So you have jumped on the bandwagon to videotape your next deposition.  Let’s say you know this witness will not be available for trial or will be too expensive to bring to trial.  Now you are debating whether or not to synchronize the video.  Firstly, what is synchronizing?

The synchronizing software used to connect the transcript and the video together word for word using speech and pattern recognition. Just like you see with closed captioning on the television.

What is included on a synchronized video deposition?   

Some videographers or reporting firms, as a standard practice, offer syncing at the time of order, usually at a discounted rate. Having a synchronized video deposition is very easy to use on a television or computer. When you receive your synched video, it will be on a DVD that can play on your computer and a standard DVD player. In order to get the most out of your video, download the free DepoView software that makes displaying your video, full transcript, word index, clips and linked exhibits easy to view. This is helpful because you can skip around the transcript, word search and create clips on your own to use for trial.

Along with the easy view DVD, we send a plethora of extensions that can be utilized in other software, for instance, Trial Director, Lexus Nexus 2, Summation, Sanction, TrialPro, LiveNote, and much more. Per request, your videotaped deposition can even be viewed on your iPad. The great thing about using DepoView, you can print your word index and specific pages from the transcript which makes synchronizing more worth it.

Using Clips at Trial

Synchronized Clips are the best tool for trial! You might be wondering, what are clips and how can they be made? Clips are short segments of the synchronized video. Clips can be used or created in some trial presentation software, emailed to yourself or your client. This comes particularly in handy when the witness is unavailable or too pricy for trial. Our clients have told us how helpful the clips have been during their trials. You can play segments of the deposition so the jury can see the deponent’s demeanor with the captions of the transcript following below.

Although you may just need the video to show your client or so forth, it’s important to synchronize your video so you have the ability to use it in the trial presentation software. Having the ability to use the synchronized video for Trial Director, Sanction and so forth, gives you a better opportunity to use it during trial.

If you have any questions about synchronizing a video deposition, we are here to help. Just contact us at (800) 322-4595 or email me at [email protected]. You can also learn more about our video services at “All Things Video.”

You may also be interested in another related article, 5 Reasons You May Want to Videotape Your Next Deposition.