Guide to using video clips for family profiles

If you are an approved adoptive or foster family and would like your profile to be featured on Be My Parent online, you can now add a short video clip showing more about you. Here are some guidelines on how to best film and provide the clip.

• The video clip provided should be no more than 3–5 minutes long.

• Make sure there are no identifying elements such as street names, people or photographs in the background. Be particularly aware of protecting the identity of other children in the family, especially adopted or foster children, including not showing them when shooting.

• Any speech should make sense within the context of the short clip and be non-identifying.

• The family should try to show a range of situations, e.g. in their home or garden, talking about themselves, doing activities, showing any pets in the family, etc.

• Be aware of background noises such as from television, radio, music, passing traffic. If the mike is incorporated in the camera, make sure that the person speaking is close enough (remember that zooming in will not get the same sound quality).

• Make sure there is adequate and ample lighting and be aware of reflected lights from windows, glasses, sunlight, mirrors.

• Use steady shots and shoot on best quality setting possible. Keep it simple: technical effects are best avoided.

• Technical specifications: please send the clip on DVD to Be My Parent. The output dimensions should be approximately 320x256 pixels. We regret that we cannot accept VHS tapes.

If the video clip does not meet the Be My Parent standards of privacy, security or image quality, we may ask you to edit or replace it, or we may decide not to use it if you are unable to provide a suitable alternative.

Last updated: 20 December 07

Back to previous