It’s the Details That Count

Woody Allen once said that “eighty percent of success is showing up”. For a legal videographer, that means making a complete record of the proceedings with reasonable quality audio and video. The other 20% separates the best from the rest. It’s the details that, practiced collectively, can make you stand out and help build your business. Over 20 years of doing legal video has given me ample time to notice these details. Here are a few of my observations.

Personal attire and the appearance of your equipment make strong first impressions. Wearing a business suit to depositions sends a message of respect for the formality of the proceedings. Using professional quality equipment packaged in clean carrying cases implies that you are experienced and prepared. If you’re wearing jeans and carrying your equipment in a converted suitcase, the clients may not say anything, but in their minds you now have to prove you are a professional.

The opening of the deposition is a time when all eyes are on the videographer. Before going on the record, ask for the correct pronunciations for the names of the litigants and witness. After checking with the court reporter, let the attorneys know you are ready to begin. They may be reviewing documents or making small talk because they’re waiting for your cue.

Frequent tape changes may have an unintended impact on the testimony. Minimize these interruptions by changing cassettes during breaks, even if the cassettes are not recorded to the end. Use longer videocassette formats. Many attorneys have said they’d rather pay a few more bucks than be restricted by one hour tape formats.

Always return from a break as early as possible. Have your camcorder and audio cassette in record/pause to minimize the time it takes to start recording. That few extra seconds can really make a difference. I’ve had several court reporters tell me they like when the videographer gets on and off the record quickly.

Nearly every video will look better with a video light. By simply bouncing an Omni light off the ceiling you can improve the image quality significantly. If there are concerns about the lights increasing the room temperature, display the picture to the attorneys with and without the light and ask them to decide. They’ll see that you are concerned about their comfort and a quality work product.

Provide an earphone from the audio mixer for the court reporter. With soft spoken witnesses, this can really help the reporter get an accurate record. I’ve had appreciative reporters refer us work for this reason alone.

Anticipate the electrical needs of the court reporter and attorneys. Carry extra extension cables and run a power cable to the table before everyone arrives. Only use professional “gaffers” tape. Never use duct tape; it leaves a glue residue that is difficult to remove from carpets and fixtures.

Finally, leave the deposition room as neat as when you arrived. This is especially important in smaller law firms. The person cleaning up after you could be responsible for booking the next deposition.

Wayne V. Martin, CLVS
National Video Reporters, Inc.
wayne@legalvideo.net
www.legalvideo.net