You’ll want to include at least 15 photos. Try to use photos that relate to the memories you and your partner talk about in your interviews.

Wondering what types of photos or video to include? Below are some examples and suggestions:

• Photos of your wedding day, hobbies or favorite vacations.
• Photos or digitized videos of your favorite childhood moments.
• Photos or video pertaining to the adoption process of your first child(ren).

You’ll be filming three types of videos: (1) the adoptive parent interview, (2) the friends and family interviews and (3) B-roll footage.

To help you with your adoptive family interview, we’ve included a list of questions. You’ll want to answer these questions in complete sentences. For example, if the answer is, “Where do you live?” you would answer something like, “We live in the suburbs of a large metro area in Texas.”

Don’t worry if you have awkward pauses or “stumble,” just keep the camera running and start your sentence over. Our team will edit your video to make you sound your best.

Family History and Lifestyle

• How did you meet?
• Who is in your immediate family?
• Do you already have children? If so, what are their names and ages? If you don’t have children, do you have any special relationships with children in your life?
• Are any of your children adopted? If so, how has adoption changed your life?
• Do you have any family members who live nearby or that you see on a regular basis? If so, how will they fit into your child’s life?
• Where do you live?
• What is your community like? What is your favorite thing about the area where you live? What are you looking forward to your child experiencing in this area?

Daily Life and Activities

• What interests do you and your partner share? If you have children, what activities do you like to do as a family?
• Where do you most like to spend time in your house? What do you like to do there?
• Do you have an interesting occupation? Are you a current or future stay-at-home parent?
• Describe an average day in the life of your family. Is there something special you do on weekends? Any traditions? How would you include a child in these moments?
• What new activities do you look forward to sharing with your child?
• What will having a child add to your current activities?

Adoption and Parenting

• What led you to choose adoption to build your family?
• Why do you want to be a parent?
• What are you most looking forward to with adopting a child? Are there any special moments you are looking forward to sharing?
• If you already have children, how are you preparing them to have a new sibling?
• How will you discuss adoption with your child?

Questions About Your Partner

For these questions, you’ll ask your partner to leave the room so that you can talk candidly. Be sure to remove the extra chair from the shot and answer the questions honestly.

• What do you love about your partner? Please use his or her name when answering.
• Why does your partner want to become a parent?
• Why do you think your partner will be a great parent? If your partner is already a parent, what is your favorite quality of him/her as a parent?
• Does your partner have a unique skill or personality trait that you are excited to see shared with your child?

Finally, you’ll want to summarize your thoughts about adding a child to your family. Avoid addressing the birth parents directly. Instead, express your excitement about adopting a child.

Filming the friends and family interview

Testimonials from close friends or family members can go a long way in establishing your role as a parent. You’ll want to interview people who know you and your partner well and can speak to your lives and how a child would fit into them.

You’re not alone if you find it awkward to talk to a camera about yourself. However, following these dos and don’ts can help make the process a little easier.

• Do pretend the camera is your friend and maintain eye contact and speak candidly.
• Don’t read from a script, as this can make the video feel too stiff and (well) scripted.
• Do be an active listener when your partner is speaking by listening and acting interested.
• Don’t state your last name or where you live.
• Do stay relaxed and take your time as you tell the story of you and your family.
• Don’t address the birth family directly. Instead, keep the focus on your family.

If you have a unique family situation, your video is the time to talk about it. Doing so helps highlight what makes your family special and can help attract the perfect birth family.

Here are some examples of special family situations that you’ll want to mention:

• Blended family
• Adult children
• Bilingual family
• Military family
• Transracial adoption

If you have specific questions about how to best show what makes your family unique, please reach out for support and advice.

Consider your cast and wardrobe

Just as with a movie or a TV show, the cast of your adoptive family video is critical. Of course, you and your partner will be the stars. However, you’ll also want to include family, friends and neighbors.

These people will make appearances in your B-roll footage. Additionally, two or three of these people will sit off camera and interview you. They can also provide testimonials to show birth families how incredible you are.

Here are some types of family members and friends to consider for your video:

• People who know you and your partner well.
• Loved ones who have children you interact with often.
• Children who you spend time with, including nieces, nephews and children of friends.
• People in your life who are comfortable in front of the camera.

In addition to thinking about your cast, you’ll also need to think about your wardrobe and appearance. We’ve provided some tips to help you achieve the right look and feel.

• Don’t sit on a sofa or stand up. Instead sit on a flat-back chair or stool. This prevents slouching while also keeping you from looking too stiff.
• Do keep it casual (but not overly casual) when picking your clothes. Some great options include polos, button-up shirts and sweaters.
• Don’t wear clothes that have busy patterns or are all black, all white or bright neon colors. You’ll also want to avoid loud, bulky jewelry that can be heard on camera.

Having the right lighting in your environment is key when you’re filming your adoptive family video. Below are some tips to help you set the stage.

• Film in a quiet room indoors.
• Only have people in the room who will be on camera.
• Know that cameras can pick up everything from crying children to ticking clocks.
• Turn off or remove items that could make noise during your interview.

It’s also important to show yourself in the best light. Here are some tips to help.

• Film during the day in a room with plenty of natural light.
• Sit with the windows to the side or in front of you, but not behind you.
• If you film at night or in dim lighting, place a lamp or two in front of you.

You’ve heard us mention B-roll footage earlier, but what is it exactly? In the world of film and television, B-roll is the extra footage captured to enhance the story. With B-roll footage, we can cut away to other images during your interview. This adds visual interest to your story and helps illustrate what you’re talking about.

You can write some ideas for B-roll footage. However, keep in mind that the best B-roll comes from spontaneous moments. That means you’ll want to keep the camera with you to capture all of those meaningful moments that provide a unique look at your daily life and what you and your partner are like as people and future parents.

To help you take the best B-roll footage possible, here are some dos and don’ts.

Do

• Ask someone with a steady hand to help shoot B-roll of you and your partner. You can also use a tripod to get steady shots.
• Film each shot for at least 15 seconds to make sure we have enough footage.
• Film you and your partner together. You should both have equal presence in the footage.
• Shoot hobbies and activities you enjoy, together and individually.
• Film you and your partner interacting with children, together and individually.
• Film you and your partner interacting in places like family gatherings and parties.

Don’t

• Overthink filming your B-roll. The best shots look just like home video.
• Film everything in one day. Spread your filming out over several days to add variety.
• Zoom in excessively or have someone with a shaky hand film you.
• Fake activities for staged B-roll or narrate your actions.
• Shoot vertically like you would on a cell phone.