Is there money in Video depositions? « Videomaker Community Forums

dirt
Member

Hello everyone. I have a small business making wedding videos and special events. I have read alot on the net about attorneys hiring people to record video depositions for them.

Is there anyone reading this forum who does this type of business? I was just wondering if it was worth pursuing on my end.

TIA

Doug

Posted 8 years ago #
cggemes
Member

I have videotaped depositions since 1986. I am now starting a legal videographers training and certification program. If interested please let me know?

Posted 8 years ago #
njelliott
Member

Yes, you can obtain significant income from a legal video practice. For most legal videographers, depositions are the major income source, but there are other income sources

However, there are some things you must consider. To get anything more than occasions legal business you will probably need to be certified. There are two major organizations certifying video. One in the American Guild of Court Videographers. The other is the National Court Reporters Association. At least in my area, Minnesota, the NCRA certification will get you the most business, but it was my experience that the rigor of the training was about equal. I decided to obtain certification from both organizations.

The certification process of the AGCV assumes you bring a significant knowledge of videography with you to the training. The NCRA training makes no assumption and spends signficant time on the basics of videography.

Posted 8 years ago #
cggemes
Member

The problem with the training is antiquated as the equipment used, needs revamping. My company is going through the process of obtaining State Certification. This will greatly update the for mentioned and create an up to date guide line. I feel the attorney hiring this type of service deserves the best product available.

Posted 8 years ago #
heel4you
Member

cggemes,
I am very interested in learing about your legal videographers training and certification programs.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks

Posted 7 years ago #
HORNOBLE
Member

Hello all, I'm a certified court videographer through the AGCV and have been working in this field for about six years now. My wife is a court stenographer and owns her own small firm. She persuaded me to go into the Legal Video field. I know several people who have spent the time and money to get certified, hoping to make big bucks, but were sadly disappointed.
My advice would be to check out the demand for this service in your area, if you contact local Court Reporting firms they could be helpful. From my experience MOST of the Legal Video work is booked through these firms. However it is a growing field. Califorina and Florida are two of the best areas that I know of for Legal Video Work. Personal connections with people working in the legal field are your best hope for work.

Posted 7 years ago #
SteveMann
Member

No matter what advice you get, ask your local bar association what is required in your state to make video depositions admissible in court. It varies from state to state. Some states want the videographer to be a paralegal, some expect the videographer to be a court reporter and at least one state wants the videographer to be a notary.

In most states, the advertised certifications have no legal standing other than an indicator of your training. It looks good on your resume and business card, and the firm hiring you knows they aren't getting a wedding videographer whose total experience in court is Judge Judy.

Find out first if there's a market in your area. I used my rolodex of paralegals in many of the larger legal firms in my area and determined that every firm had a staff videographer, or they assigned the task to a low-level paralegal. None said that they ever used an outside videographer.

Steve

Posted 6 years ago #
incourtcamera1
Member

What are the other major areas of sourcing revenue through legal videography apart from CA and FL?

Posted 1 year ago #
stevegrilletta
Member

incourtcamera1,

Pretty much anywhere there is at least 1 trial lawyer and 1 defense firm (said tongue in cheek). The problem is getting yourself established and you can go broke doing that. Rather than try to hit on all ups and downs here, feel free to e-mail me at steve@grilletta.com

I've been doing legal video for a long long time as well as trial presentation. Be happy to talk to you.

Steve

Posted 1 year ago #
grinner
Member

Most depositions only pay a couple hundred bucks. By that, no, there is no money in it. Where you can find a win though is getting in good with a high end law firm who knows the value of video for marketing purposes. Sometimes it's worth it to work for very little to get your foot in the door so you can make what you are worth.

http://grinnerhester.com

Posted 1 year ago #
Martin
Member

I would like to know more about the certification process...

Posted 10 months ago #