
A professionally filmed conversation.
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EDIT
We shape interviews and archives into your film.
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DELIVER
Receive a film for your family to treasure.
Our Services
A film as individual as the person whose story it tells.
You don't need the questions, the structure, or even the story figured out. That's part of what we're here to help you discover.
The Personal Legacy Film
Starting at $4,000 - subject to confirmation
Transform an intimate interview and cherished family photographs into a beautifully edited short documentary with music, archival material, and a cohesive narrative.
What's included
One day of professional filming at a single location within 40 miles of Manhattan.
Up to four hours of interviews at one location, plus additional footage.
Professional camera, lighting, and sound.
Incorporation of supplied photographs, home movies, and other archival materials
Licensed production music
Titles, sound mixing, and color correction
Digital delivery
Unedited interview recordings are also available upon request. Additional media preparation, storage, and delivery fees may apply.
Additional filming, editing, research, and other production services can be arranged.
The Filmed Conversation
Starting at $1,200
Capture their voice, memories, and personality in a professionally filmed interview. Includes a lightly edited highlights video.
What's included
One day of professional filming at a single location within 40 miles of Manhattan.
Up to four hours of interviews at one location, plus additional footage.
Professional camera, lighting, and sound.
A lightly edited highlights video.
Digital delivery.
Unedited interview recordings are also available upon request. Additional media preparation, storage, and delivery fees may apply.
Additional filming, editing, research, and other production services can be arranged.
The Family Archive Film
Starting at $3,600 - subject to confirmation
Give new life to existing home movies, photographs, and recorded interviews, creating a family documentary without additional filming.
What's included
Up to four days of documentary editing
Integration of supplied digital photographs, interviews, and home movies
Photo adjustments, sound editing, and color correction as needed
Licensed production music
Digital delivery
Projects can typically be completed within 5–7 working days once all required materials have been received, depending on complexity and feedback.
Additional services and rush scheduling are available.
Every project is different. Before production begins, we'll agree on the anticipated film length, number of interviews, archival materials, revision process, and other details so you know exactly what to expect.
Custom Documentary
Individually quoted
An expansive, personalized film involving multiple generations, additional interviews, archival research, or filming in several locations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Absolutely. In fact, some families choose to record interviews now and create the finished documentary later. We can discuss options for preserving the original recordings and arranging editing when the time is right.
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Yes. Depending on the project, we can incorporate appropriately licensed production music to complement the story.
If there's a particular commercially released song that has special meaning to your family, we can discuss the options and any additional licensing requirements. We'll explain what is possible before including it in the finished film.
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That depends, but for a simple interview day everything is typically handled by just two people on set.
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Every project is different, depending on the number of interviews, amount of archival material, and complexity of the story. Once filming is complete and all materials have been collected, a typical short film may require approximately four working days for an initial edit, followed by additional time for revisions and finishing.
We'll establish a realistic production schedule together before beginning. Rush arrangements may also be available.
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Absolutely. A professionally filmed conversation can make a wonderful gift for a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or other milestone.
We can arrange the experience with you in advance and help you decide how best to introduce the idea to your loved one. The person being interviewed should always feel comfortable participating.
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That's completely understandable. Most people aren't accustomed to being interviewed on camera, and there's no expectation that anyone needs to perform or have all the answers.
We approach interviews as relaxed conversations, giving people plenty of time to settle in, reflect, and share memories at their own pace. We can take breaks, revisit questions, and include family members nearby when helpful.
Our goal is to make the experience comfortable, enjoyable, and respectful of everyone involved.
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Yes, we are available to travel domestically and to most international locations. We can also sometimes arrange remote production options.
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Absolutely. Family photographs, home movies, letters, and other archival materials can bring wonderful depth and personality to a film.
We work with selected digital photographs and video files, including older materials that have been professionally digitized. We can also recommend resources for scanning photographs or transferring old film and videotape.
We'll help you identify the most useful materials during the planning process and provide guidelines for organizing and delivering them before editing begins.
For the safety of your family archives, we ask that you retain all original materials and keep backup copies of everything you share with us.
If you have a particularly large collection, we can discuss an appropriate approach or recommend additional archival assistance.
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Yes. Steven has extensive experience producing documentaries, live events, performance recordings, and films for cultural institutions and nonprofit organizations. Contact us to discuss your project.
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You are always welcome to reach out to Steven Tabakin through the contact section of this page.
Let's talk about your story.
Whether you're thinking about a parent, grandparent, a special anniversary, or a family history that deserves to be preserved, we'd love to hear what you have in mind.
You don't need to know exactly what kind of film you want. Tell us a little about your idea, and we'll arrange a conversation to explore the possibilities, answer your questions, and discuss an approach that suits your family.