How to capture the best video of our kids

Mark Steines, TV Host & Journalist, shares advice for parents on how to capture the best video of our kids during their special moments in life
How To Capture The Best Video Of Our Kids
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How to capture the best video of our kids

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As a parent, I see myself also as a documentarian; I am documenting my children's lives as they go. We take tons of pictures. In the digital age that we're in, we're taking a million pictures. I urge you to back them up; find some way to do that. There's tons of software out there that will do that. Another thing that's so important is that we want to video tape our kids. Why? If you've ever found lost footage of yourself, of your kid, when you were growing up, or even stuff now--when my kids are 10 and 11, I look back--it is priceless. It's not so much of them maybe walking around in their diaper, doing their thing, but it's the voice--the audio part--when you hear them speak and they still have that little baby voice that's with them; it goes away so quickly. Also, when you're doing this, one thing that I've done with my kids--and do this frequently--find themes that you can talk with them about. Ask them generic questions like, "What's important to you right now? What do you want to be when you grow up? What's your favorite color? What's your favorite food? What makes you really mad?" The answers will be priceless later on when you're looking at them. One thing that I did is, before my kids start school, I interview them. I ask them what they anticipate school will be like, especially kindergarten--it's just amazing--you get all this wonderful stuff. They get their clothes out. They show you stuff. I interviewed them. This past year, when my son left 5th grade, going into 6th grade, I sat him down and I played the tape. I said, "What do you want to tell that little boy? What do you want him to know?" To hear him talk to himself, when he was at kindergarten age, was amazing--the insight, the wisdom that he has gained--and I saw the contrast. You see them growing up. You see their minds developing. One day, when he gets married, and I play that tape back for him--I give it to his wife, or he can share it with his kids--that will be something that he will cherish, and his children will cherish forever. We live in a time, right now, where we can do this--it's accessible. When I was growing up, if we wanted to record something, we had to go to Best Buy or something and get the big VCR camera, and we'd have to tape it. There was no way to edit this stuff. If you stop now, and you think about it, we can record this stuff. There's a whole generation of kids right now that are going to have such an amazing past to hang onto, to look back and reflect upon. It's our duty, as parents, to capture that, because when those moments are gone, opportunity goes with them. We'll never have another chance to capture our kids and hear their voices when they were 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. I would love to see that of me, when I was that age, but that doesn't exist. It can today, and it can if we take that on and make that part of our responsibility.
ALL PARENTS, Family Life, Family Time

Mark Steines, TV Host & Journalist, shares advice for parents on how to capture the best video of our kids during their special moments in life

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Mark Steines

TV Host & Journalist

Emmy award-winning journalist Mark Steines hosts Hallmark Channel’s Emmy-nominated "Home & Family."  After more than 17 years on "Entertainment Tonight," Steines and his co-host Cristina Ferrare entertain and inform their audience daily with an array entertaining and relevant lifestyle topics, do-it-yourself projects, cooking, celebrities and experts.

From small town Iowa to the red carpets of Hollywood, three-time Emmy winner Steines has established himself as one of the most trusted and charismatic figures in entertainment news.  During his tenure at "Entertainment Tonight" he interviewed 100s of A-list actors, producers, musicians and athletes. 

Recently, Steines has received rave reviews as a photographer.  His appreciation for all things beautiful is captured in his portraits and majestic landscapes.  His artwork can be seen on the walls inside many exclusive Hollywood homes and offices.  His photo book "See The Light: A Passage To Sierra Leone," documents the Light House Medical Mission’s trip to raise awareness for fresh water in impoverished countries.

Other hosting credits include the "2008 Miss America Live!;" VH-1’s   "Greatest TV Rock ‘n’ Roll Moments;" VH-1’s "The 25 Sexiest;" the "Golden Karma Awards," recognizing international philanthropic efforts; Mark Burnett’s AOL interactive online game "Gold Rush" and the legendary Hollywood Christmas Parade. He was also a celebrity guest judge on "HGTV Design Star."  

He received an Emmy award for the KCAL-TV special "Beyond Endurance: Madagascar;" an Emmy and Golden Mic award for "Beyond Endurance: Borneo;" an Emmy as host of the 2005 Hollywood Christmas Parade, and a National Iris Award for the special "The Big Business of Sports Endorsements" and national recognition by the Women’s Sports Foundation for his fair and impartial reporting on the Women’s National Football League.

As an actor, Steines has guest starred on television shows including "CSI: NY," "The Practice," "Medium," "Half & Half," "America’s Next Top Model," "Handy Manny" and Sony Pictures' feature film "Nixon."

Steines studied comedy at The Groundlings, the renowned school of improv, and earned a degree from JoAnne Baron/DW Brown Acting Studio’s Meisner Technique training.  His vocal skills training were fine-tuned at the Kalmenson & Kalmenson Voice Over School for Actors.

A born fitness enthusiast, Steines was featured in People Magazine's coveted "Sexiest Man Alive" issue and Men’s Fitness Magazine's "25 Fittest Men in America."  Currently, he is working with fitness expert Tony Horton and Beachbody showing people how to stay in shape with the "10-Minute Trainer" program. 

Born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, he attended the University of Northern Iowa on a full football scholarship and graduated with a degree in Radio and Television. Steines began his broadcast career as a regional television sports reporter, which later brought him to Los Angeles and national television.  Not one to forget his roots, Steines established a mentorship program with his alma mater, equipping students with the tools necessary to successfully transition from the classroom to a career.

An avid hands-on do-it-yourself guy, Steines enjoys spending his free time fixing, remodeling and restoring all things in disrepair.  He resides in Los Angeles and Ojai, California with his two sons.

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Transcription: 
As a parent, I see myself also as a documentarian; I am documenting my children's lives as they go. We take tons of pictures. In the digital age that we're in, we're taking a million pictures. I urge you to back them up; find some way to do that. There's tons of software out there that will do that. Another thing that's so important is that we want to video tape our kids. Why? If you've ever found lost footage of yourself, of your kid, when you were growing up, or even stuff now--when my kids are 10 and 11, I look back--it is priceless. It's not so much of them maybe walking around in their diaper, doing their thing, but it's the voice--the audio part--when you hear them speak and they still have that little baby voice that's with them; it goes away so quickly. Also, when you're doing this, one thing that I've done with my kids--and do this frequently--find themes that you can talk with them about. Ask them generic questions like, "What's important to you right now? What do you want to be when you grow up? What's your favorite color? What's your favorite food? What makes you really mad?" The answers will be priceless later on when you're looking at them. One thing that I did is, before my kids start school, I interview them. I ask them what they anticipate school will be like, especially kindergarten--it's just amazing--you get all this wonderful stuff. They get their clothes out. They show you stuff. I interviewed them. This past year, when my son left 5th grade, going into 6th grade, I sat him down and I played the tape. I said, "What do you want to tell that little boy? What do you want him to know?" To hear him talk to himself, when he was at kindergarten age, was amazing--the insight, the wisdom that he has gained--and I saw the contrast. You see them growing up. You see their minds developing. One day, when he gets married, and I play that tape back for him--I give it to his wife, or he can share it with his kids--that will be something that he will cherish, and his children will cherish forever. We live in a time, right now, where we can do this--it's accessible. When I was growing up, if we wanted to record something, we had to go to Best Buy or something and get the big VCR camera, and we'd have to tape it. There was no way to edit this stuff. If you stop now, and you think about it, we can record this stuff. There's a whole generation of kids right now that are going to have such an amazing past to hang onto, to look back and reflect upon. It's our duty, as parents, to capture that, because when those moments are gone, opportunity goes with them. We'll never have another chance to capture our kids and hear their voices when they were 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. I would love to see that of me, when I was that age, but that doesn't exist. It can today, and it can if we take that on and make that part of our responsibility.
ALL PARENTS, Family Life, Family Time