The legal field is using video more than ever and there is a growing demand for legal videographers. The impact of video depositions is greater than a simple transcript and video conferencing allows remote witness to give their testimony as though they were in court. With above average job prospects predicted over the next few years, many film students are considering this career path.

Education Needed

There is no formal legal videographer degree or course of study. Instead, aspiring videographers have a number of options to acquire the skills they will need on the job. In fact many videographers start out in the entertainment industry or providing consumer services such as wedding videos, discovering this field later in their careers.

Videographers must be intimately familiar with video equipment and technologies. Students often take courses in videography and film making to acquire both the educational and creative skills needed to produce accurate and compelling productions. Experience with post-production work such as editing and captioning is also essential.

While not necessary, many legal videographers also take courses in forensics and criminology. When they have a better understanding of the processes involved in legal depositions, criminal investigations and court procedures they are better able to produce videos providing the information needed by the attorneys and courts who hire them.

Legal Videographer Certification

Most successful legal videographers choose to get certified through the National Court Reporters Association as a Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS). The certification demonstrates a level of experience, understanding and professionalism that makes them stand out from less experienced videographers.

The NCRA has a 3-step program for applicants pursuing the CLVS: a seminar, a written examination, and a production examination.

The two-day CLVS seminar teaches the specific requirements involved when recording video depositions and contains information on court proceedings and the Rules of Civil Procedure. Applicants who already have experience with videography and legal depositions may be able to skip all or part of the seminar, and exceptions are made by NCRA on a case-by-case basis.

After the seminar applicants take a written examination and then produce a mock deposition video to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Videographers on the Job

The most common services legal videographers provide are video depositions. This court-admissible testimony is often used for witnesses who can't attend a proceeding in person. While traditional written deposition services are common, video depositions add depth to a person's testimony by allowing the judge and jury to hear and see details such as the witness's mannerisms and inflection.

Legal videographers work with court reporters to provide transcripts indexed to the video. Interested parties can examine the text, the video or both when studying the testimony. The presentation is chaptered to make it easy for people to find specific spots in the video corresponding to those points in the transcript.

Anyone with experiencing with video equipment and technology has the background to start down the path to the lucrative and rewarding career of legal videography.