My hero
Tell Mom, Dad, Grandma or a best friend what they mean to you, in a video the whole family can share. Great for Christmas and birthdays.
Shenango + Mahoning Valleys
Get their story
told.
Feel like your loved one's story isn't being talked about enough? A short video is the fastest way to spread awareness, because people share it, and every share puts their name and face in front of more people. We make documentary-style tribute videos for happy stories and hard ones, from heroes and life achievements to missing persons, crime, accidents and overdoses, made to be shared where millions of people search and scroll every day.
- Jump the lineRequests here go first
- 60–100 secMade to be shared
- Real photosNever AI faces
- 48-hour turnaroundAfter you approve
- You approveBefore we build
Christmas + birthdays
Tell someone you love they're your hero with a tribute video for Christmas or a birthday. Give them their flowers while they're here to enjoy them.
Make a hero tributeNot just sad stories
We tell happy stories too.
Valley Case Files isn't only about loss. Some of the best stories are about people who are still here: the ones who raised us, served, beat the odds or just showed up every day. A tribute video makes a gift they'll watch again and again, and one the whole family can share.
Big milestones
Retirements, graduations, 50th anniversaries, 90th birthdays. Celebrate the years and the people they touched.
Comebacks and recovery
Years sober, beating cancer, starting over. Stories of people who fought back and won, told with pride.
Service and community
Veterans, first responders, coaches, nurses, teachers and neighbors who quietly hold the Valley together.
Make a hero tribute
Hero tributes end with HONORING and their name, not "in memory of."
Why a video
The fastest way to spread awareness is a video the internet can share.
Made to travel
A news story runs once. A short video keeps getting shared on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, so their story keeps reaching people who never heard it.
Jump the line
Valley Case Files gets more stories than we can cover. When you request a tribute video here, your story skips our waiting list and goes straight into production.
Posted by us, shared by you, or both
Choose to have it posted on Valley Case Files, get your own copy to share on your own pages, or both. Every package includes your own MP4 copy.
Not being talked about enough?
If you feel your loved one's case has gone quiet, a video can put their name back in front of people, and the right person might be watching.
Every video points somewhere
For missing persons and open cases, we can end the video with the police department or tip line to contact, so viewers know exactly what to do.
Missing
Missing persons
Someone you love is missing.
Every share is another set of eyes. We'll make a video with their real photos, when and where they were last seen, a description, and who to call with information, using only details from police, official missing-person listings and your family. We'll ask you first which details you want shared.
Request a missing person videoStories we tell
Every story deserves to be told, the good and the hard.
Life achievements
Graduations, careers, military service, sports, sobriety milestones, community work. Celebrate what they built, whether they're still with us or not.
A life well lived
A tribute to someone who passed from age or illness: the family they raised, the work they did, the people they touched.
Crime and unsolved cases
Who they were and what happened, told only from what news reports and court records confirm. If a case is unsolved, we say so.
Lost to a drunk driver
Their story told with care, where the case stands, and if you'd like, a message about never driving impaired.
Accidents and sudden loss
Car crashes, workplace accidents, drownings and other sudden losses, told plainly and gently, with the focus on their life.
Lost to an overdose
No judgment and no shame. We tell the whole person, not just how they died, and can include recovery and help resources if your family wants them.
What you get
A short film that sounds like a documentary, and feels like a tribute.
Documentary narration
A smooth, low, calm storyteller voice reads a script we write from your memories and verified facts. Natural pace, no gimmicks.
Your real photos, treated with care
Each photo sits in the frame over a soft blurred copy of itself, with a slow zoom, gentle fades between shots, and a small credit line so everyone knows where it came from.
Headings and captions
Bold two-line titles like AUGUST 29, 2017 / CHICAGO AVENUE on each shot, with word-by-word captions that follow the narration.
Music that fits them
Choose a music style, like soft piano, gentle acoustic or gospel, or let us pick. Music and on-screen text are added in TikTok when the video is finished.
The closing card
Every video ends the same way: "In memory of" their full name, a brief moment of static, then their name on a quiet black screen.
Keepsake cover
A cover made for the wall, or the feed.
Add a vertical cover in the Valley Case Files style: a corkboard with a torn street map, red string and pushpins, their photo in a white Polaroid frame, their name spelled out in cut-out letter tiles, and their hometown in red at the bottom.
FIRST LAST
How it works
Four steps. You stay in control the whole way.
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Tell us about them
Fill out the request form: their name, hometown, dates, what made them who they were, and any obituary or news links you have.
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We research and send a summary
We check the details against real sources like obituaries, local news and public records, then send you a short summary with links. Nothing is built until you approve it.
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We build it in 48 hours
We write the script, record the narration, and edit your photos into a vertical 60 to 100 second film, plus the cover if you ordered one.
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Review and receive
You get the MP4, the cover image, a ready-to-post caption, and a list of every source and photo credit. One round of changes is included.
Where we tell stories
The Valleys. The stories.
Sharon, Farrell, Hermitage, Sharpsville and New Castle in Pennsylvania. Youngstown, Warren, Hubbard, Niles, Boardman, Struthers and Campbell in Ohio. If your loved one is from somewhere else, ask anyway.
Packages
Simple pricing. No subscriptions.
Most chosen
Tribute + Cover
$39
- 60–100 second vertical video
- Researched script and documentary narration
- Music in the style you choose
- Keepsake corkboard cover (1080×1920 JPG)
- Their name in cut-out letter tiles
- Caption, source list and one round of changes
Best value
Multi-Pack
$69
- Two Tribute + Cover packages
- Two videos and two keepsake covers
- For two loved ones, or two videos for one
- Costs less than buying two separately
Always $15
Missing Person
$15
- Everything in Tribute + Cover
- Last seen details from police or official listings
- Tip line and who to call at the end
- Always $15, because we want to help bring them home
Can't afford it? Tell us in your request. We may choose to do some videos for free.
The launch special price is locked in for any request sent before the deadline. You pay after you approve the summary. Nothing is charged when you submit a request.
Our promise
We tell the truth, gently.
- Only facts we can verify. Anything uncertain is attributed ("police said", "according to the Vindicator"). We never invent quotes, dates, arrests or outcomes. If a case is unsolved, we say so.
- Real photos only. We use your family photos and real photos of places. We will never generate an AI face of your loved one, and anything illustrative is clearly labeled.
- No graphic details, no judgment. Hard moments, including overdoses and crashes, are handled with restraint and respect. The focus is on who they were.
- No surprises. You see and approve the summary before we build, and the video before it's final.
- Your call on sharing. You always get your own copy. We only post it on Valley Case Files if you say yes.
Request a video
Tell us about them.
Share what you're comfortable sharing. We'll reply quickly with any questions and a link to send photos.
Closing card preview
IN MEMORY OF
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
Type their name in the form to see it here.
Pay for your video
Approved your summary? Pay here.
Please pay only after we've sent your summary and you've approved it. Checkout is handled securely by Square.
We'll match your payment to the right video. At checkout, please also type their name in the note box.
Tribute + Cover
$39
Multi-Pack
$69
Missing Person
$15
Questions
Things families ask us.
What if I don't have many photos?
That's okay. We can use real photos of their hometown, street, school or church to carry parts of the story. We'll tell you exactly which photos we're using and where they come from.
Will you make an AI version of their face?
No, never. We only use real photos of the person. If an image anywhere in the video is illustrative, we label it honestly.
Is there music?
Yes. Pick a style in the request form, like soft piano, acoustic, strings or gospel, or let us choose what fits their story. You can also name a song they loved. Music and on-screen text are added in TikTok, so a specific song depends on it being available there.
Can the video celebrate someone who's still alive?
Yes. We tell achievement stories too, like a retirement, a graduation, years of service or a sobriety milestone. Instead of "In memory of", the closing card says "Honoring" with their name.
Do you make videos for overdose deaths?
Yes, with no judgment. We focus on who they were, the people who loved them and the good in their life. We only mention how they died in the way your family is comfortable with, and we can add recovery or help resources at the end if you want them.
Do you make videos for DUI deaths?
Yes. If your loved one was killed by a drunk or impaired driver, we can tell their story with the same care: who they were, what happened in plain and respectful terms, and where the case stands, using only what news reports and court records confirm. If you'd like, the video can carry a message about never driving impaired.
Do you only cover the Valley?
We focus on the Shenango and Mahoning Valleys (Sharon, Farrell, Hermitage, Sharpsville, New Castle, Youngstown, Warren and nearby), but reach out if your loved one is from somewhere else.
How long does it take?
Your finished video is delivered within 48 hours after you approve the summary.
Can I post it myself?
Yes. Every package includes your own copy, formatted for TikTok, Facebook Reels, Instagram and YouTube Shorts, plus a caption and hashtags you can use or change. You can also have us post it on Valley Case Files, or both.
Do you ever make videos for free?
Sometimes. If cost is the only thing stopping you, choose "Asking for a free video" on the request form and tell us a little about your situation. We may choose to do some videos for free, but we can't promise every request.
What does "jump the line" mean?
Families and followers send Valley Case Files more stories than we can cover for free, and those go on a waiting list. Requests made through this site skip that list and go straight into production after you approve the summary.
Can you make a video for a missing person?
Yes, and it's always $15, even after the launch special ends, because we want to help. We use their real photos and only the details shared by police, official missing-person listings and your family: when and where they were last seen, a description, and who to contact. We'll check with you before including anything, and we can end the video with the tip line to call.
Will my video reach millions of people?
We can't promise how far any video will go, since that depends on people sharing it. What we can do is make it short, clear and built for the platforms where millions of people search and scroll every day, then post it on Valley Case Files if you'd like, and give you your own copy to share.
Also from Valley Case Files
Memories in Motion
Looking for something simpler? Our sister service turns your family's photos and home videos into a memorial montage set to the music they loved, ready for the service or to share. No narration, no research, just their life, picture by picture.