Q: WHAT IS A VIDEO PROFILE?
A: For most adoptive families, Print Profiles are their first opportunity to connect with birth parents. Print profiles usually include information about the adoptive family’s home, neighborhood, family members, motivations to adopt, hobbies and much more.
But what if these profiles were watched instead of read? What if birth parents could actually see a couple interact? What if they could witness the couple’s personalities, instead of just reading that they have good personalities? What if they could actually hear and feel their desire to become parents?
By showcasing the qualities that can only translate to video, Video Profiles allow prospective birth mothers to better envision their child’s life while growing up in your family.
Q: HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?
A: You will receive a SP Media Video Kit with step-by-step instructions in the mail and access to an online account with educational resources. You will then have 15 days to film the necessary footage and return the video kit back to SP Media.
Using the various interviews with you, family members or friends, additional footage to supplement the interviews, and music, our Video Specialists will edit your footage into an emotive story for prospective birth mothers to watch.
Q: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOING A VIDEO PROFILE?
A: Video Profiles benefit the birth mother by helping her choose the best adoptive family for her adoption plan. Consequently, there are also many benefits for adoptive families and benefits for adoption professionals:
- Video Profiles Show Your Family – Imagine picking your spouse with only photographs and a few pages of written information. Now imagine picking a family to raise your child by only using that same information. Video Profiles allow a birth mother to learn more about you so that she can feel more secure about the family she has chosen.
- Video Profiles Showcase Personality – Print profiles are a great way to connect with birth parents, but they are only able to present so much. They cannot express how compassionate, funny or outgoing you are in person. In video, your personality and everyday lives can be easily seen.
- Video Profiles Help Lower Chances of a Disruption – Many birth mothers watch a family’s video multiple times throughout the matching process, which helps her stay committed to the family and remind her why she has chosen adoption for her child. While Video Profiles don’t eliminate disruptions altogether, they give birth parents a stronger sense of knowing the family, which helps them remain dedicated to their adoption plans. Videos are also often used as an “icebreaker” when talking on the phone or meeting in person for the first time.
- Video Profiles Reach More Prospective Birth Parents – Every year, more and more birth mothers are searching for prospective adoption families on the Web, and an increasing amount search for them on YouTube, the world’s second highest trafficked search engine.
Q: WE ARE AFRAID OF THE FILMING PROCESS AND HOW WE WILL COME ACROSS ON VIDEO. ARE WE ALONE?
A: It’s really important to keep in mind that almost all families feel awkward or uncertain when filming each portion of the video profile, but the interviews, B-roll and music will all be combined together with our editor’s expertise to form an effective video profile in the end. We only select the best parts of what you submit to be used and we have a lot of experience so you just do your best to capture yourselves and we will do the rest!
Q: CAN I SEE THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE I ORDER THE KIT SO I CAN PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME?
A: Unfortunately, we do not give access to our instructions and questions before payment is received in order to protect our video profile process. If you haven’t already, you can create an account at any time and receive some instructions on how the overall process will work and how to get started. You do not have to actually order a video kit until you are ready to film. Once you order the kit, you will have access to an online account that has step-by-step educational materials to walk you through the entire process, including the interview questions.
Q: CAN WE ORDER THE VIDEO PROFILE KIT NOW, BUT NOT HAVE IT SHIPPED TILL LATER?
A: We prefer that families wait to order the kit when they are ready to receive it and begin filming.
Q: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A KIT TO SHIP? WE WANT TO TRY TO SCHEDULE THE 15 DAYS TO FIT AROUND CERTAIN EVENTS.
A: When you order the video kit, there will be a place at checkout to select your shipping method. FedEx Ground is included in the price of the video profile and takes anywhere from 2 to 5 business days to arrive. If you would like to select a faster shipping method, an extra fee will apply.
We recommend that families try to complete the filming within 15 days, however our contract allows you to keep the kit for 30 days. Please contact us once you are filming to receive your extension.
Q: DOES THE KIT INCLUDE EVERYTHING I NEED TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL VIDEO PROFILE?
A: Yes, the kit will come with everything you need to film your entire video profile including all of the necessary equipment and step-by-step instructions. Keep in mind the final video profile is typically around three to four minutes. We will provide a 64gb card in your camera which records up to two hours and is more than enough to film everything needed for the video profile.
Q: DO I NEED A RELEASE FORM FOR EVERYONE THAT APPEARS IN MY VIDEO PROFILE?
A: We suggest you focus on getting releases for anyone who does an interview for you as well as any minors who are featured in your video. You can do one family per form, so for instance if the parents and their child are featured in your video then all three of them can be listed on one release form. If there is anyone else who is well seen in your footage or photos and might be uncomfortable being in a video that will be public on YouTube and distributed to birth families, you can have them sign a form as well to be on the safe side. You can find a PDF of the release form in the resources section of your online account.
Q: WE HAVE FAMILY/FRIENDS THAT DON’T LIVE NEAR US THAT WANT TO FILM AN INTERVIEW. WHAT DO WE DO AND HOW DO THEY SEND IT?
A: Your friends or family may submit a video filmed on their own if they have an HD camera or a high quality smartphone that films at least 1080p. If they use a cell phone it must be turned to film horizontally and stabilized, not handheld. Please do not film the interview using the webcam on a computer.
Please make sure they still follow the directions on the Friend or Family Interview sheet. You can find a PDF of this under the Resources tab in your online account. They need to answer the questions listed and follow the guidelines laid out there. The audio guidelines are particularly important since we don’t know the quality of their camera. They should film in an indoor, quiet space and eliminate any distracting noises.
They do not need to do any editing or compression to the file. The easiest method for them to send the video clips would be via a free digital service like Dropbox or Google Drive. They can either send it to you first and you can add it with your materials to mail to us all at once or share it directly to our main email video.specialist@showpromedia.com. Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Q: CAN WE FILM ON OUR VACATION?
A: Some vacation footage is great! However, it is important to remember that birth moms are very interested in seeing what day-to-day life would be like for their child. Therefore we ask that the majority of your footage takes place within your own home and community, as well as B-roll that corresponds with the answers to your interview questions.
Q: WE DON’T HAVE CHILDREN NEARBY TO INTERACT WITH OR ARE NOT ABLE TO FILM WITH CHILDREN. HOW CAN WE FILM A VIDEO PROFILE?
A: We have had plenty of families in similar situations that have made really effective video profiles and in those cases they can expand on the sections about themselves, their relationship, their occupations, even their pets. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully and get more clips of the two of you and your lives to help fill in the video. Be sure to use the tripod to get steady shots that you can both be in together!
You can also submit photos or previously shot footage of your interactions with children on the provided flash drive. Some people also film video chat sessions with nieces or nephews if that is something they like to do. Just be sure to use the provided camera to film yourselves video chatting instead of just screen capturing the actual chat.
Please let us know if you need any specific suggestions on what to film!
Q: CAN WE DELETE FOOTAGE WE DON’T LIKE OR TO MAKE ROOM ON THE SD CARD?
A: We recommend that you leave all of your footage on the card. We have had some occasions where families end up accidentally deleting all of their footage and wish to avoid this. Your experienced editor will know how to sort through and select only the best clips to use. You will get final approval on the video so if there is any footage used or not used that you have questions about you can always talk to your editor about it at that time.
Q: DOES EVERYTHING STAY ON THE SD CARD OR DO WE MOVE IT TO THE FLASH DRIVE?
A: Everything you film on our camera should stay on the SD card inside the camera. You do not need to remove, transfer, or alter anything from the SD card. The flash drive provided in the kit is for you to add any pre-existing media. This includes relevant photos or previously shot video/cell phone clips to help supplement and fill some voids you may not be able to capture new footage of. We do ask for at least 15 photos. There is more information about this on page 14 Part 4: Pre-Existing Media in your Production Book.
Q: WE ARE A RETURNING FAMILY SO DO WE NEED TO SHOOT A NEW VIDEO PROFILE OR CAN WE REUSE FOOTAGE FROM OUR FIRST VIDEO PROFILE?
A: We do ask that you film an entirely new video profile again. First of all, we want to hear about and see all the changes in your life since adopting! We also do regular updates to our interview questions, educational materials and overall process to improve the quality of the video profile. When you are ready to begin you can log back into your original account and click the New Order button.
Q: WE WANT TO UPDATE OUR VIDEO. WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
A: Updates are done with an hourly rate and typically cost anywhere from $75-500 depending on much you’d like to alter. Please reach out to us at video.specialist@showpromedia.com to get started.
Q: HOW MUCH DOES SP MEDIA CHARGE FOR A VIDEO PROJECT?
A: SP Media’s rates change based on the type of video project you are interested in. For more information about pricing, please contact SP Media.
- Once you register a video profile account with Show Pro, you will receive a more in-depth FAQ and information as well as access to a Video Specialist to help guide you through the filming process.
Begin Video Process