Tips for my first video depo?

[Heather]

I have my first job with a videographer on Monday and I'm a little nervous because I don't really know ... well, I don't know WHAT I don't know. Only thing I know is that I have to listen to it to make sure it's perfect, but besides that is there anything else I should know? Sorry for the vague question! Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Heather

[Veronica Kubat]

Treat it as a regular depo: meaning don't rely on the videographer's tape he will give you later. If you need them to slow down, ask them. If you need them to repeat something, do so. Don't put your requests in the transcript. But do not rely on the video. I find that I let things drop with a vdeo, and that makes for a lot of adding latter, which totally sucks. If you get clarifications at the time, it makes your job easier later.
V.

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

When you get there the videographer will want to sync his time with yours. Most videographers will plug directly into your laptop with his microphone so you won't need yours, unless he doesn't have enough. The videographer starts the depo, states his blurb, which you write down, and then he will ask everyone to identify themselves for the record. When that's done he will state for you to swear the witness in. In case no one has told you, you do write everything down the videographer says, on the record, off the record, et cetera. Good luck to you. There have been times that I've had to talk on the record, which I hate because I can't write and talk at the same time, but you want to make sure if you do talk to try and write because of the timestamping.

[Janet]

Do you use audio sync with your software? You will save yourself hours and hours of going back and forth playing back the tape if you do.

[Janiece Young]

If you are going to change the time on your computer, be sure and do it before you open your court reporting software. You could lose your audio sync if you mess around with your time once your work file is open. I always sit on the same side of the table as the taking attorney b/c the witness will be looking at the questioning attorney and if you sit on the other side of the table you won't be able to hear very well.
Good luck,
Janiece

[Janet]

One more thing, I always bring another set of headphones and ask the videographer for an audio feed. If the witness is soft spoken, you won't have to struggle to hear.

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

You can also let the videographer know that you have never done a video depo before and he will walk you through how he handles it. I have only had one videographer that didn't have enough microphones to plug into my computer, so even though I was also doing audio I did take his cassettes. It's really nice when the videographer can plug right into your computer.

[Jena Macato]

Hey, Heather. I posted a discussion about this in the "Mentors" group before I went on my first video depo. All the responses were very helpful. I thought I sent you an invite to that group. You should check it out.

Jena :)

[Heather]

Thanks for all the responses. Jeanese, the thread on "The Mentors" was helpful, thank you. And Janiece, I wouldn't have even thought about whether or not to have my software open when I changed the time, THANK you! As for timestamping, I'm a little worried. When I start to get behind, I find I drop a lot of the attorney's little one word "Okay," or "Uh-huh," when they're talking over the witness' answer. If I have to add some of those in, is it going to have a line with no timestamp? Are they going to be able to tell I had to add it in? And what if I'm trailing really bad, does the syncing end up all messed up or does the videographer fix that? Thanks again for everyone's help. Great tips!

Heather

[Janet]

Heather,
I just saw that you're on Eclipse. You don't have to worry about your timestamps. You won't lose anything. Just sync your time with the videographer. You can still adjust the time stamps after you've edited your job, but just wait until you're completely done so that the audio is still in sync. Don't worry about the Okays and Uh-uhs. They're not going to throw off your time stamps. No one is going to see that you added. You'll do just fine.