Trial Presentation Blog

ShowLogic™ - Excite.Engage.Involve - an extemely versatile presentation tool

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:03:30 -0500

Wow! - It's been a busy month for our litigation support team here in Video Resources! We clarified and presented a video in a ten year old murder retrial that resulted in me having to appear as an Expert Witness to explain the "how's and why's" of video forensics to an unenlightened jury ("ie, This is NOT CSI!).

The following week we quickly changed gears when we were called into a new case involving FUNGUS! We now now more about water damaged homes than we ever thought we would or ever cared too.

However, this case is interesting because we are working with a law firm who has NEVER dealt with using ANY hi tech presentation services - EVER. We were recommended to them as a source for editing their clients insurance video for their lawsuit and wound up presenting their opening argument (via the video) for them in the smallest court room available in Orange County (Calif) Central Division. (Seriously.. Dept. 56 is the tiniest court room I've ever had to work in).

The firm that retained our services insisted that we do the presentation for them, no matter how simple, because they'd witnessed enough "multi-media meltdowns" in court to want NO PART of running their own presentation.

The opposing counsel consisting of (three separate law firms) showed up "loaded for bear"; they had their projector, their "portable" 8 foot by 8 foot screen, their DVD player(s) , their ELMO , their Sanction Legal Presentation Software, their PowerPoint program and their Anchor Systems amplification system. They had a top notch presentation group from Los Angeles which acted swiftly and efficiently running all manner of cables hither and fro while trying to avoid us while we attempted to hook up our 2 power cords and our plasma screen.

Yeah, for all of our prowess in preparing and presenting magnificent presentations, all we had was a DVD player and a plasma screen.

But hey.. sometimes... just sometimes,... less is more!

The trial started - the opposing counsel dismissed (rather rudely, I might add) their presentation team because one of their attorneys "knew all about how to present this stuff". (You know what's coming, right?)

We went first and 30 minutes later our little video was complete and our work for the day was done.

The opposition began their opening statement and then restarted their opening statement and then asked for 5 minutes to "sort something out" and then started again. Things went well for about 6 minutes when their PowerPoint presentation switched from a chart to a time-line to a series of photos- all without explanation - so, after a little fumbling and weak jokes about technology they skipped that part of the opening and they next jumped to their DVD which didn't fare much better because the audio didn't work and then the DVD flat out quit. (I can't make this stuff up!) Finally, the judge, sensing a total meltdown, called for an early lunch break so the entertainment committee could get their presentation back on track. (I fought back the urge to stand up and applaud the judge's wise decision).

Which brings me, in my roundabout fashion, to ShowLogic™...

The website for ShowLogic™ software has an opening title that reads:

"Introducing ShowLogic™. It’s everything you never thought you could have in a presentation platform."

And it really is.

I was given a chance to try out the ShowLogic™ program which has several available modules which can be added separately depending on your specific needs. My specific need is court room presentation and this program leans more to corporate/sales presentations so the basic program worked just fine, and the platform is so versatile that it's easily adapted to ANY presentation needs.

Here's the really neat part (for me at least) in working with this program: it supports a whole array of programs that many of us use throughout a case...

Adobe Flash (.SWF)
Microsoft PowerPoint slides and presentations (.PPT, .PPTX)
Microsoft WORD documents (.DOC)
Adobe Acrobat files (.PDF)
Text Files (.TXT)
Graphics: .JPG, GIF, .BMP, .PNG
Microsoft Windows Media (.AVI, .ASF, .WMV)
Adobe Flash Video (.FLV)
.MPEG.. MPEG2, .MP4, .DIVX
Web Files: .HTM, .HTML

... and puts them into ONE tidy little package.

The "trick" to applying any or all of these to a case is that you need to edit all of your files ahead of time before loading them into the "Administrator" which is where you'll designate the order of your presentation. The "Administrator" allows you the flexibility of making changes in your presentation (of the pre edited files) "on the fly".

A second unit of the program is dubbed the "Presenter" which is designed (I assume) for marketing and sales departments to have a pre-defined presentation that cannot be manipulated/changed by the presenter. For my purpose this was something I probably wouldn't use for court purpose for the obvious reason that changes, invariably, seem to be needed (and expected) to be made at the drop of a hat.

I encourage anyone dealing with the pressure cooker of presenting a successful multi-media opening statement to go to the ShowLogic™ web site (http://www.show-logic.com/) and get a demo of the program and put it through its paces and see for yourself.. I really think you'll be impressed as much as I am!

So - back to my original story of the "know it all attorney" and his courtroom adventure into the unknown that went awry; IF they had made the meager investment into a program like ShowLogic™ their opening statement would have run seamlessly and with a much lower degree of embarrassment and a much higher degree of impact and left the jurors with a much better impression of the merits of their argument.

But... I don't know.. you can always tell an attorney.. but not very much!

Collaboration Tools and Technologies-Smart Ways To Work Together

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:57:52 -0500

The title say it all !

Well, actually the full title is "The Lawyer's Guide To Collaboration Tools and Technologies, Smart Ways To Work Together" by Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell, but, you get the picture, right?

Generally I try not ot wander too much away from trial presentation tips but, in this case I've got to comment about a much ballyhooed book that covers almost every aspect of communicating within a lawfirm not only with your peers but with your (all important) vendors as well.

This book is an excellent A to Z treatment of something we all take for granted: Communication with one another.

The authors take a no-nonsense approach to the obvious (and not so obvious) and guide the reader through the mechanics of effectively coordinating not only the workflow in a firm but efficient methods of coordinating that workflow.

From effectively and (more importantly) efficiently using email,to exploring the use of "Wicki's", Blogs and RSS Feeds this is the ideal guidebook for those serious about productivity and workflow communication within the firm and with the firms' (outsourced) vendors.

I feel that the firm that takes the time to invest in this guide and actually take the methods to heart (and actually implement them) will have the advantage of a coherent presentation based on solid information management and execution. Which, in turn, makes the work of your vendors that much easier.

While the "Guide" is loaded with prime examples of effective communication techniques you'll probably only need to adopt a few (depending upon what you currently have in place) to see an overall improvement in your product.

Do yourself a BIG favor and buy the book; it's one of the better investments you'll make for your firm.

"PowerPoint For Court"- Affordable Software for Trial Presentation

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:33:05 -0500

Due to the nature of our litigation support servces here at Video Resources I've had the opportunity to test out a variety of courtroom presentation software; The two most popular (in constant use) being Adobe Acrobat Professional and Microsoft's PowerPoint.

These two excellent programs embody what I consider the "base" technology for what has developed into today's advanced presentation software like CT Summation, Visionary, Trial Director and Trial Max. The latter named programs have taken the "basics" (again, my interpretation) of these two "core" programs expanding upon their features and delivering the rock 'em, sock 'em, boffo presentations we've all come to love and, (for our clients at least) expect.

As fantastic as each of these advanced presentation programs are they come with a learning curve and, in a couple of cases, a hefty price tag.

So - let's look at the an alternative - something for those firms who don't need to rip through 16,000+ exhibits, photos and videos. (You know who you are).

What about the smaller case that has a few documents, some photos and maybe even a video deposition coupled with a budget that prohibits outsourcing at any cost?

If you're a small firm (or even a paralegal in a moderate firm) I'm sure you've been exposed to and made use of PowerPoint at some time or another. If you've had the opportuniuty to study any of my previous posts you'll also note that in the wrong hands I firmly beleive that the mis-use (or over use) of elements of this program can be a real crowd snoozer.

So - what to do? Here's a terrific, affordable alternative for novice and PowerPoint sage alike: PowerPoint For Court created by award winning graphic design artist Herb Rubinstein.

At just $149.00 PowerPoint for Court isn't a lightweight entry by any means. In Herb Rubinsstein's own words: "Just about everyone is familiar with PowerPoint and it is eminently capable of displaying absolutely anything. So why go out and look for Legal Presentation programs that can cost a lot of money and take hours of valuable time to learn when you already have the perfect software package?

The answer is Don’t!

Using PowerPoint for Court and the software and material found on the Resource CD, you will be on the cutting edge of Courtroom Presentation Technology and will have the winning edge over the opposing side."

Personally, I think this would be $149.00 well spent for any law firm. The whole package comes on one CD and is chock full of useful apps as well as extremely useful advice not only on PowerPoint but also on audio recording, embedding video and courtroom technique.

Herb claims his motivation for creating the program was due to his involvement working with law firms who just didn't grasp the mechanics of PowerPoint or else lacked any expertise (or motivation) in exploiting its true potential.

Check out his web site: www.PowerPointForCourt.com - all the info is there and I'm beginning to sound like an infomercial for the product so I'll let you read up on the particulars for yourself. This is a "must have" for every firm (or at least the poor paralegal tasked with creating the court room presentation).

One final point: I haven't been compensated in any way for this; I enjoy using programs that simplify the argument with clarity and accuracy and anything that will make your presentation a success is my goal!

Pecha Kucha : Only 6 Minutes to make your point!

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:47:56 -0500

Huh?

It's called "Pecha Kucha" (pronounced peh-chak-cha) . I discovered this globally-accepted presentation phenomenon in a terrific book entitled "PresentationZen - Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery" by Garr Reynolds.

In the past I've railed on the "Death by Powerpoint" that has unfortunately become the norm in almost all Powerpoint presentations from the classroom to the boardroom to the courtroom.

Pecha Kucha is a simple and challenging practice that I believe will hone your presentation skills and make for a better presentation (and presenter).

In the August 2007 issue of WIRED Magazine this "process" was simplified in an article entitled "Get to the Powerpoint in 20 Slides Then Sit the Hell Down". The concept is almost too simple (which is probably why you've never heard of it):

"pecha-kucha (Japanese for "chatter"), applies a simple set of rules to presentations: exactly 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each. That's it. Say what you need to say in six minutes and 40 seconds of exquisitely matched words and images and then sit the hell down. The result, in the hands of masters of the form, combines business meeting and poetry slam to transform corporate cliché into surprisingly compelling beat-the-clock performance art. "

So what's this got to do with the courtroom? - Isn't it obvious? Read On!

Honing your message for your jury is probably the biggest challenge any attorney faces today.

If you feel you're pretty proficient in the use of Powerpoint in the court - you know - you're the "go to guy" (or gal) to put the "slides" together - then this can be an ultimate challenge to your talents.

Me, I can't tell a simple story - seriously. (Don't look so surprised!)

Anyone who works with me or around me will vouch for that statement. My stories or explanations go into deep detail; I'm a lot like listening to a Charles Dickens novel - you know, rich in minutae (or manure... depending on the audience).

I'll never be accused as being at a loss for words, but, I've been bested many a time by an attorney who makes me look like a glib simpleton by comparison - I've been awestruck by the speed at which they've been able to get the eyes of jurors to "glaze over" within seconds of launching into their presentation. That takes practice. It must. Somewhere there has to be an unwritten law that dictates that some attorneys (unintentionally) inflict "Brain Freeze" on a jury in the course of an argument.

Powerpoint in the wrong hands is a lethal weapon - it can bore your brains out of your audience and confuse or lose your message. I've seen it - you've seen it. Heck, it's pretty hard NOT to see it.

Try your presentation out on "Fresh Eyes".

Why not work, creatively - either with others or within your organization - to eliminate this menace? Why continue to use the same tired formula when a fresher, simpler approach may be within reach?

Here's an idea:

The creative forces behind the Pecha Kucha concept spawned Pecha Kucha Night in cities around the world.

Their web site,PechuKucha.org, offers this explanation for the monthly event:

Pecha Kucha Night, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

But as we all know, give a mike to a designer (especially an architect) and you’ll be trapped for hours. The key to Pecha Kucha Night is its patented system for avoiding this fate. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

What? No Pecha Kucha Night in your area?

Why let that stop you from utilizing the simple concept? Hone your skills - streamline your argument - practice with some abstract ideas - practice with your current case.

At the risk of beating an old cliche further into the ground:"Think outside the (blue) box".

Imagine creating a persuasive argument that is easily followed and understood under seven minutes.

What? You can't? Neither can I. But it's worth a try, isn't it? What have you got to lose?

Your Case?

Occam's Razor: When "Simple is Better"

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:51:56 -0500

Albert Einstein stated a principle in 1933 which is often paraphrased as "Theories should be as simple as possible, but no simpler." Occam's Razor is a similar principle of logic that can be summed up as "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best." Then there's the principle more people are probably familiar with: the KISS principle ("Keep It Simple, Stupid").

A better philosophy is, "If it's simple and works well, don't complicate it."

The key here is that it has to "work well."

I've been kept pretty busy the past few months (since October of last year!) with a continuous series of court presentations in and around Southern California, some civil matters, some criminal cases and yet another in Federal Court and haven't given this blog the proper attention it needs.

The overriding message you'll be hearing me preach about for the next several months is how we accomplished success after success by keeping the message simple and to the point no matter how overwhelming the exhibit load.

In the next few "blogs" I'll be playing "catch up" and relating my first hand experiences with the technology and techniques that we've used in each of these presentations as well as insight as to what worked well and how we "uncomplicated the complicated".

Our performance in court is always a continuing "work in progress" since every case presents its own set of challenges; we've had a 90 day run that tested our mettle in many situations and I've lived to tell about it - stay tuned; I'll try to not disappoint!

Video Depositions - The Visual Advantage

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:15:11 -0500

I recently had the opportunity to attend a CLVS (Certified Legal Video Specialists) seminar in St. Louis. This is an outstanding group of video professionals who are certified in the correct methodology of preserving a deposition into a video format.

If your firm uses depositions for later presentation in court and you're not utilizing video you're missing a powerful tool that can provide a compelling and psychological advantage to your argument.
If you do use video I'd strongly suggest that you use a certified video specialist; they follow strict guidelines and are associated with the NCRA (National Court Reporters Association).

In the past few weeks there have been news reports on the sexual harassment lawsuit involving New York Knicks President and Coach Isiah Thomas.

The deposition of Thomas was videotaped and has been replayed in court (as well as the media) several times.
When is the last time you recall a deposition being "READ" over and over on a news program?
For impact on today's jury you need visuals.
Compare the dry, written transcript of his deposition with the visual dynamics of him actually speaking the words on camera.

I think you'll agree with the old saying that "a picture's worth a thousand words"; in this case the picture AND the transcript is a priceless combination - about 12 million dollars worth.

So - why aren't you utilizing this as a tool in your legal arsenal?
It can't be cost - a Certified Videographer's fees aren't that expensive, so it must be fear of the unknown - and of perceived courtroom catastrophes.
With the right presentation skills and current software you shouldn't be adverse to using new technology.

In the next few blogs I'll review a few of the solutions that can help you overcome any reluctance you might have regarding using 21st century solutions to win your cases.

This week I'll start with YESLAW...So - what is YesLaw?

To quote from their website: " YesVideo provides a service for converting deposition videotapes onto CD, synchronizing them with the transcript, and delivering them with YesLaw software. This software allows attorneys to easily review deposition footage, find key segments, then create and export clips for use in trial presentation programs like Sanction®. Rather than focus on technology, the focus is on making law firms more successful in their use of video."

OK - well, that pretty much sums it up. I could go on for another few paragraphs but I'd be saying essentially, the same thing.

Used on a PC the program allows the viewer to search for pertinent testimony, locate the corresponding video and audio and then save it into a variety of existing software programs, like Sanction, Livenote, and, of course, Powerpoint.

In my opinion this is a great way to bring video into your firm; it's not rocket science and they've created a platform that is easily understood by almost everyone. The YesLaw viewer doesn't take any programming skills on the part of your staff - if they can load a CD they can load a synchronized text video deposition.

How do you get your video into the YesLaw format ?
SIMPLE - almost all Certified Legal Video Specialists have access to the service, just specify it when you set up your next deposition.
If you already have the video and the text in a file format you can go to the YesLaw website and locate an out fit (like Video Resources, Inc.) who will handle the conversion for you.

The conversion fee isn't expensive at all and the overall savings to your firm will outweigh the investment.

Uh Oh! (Don't Panic... but...Oh Nooo!)

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 01:13:17 -0500

A quick entry for you kind readers this week.. based on an all too true and all too common fear of technology in the courtroom.

Not long ago we had a client ask us to produce a DVD for a court presentation of an expert witness' deposition; a "No-Brainer" around here at Video Resources, but, this was a new, unexplored frontier for the client. We had been given the orignial taped depo on a Monday (it had been taken on the previous Friday) and we were asked to redact a series of comments that the Defense had objected to prior to viewing by the jury on the following day, Tuesday . Again - this is a "No-Brainer" over here but was viewed as no less than "Black Magic" by our client.

The following morning the client took possession of her precious DVD and headed off to a day of battle at the Central Courthouse here in Orange County, CA. We had taken the time to "QC" the DVD (Quality Control review) before delivery and it had passed muster.

All was good. The Universe was in harmony - life was "in balance".

This was going to be a "first" for our attorney - she wanted to make sure everything ran flawlessly and I had assured her that all she had to do was pop this little disk into the court's DVD player and push the "ON' button - a "No Brainer" indeed.

We got the panicked call just before the jury was about to take a quick break.

SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE DVD! It was playing in black and white rather than billiant color! Oh my God! Oh My God!.. or words to that effect.

Eric, my steadfast sidekick and fellow techno-geek, took the call. I was out tending to something completely unrelated (probably having lunch or something.. hard to tell), and when I returned to the office I was confronted by Eric who calmly announced: "We're Needed.... NOW".

He went on to explain in a very matter-of-fact tone to me of the plight and panic of our floundering attorney. He had assured her we would be right over and for her NOT TO PANIC, "everything would be just fine", probably in the same tone of voice of many an airline pilot who just had all the red warning lights flash on in the cockpit. Reassuring, yet....

We quickly put together a back-up DVD system and amplified sound system - a little overkill,yes, but, hey, it's part of the job (we rent EVERYTHING you could possibly need for a presentation of ANY size) and we included, for good measure, an array of cables and plugs in the event that the culprit may just be a faulty wire. I'm sure with a little more time we could have crammed a 50 inch plasma screen into the mix.

Remember the nerds in grade school and high school who ran the projectors for the class events? Well, some of them grow up and become "Techies" who go about setting up all manner of presentation equipment at courthouses. That's not true. Fact is, ALL of them grow up to be "Techies" of one sort or another.

Maybe "Grow up" is too strong a term. "Evolve" sounds better, doesn't it? - let's use that.

But I digress... Anyway, just like in school days past, we're the bespeckled, albeit balding, "evolved" nerds that rush to the rescue when all things technical go up in smoke. We'd wear capes if we thought we could get away with it.

Eric and I arrived at the courthouse in record time and, had it not been for the Deputy Sheriff's taking an interest in our electronics we probably would have made to the courtroom about 15 minutes sooner than we did. FYI: Sheriff deputies are "closet nerds" - this is a scientific fact. Show them a gadget, especially if you're in a hurry, and they'll insist on knowing:

a) what it is,
b) how do you use it, and
c) where can they get one - cheap?

We made it to the Ninth floor of the Santa Ana Courthouse and eventually found the right courtroom (our attorney neglected to give us the right room number so I was popping my head into a variety of those little observation windows attempting to recognize the back of our attorney's head without drawing undo attention from within the courtroom).

The bailiff spotted me first. He pushed through the double doors of the courtroom, preventing me from signaling our attorney and he escorted me back into the hall. He explained that he could bring the equipment into the hall where we could perform our Black Arts and get the faulty DVD to play correctly.

Problem was... alas, the DVD was missing from the player. (A major obstacle, not uncommon when everything goes awry).

Our attorney came out and announced that the DVD (for whatever reason) was left on the Plaintiff's table - smack dab in front of the jury - and someone needed to quietly go in and retreive it. We unanimously nominated the bailiff who rose to the occasion and disappeared into the courtroom trying to look as unobtrusive as a six foot two bailiff possibly could.

Meanwhile, we did what we nerds do best, we fiddled with every button on the machine that we could. All five of them.

About 15 seconds into the exercise Eric discovered that a cable had been connected to the wrong connector on the back of the DVD player. With a slightly audible chuckle he plugged the cable into the correct receptacle and I gave him an approving pat on the head - he usually gets a cookie - but, we were in public. The cookie would have to wait. Eric frowned.

We inserted the newly recovered DVD, flipped a switch and basked in the warm glow of a color image! Mission accomplished! Another video crisis averted! Life was once again GOOD! We threw our imaginary capes over our shoulders and prepared to pick up the 20 or so tools that fell out of our toolbelts and were scattered about the floor. Eric found a pocket protector that he was sure he had lost. I found a copper penny stuck to some gum on the floor. It was a good day to be alive!

Needless to say, the bailiff was humbled. You see, it was he, the closet nerd, who plugged the cable into the incorrect connector. Our DVD was fine, after all, because it was a "No-Brainer" remember? Eric gave the bailiff a quick lesson on the nomenclature of the courtroom DVD player, carefully explaining all four sockets to him and their proper function. He included a little crib sheet for the deputy to refer to as well. The bailiff was grateful and apologized profusely for having us rush to the courthouse only to switch a little, itty-bitty cable into the correct socket. Then he asked if we knew where he could get a good DVD player - cheap.

The look of relief on our attorneys face was priceless! (Something we live for!) The day was saved, her reputation was intact, and everything was fine - just as Eric had promised! (As if there were ever any doubt of the outcome!)

Now, my point here is to show you that sometimes there is an extremely painfully simple explanation for things going awry, especially if you're out of your element. You are attorneys, or paralegals, and your "focus" once in the courtroom is elsewhere (as it should be), but, folks, much of this is not "Rocket Science". If you can master a Blackberry (or an iPhone) chances are you can handle the "No-Brainers" as well.

When the stuff hits the fan don't panic..if you're using a professional team to create your presentation chances are that all of the big, potential problems have been solved. Take a few deep breathes, stand back and assess the situation; if you're uncomfortable in a high tech environment spend a few bucks to ensure a successful, memorable court presentation. That's why they created nerds - to make you look good!

Don't you owe that to your client?

Digital Audio Recorders - Better than tape? Yes, but...

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:06:38 -0500

While we're in the "digital mythbusting mode" allow us a moment to tackle digital AUDIO recorders.

Ah, yes, the march of progress. Remember the video rant? Yep, same thing here.

If you're relying on the new state of the art digital audio recorders to record important statements to be possibly used in a trial presentation here are a few tips that will make your life a little easier and your presentation a little smoother:

Unless you’re going at full CD quality, your digital recorder is tossing stuff out to save space. Supposedly your ears will not miss the missing stuff, but our forensic audio equipment sure will. You want your machine to toss out as little as possible, and that means running at the highest "bit rate" you possibly can.

To put it another way, if you are maximizing your recording time, then you are also minimizing your recording quality, and also the amount of help we can be to you. If you need to record for a very long time and have to go to a low bit rate to do it, then it’s time to invest in new equipment with more storage space. As with video, it’s better to get a small amount of useable material than a large amount of junk.

A lot of these portable digital recorders have

bit rate settings that are so low that it’s crazy. We recently received a recording made at such a low rate that the recorder literally threw out the background conversation it was supposed to be capturing, concentrating all its efforts on the louder crying baby it was also picking up. We were still able to improve things a little, but not much.

Ideally you should be recording in either AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) or uncompressed WMA (Windows Media Audio) format, 44.1 kHz sampling rate or better. (Better is overkill unless you’re recording concerts or something.)

What about stereo vs. mono? Well, for us, stereo is a lot more versatile. If you have a stereo device with a stereo microphone or microphones, then it’s worth it. However, stereo takes up twice as much space (IE double the bitrate) to get equal quality. If you are using a single microphone and it isn’t stereo, then there’s no sense in recording in stereo format – you’ll just be wasting space with redundant data. Also, we prefer a single channel of good mono to two channels of not-so-good stereo, so don't be afraid to use your own ears and your own judgment. Test, test, test!

Coming up next: "A FEW RANDOM TECH NOTES" - the kind of stuff you can quote when you're mingling with a new client and hit an akward moment of silence. Guaranteed to dazzle and amuse!

An Audiophiles Challenge (Can You Hear me now?)

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 01:11:49 -0500

So we've explained the pitfalls and challenges of dealing with video images and what works and why.

Now we're going to tackle audio problems and challenges - a subject particularly near and dear to our audio engineer savant Eric Graf:

Yes, we are called Video Resources, but we "do audio" too. If you have an audio recording that needs to be clarified, we’re just the guys that you ought to bring it to. I’d like to tell you what to expect from us, and what you can do to make sure we can give you the results you want.

When dealing with an audio recording that’s hard to understand, the objective is to understand it. It’s not to make the thing a high- fidelity, professional-sounding recording, and usually that’s not possible anyway. Once we get it to where you can understand the conversation, we stop messing with it.

Often we will not be able to snag every word. 60% comprehensible is considered a big improvement over 10%.

If you read my lengthy tome about video, you no doubt remember my rant about the shenanigans on TV shows like CSI. It goes for audio too. To summarize: Much of the “technology” on those shows is more James Bond than LAPD. Do not judge a “real” clarification job by what you hear on those shows. Because frankly, they’re full of it.

What we CAN usually do is reduce background noise, background talking, foreground talking (sometimes), distortion, muffledness, and general unintelligibility. It really depends on a lot of factors.

Sometimes we can work wonders. Occasionally we can't work anything.

But we do have the tools and the expertise to do as much as can be done. Our microcassette player alone retails for $8000, and we often find that it delivers a huge improvement just because it plays so much better than everybody else's microcassette player.

Sometimes we’ll listen to a recording you’ve submitted and say “sorry, we can’t help you.” We like a good challenge, and we like making money while tackling a good challenge, but we aren’t going to waste your time or resources on a lost cause. Here’s how you can help reduce your chances of your cause being lost:

GET US THE ORIGINAL. PLEASE. WE BEG YOU.

You’re probably going to develop a case of déjà vu if you already read the video thing, because the advice is pretty similar. The reasons here are a little different because of the different technology, but overall it’s pretty much the same thing. When you make a copy, you lose quality.

In the case of analog audio, going from tape to tape invariably results in loss of high frequencies and the addition of additional noise. You’re also at the mercy of the copyist, and their ability, or lack thereof, to properly operate the equipment. It’s easier to really screw up audio than it is with video.

There’s also the issue of azimuth adjustment. It’s absolutely vital to the proper reproduction or duplication of any analog audio tape, and if you don’t know what it is, then you’d better just let us handle it. (I’ll be glad to explain it to you, but this would be a REALLY long document if I tried to do it here.)

Digital is a little different. If your audio is an MP3 or a CD, copying the file or the disc itself won’t do any damage whatsoever. Where you get in trouble is when you try to convert it to something other than it was originally. If it was recorded in CD quality, don’t make an MP3 or a WMA of it. When you go from one file type to another, you usually lose some quality that we really need to optimally do our work.

Yeah, we know, sometimes you just can’t get the original to us. OK then, here’s what to keep in mind when making your (shudder) copy:

DON’T copy from microcassette to microcassette. Come to think of it, don’t copy from ANYTHING to microcassette. It’s a low-quality format, and the last thing we need is a second pass through it. Furthermore, most microcassette decks do not have a proper line level input, and if you try to go in through the machine’s microphone jack without attenuation, you’re going to get something absolutely useless that we can't fix (we know because we keep getting asked to). If you have a microcassette to copy, either copy it to full-sized cassette or a CD quality digital file.

DO make a CD-quality audio file (or an actual CD). If you do it right, with decent quality equipment, the quality loss is so minimal that it won’t matter to us. Some caveats: MP3 is NOT CD-quality, no matter what the RIAA’s lawyers say. Many common computer sound cards are not considered “decent-quality equipment.” And if you haven’t adjusted that playback azimuth (which usually involves screwdrivers and removing pieces of your tape deck), you’re losing audio quality that we can’t recover.

Take care of and test your equipment! Does your microcassette make crunching noises while it’s running? STOP USING IT and get it fixed. Do your recordings come out distorted and nasty? Read the cotton pickin’ manual and find out what you’re doing wrong. Do your tapes come out sounding muddy? The machine is probably overdue for an internal cleaning (which means it’s probably also overdue for eating a tape or two). Hand it off to some tech guys and tell them to get scrubbin’.

If you’re using standard-size audio cassettes, be sure you’re using the proper kind for your equipment. There are two types of blank cassette on the market now – Type I and Type II. It’ll be written in teeny type somewhere on the tape box. Type II is more expensive, but it’s mainly for recording music on home stereo systems, and will actually perform noticeably worse in most portable equipment. Type I is the safe choice, and will work great if you buy the quality stuff. Buy only name brands (TDK, Maxell, Sony are good). Try to avoid tape lengths longer than 90 minutes. The 120-minute tapes are trouble-prone and don’t record as well.

Next Blog We'll cover the ups and downs of DIGITAL RECORDERS

The "Digital Quality Myth" (Say it ain't so!)

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:19:46 -0500

OK - in the previous blogisode my sidekick and ally in presentations Eric Graf exploded many of the make-believe antics that pass for science on those pop cop "CSI" - type soap operas that have the masses convinced that such visual alchemy truly exists.

One of the culprits that I feel has encouraged the feebs who write the CSI tripe is the DVR, or Digital Video Recorder. I've personally witnessed the growth of these machines over the past 5 or 6 years in the surveillance arena and have marveled at the promises made by the manufacturers that hawk them to their unsuspecting customers with the overt promise of the unit being capable of isolating an incident (and any suspect within the incident) and then enlarge said subjects facial features for police identification.

I've had the sad chore of bursting many a security manager's bubble when I point out the REAL limitations of their 32 camera, state of the art, real-time, internet accessable system. I no longer feel the need to let them rest their head on my shoulder anymore while gently rocking them and saying "There, there, it wasn't your fault".

Because, it is their fault. They should know better.

Here's why - Here's Eric's take on what we'll call "The Digital Myth":

DIGITAL IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER (Regardless of what you've been told)

Actually, I could almost leave out the “necessarily.” There’s this dirty secret about digital video that they don’t tell you. Here it is. Y’ready?

To save space, digital video throws out details of the picture that it doesn’t think you’ll miss.

It’s really obvious on some internet videos, where you’ll see people’s faces disappear into a detail-less blob. Trouble is, nearly all digital video, including DVD, DV tape, TiVO, high-definition broadcast, and (especially) surveillance systems, does the same thing to a certain extent, and it messes up our ability to do some of the cool CSI things we actually can do.

DVDs are particularly bad about this, particularly if you’re using a consumer-grade recorder, and PARTICULARLY if the original source is VHS. VHS has a lot of extraneous "noise" in the picture, and extraneous noise tends to confuse DVD recorders into throwing out more of the important details than they ordinarily would.

Going from analog to digital also has some hazards not directly related to the nature of digital. For instance, every consumer grade DVD recorder we have ever tested, without exception, records the video black level incorrectly. It’s a long story as to why (and if you feel you MUST hear it, you can email me), but the point is that it’s a problem for us, and there’s not a darn thing you can do about it without professional video equipment. (Side note . . . many DV recorders and computer video cards do the same thing.) It’s best to send us the original, and if there are DVDs to be made, let us make them.

Copying digitally (through Firewire) from DV tape to DVD usually goes better, but there’s still quality loss, especially in the color information, because DVD ditches a lot more of the detail info than DV tape does.

YOUR SHINY NEW DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE RECORDER (It's not what you thought it was)

OK, if you have one of these newfangled gizmos, pay very close attention!

Guess how they manage to get a month’s worth of video onto a single hard drive?

That’s right. They toss out everything, even the kitchen sink. And they record the picture at a horrible resolution setting that guarantees that anything smaller than a Peterbilt won’t be recognizable.

If you have your digital device set to record at the maximum time setting, you might as well not waste your electricity. You will not get ANYTHING useful. Period. End of story. We have a lot of would-be clients who learned this the hard way. And sadly, most of the salespeople who handle these things don’t bother telling you this, figuring that you’ll assume (incorrectly) that somebody like us will be able to bail you out when the need arises.

Change those settings now!

Go for the shortest time period and the highest quality you can possibly get away with. Use your own eyeballs and your own common sense. As already discussed, video does not enlarge well, so if you can’t see it on your screen, there’s a good chance we won’t be able see it on ours either.

If you have everything maxed out and still can’t see stuff, consider rethinking the position and coverage of the cameras. Yes, you might miss something if you’re zoomed in too tight, but you’ll miss EVERYTHING if you’re zoomed out too wide. A teeny little blurry picture of a teeny little blurry guy stealing your Bentley isn’t going to help you or the cops or us or the Bentley. If you’re worried about the Bentley, then zoom in on the Bentley! Let the Yugo parked next to it fend for itself.

Stay Tuned.. Our next blogisode will have you questioning everything you believed you knew about AUDIO!

Video Enhancement (You can't display what you can't see)

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:02:39 -0500

O.K. - forget I used the phrase "video ehancement" in the title. The proper (correct) phrase is "video clarification", but, thanks to all the "pop, quasi-realistic, CSI-Miami, CSI-Las Vegas, CSI-Ad Nauseum garbage" on television I figured you'd recognize the term "Enhancement" since that's the misnomer these fact-challenged programs lead you to believe companies (and underfunded police agencies) are capable of doing. (We'll discuss the sub-par "acting" of David Caruso at a later date).

For the next few "blogisodes" I'm turning over the site to my able bodied wing nut right hand man and audio/video engineer extraordinare Eric Graf (who works with me at Video Resources, Inc. in the Video/Audio Forensics lab) to explain as simply as possible the why's and wherefore's of video and audio clarification and why it's important for you to know what will and, more importantly, what will not work for you.

Here's Eric's Video Clarification Blog: (Enjoy!)

The following is a list of random factoids about video. Hopefully there will be pearls of wisdom herein that will help us better serve you when you get some of that all-important footage that needs enhancing (oops! I mean clarification).. Warning: I tend to overuse parentheses (but I’m trying to improve).

First of all, you know those TV shows like CSI where they take grainy, blurry, little bitty digital video and enhance it until you can read the serial number on the bad guy’s cellphone as he throws it across the pitch-black parking lot?

Guess what ?. . . That’s fake. (GASP!) (Take a few moments to catch your breath and then continue reading once your vision returns to normal.. I know - it's a shock.)

Those shows are no more a reflection of real CSI science than James Bond is. The writers who come up with stuff like that just need some convenient way for the good guys to crack the case, so they make up something silly that they think most viewers will buy. And most viewers do. Please don’t be one of them.

Video doesn’t work like that. We wish it did.

RESOLUTION - THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM (well, one of the many problem cruxes)

OK - Here's the basic formula for understanding how video images are displayed on your TV screen/monitor: Standard definition video has very specific limits in resolution: 720 pixels wide by 486 pixels high. Well, actually, it’s more like 243 pixels high in practice, but that’s getting on a technical tangent, so let’s not go there. Anyway, that’s much lower than even the most inexpensive analog still camera.

What that means is, once something in the frame gets smaller than a certain number of pixels, then that’s it. PERIOD. You aren’t going to be able to see what it is. The best supercomputer in the world can’t take a solid block of color (which is what a pixel is) and figure out what details within the block made the block come out the solid color it did.

That’s the main reason most of the CSI TV stuff is bogus. It ignores the resolution issue. We can certainly take a video picture and make things on it bigger. But they won’t be sharper, or easier to see or read, because video resolution "is what it is".

Bigger will just mean blurrier, and if you get too big, you won’t even be able to tell what you’re looking at anymore. Things that are too small just can’t be sharpened or enhanced from a video source.

You know MORE that the writers at CSI!

COPIES AND WHY WE HATE 'EM

Analog video degrades every time you copy it.... A lot. Often enough so that whatever we’re supposed to be seeing can’t be seen anymore. (Digital Video, when copied correctly, doesn't degrade at all.)

Now, we all know that most VHS-based surveillance equipment is poorly maintained and the tapes are reused until they get holes worn in the tape. It can often be difficult to get the fool things to play back properly.

Here’s the deal: Here at VR, we’re GOOD at getting the fool things to play back properly. In fact, we have a warehouse full of equipment to do just that. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve received tapes that wouldn’t play in any VCR in the building except for ONE. (There’s this one beat up old Philips deck that I’ve rescued from imminent dumpsterization three times here at VR, and now guard with my life. It’s ugly, dirty, a little sticky, and not of much general use, but it does an amazing job with certain multiplex timelapse tapes.)

In extreme cases, we’ve been known to go inside one of our decks and deliberately misadjust it to match a particularly screwy tape.

But if you give us a copy, then we’re stuck with whatever happened playback-wise when the copy was made. Did the copyist forget to set the tracking? Was there a problem with the signal level going from one machine to another? Did they run it at the wrong speed and accidentally cut off 2/3 of the content? We’ve seen all these things, and we can’t fix them if they’re “burned in” (ie, recorded) into the copy. And even if they did get everything exactly right, it’s still a copy, with degraded quality.

And oh yes, on the topic of multiplexed tapes . . . you know, the ones that record lots of full-screen cameras really fast so that they show in a jumbled flicker? Please don’t have anyone demultiplex them for us. Reread the part on “copies” and you’ll see why.

What’s that? You say you’re going to copy your tape onto a DVD? Just as bad, I’m afraid. Possibly even worse!
Catch my next post and I'll tell you why........

Tickle Me Elmo? (Well..Not Quite!)

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 01:26:57 -0500

Well, it happened again this week and I just feel it's my duty to educate those overworked, underpaid legal assistants and paralegals who make this call to us with aprehension and slight embarassement in their voice: " Do you have an Elmo we can rent?"

By the tone in their voice I know they have this image of the world famous Sesame Street® character firmly lodged in their mind's eye........ then there's that moment of silence after they've asked (which I'll admit I relish!) where I imagine them wincing - waiting for my laughter... that I answer with all the casualness of a fast food hamburger jockey asking if you want to "super size" your order: "Yes, we have an Elmo, do you need a projector and screen with that too?"

Needless to say there is a great sense of relief from the caller at this point that they haven't been the butt of some inside office joke.

I then explain that this is a presentation tool and has nothing to do with the TV character. This always elicits an embarassed giggle from the caller who I then recount the numerous times I've had to "introduce them to ELMO", the visual presentation device!"

So - here's the scoop on "our ELMO" - the one we recommend for trial or litigation purposes: (NOTE: there exist a veritable glut of "Elmo's" that are available for a variety purposes. Visit the ELMO web site and you'll get an idea of all the applications these little guys are designed to handle).

Now, back to our Elmo: Our little guy works much like those old overhead projectors that many of us grew up with years ago, the ones that had a powerful lightsource that projected "cels", or transparancies on the wall or onto a screen, made a lot of noise and caused temporary blindess to the operator.

The ELMO we provide has a video camera that captures a flat document or, better yet, a three-dimensional object and projects it via a projector or through a connection to a video screen, LCD or plasma, for group viewing and is virtually quiet and heat-free during operation.

The ELMO has two different "cool" (as in temperature cool) light sources for two different applications: 1) overhead lighting, offset at 45 degrees, will evenly illuminate a written document or three dimensional object and, 2) transmitted light from the base will allow you to project transparencies.

But wait.. there's more! (It slices, it dices... whoa.. that's a different product..maybe later)

Once the document has been placed within ELMO's view you can zoom into a specific line (or word) on the document or a particular reference point on an object.

Additional inputs and outputs allow the presenter to interface with a computer with images, say from a PowerPoint presentation or a Visionary presentation and merge the images seamlessly to the projector.

If you're faced with presenting three dimensional exhibits or written documents to a group this is the the tool to use. It sets up in about 10 seconds and takes about 15 seconds to master the controls.

That's it! No more mystery!

The next time you're asked to locate an "ELMO" you can smile with self confidence and look your boss in the eye and ask : "Do we need a projector or screen with that order?"

Using Demonstrative Exhibits - 101

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:43:44 -0500

I was preparing to dazzle you with a primer on the use of demonstrative exhibits in your presentation when I discovered an excellent article in the Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog written by Richard W. Hendrix of the law firm Finch McCranie, LLP in Atlanta, Georgia.

The article is entitled "Closing Arguments: Trial Techniques for Serious Injury Cases" and attorney Hendrix covers a variety of well reasoned points.

But - since my focus is on graphic or visual presentation in the courtroom I was impressed by his paragraph covering the USE DEMONSTRATIVES AND TRIAL EXHIBITS wherin Mr. Hendrix states:

"Every good trial lawyer knows that a jury remembers best that which they both hear and see" which has been my mantra for the past several weeks. (Good to see that others are in agreement!)

He goes on to say: "Accordingly, demonstrative exhibits should always be used during closing argument. Sometimes demonstrative exhibits are necessary in order to emphasize a point about liability. Sometimes they are used to emphasize principles of law.
Effective demonstratives can also be used to discuss damages. A good closing argument might use demonstratives in all of these areas. In short, a well prepared demonstrative exhibit will assist counsel in making his point while at the same time assisting the jury in remembering it.
Of course, in addition to using demonstrative exhibits, actual trial exhibits should be shown to the jury just as a demonstrative exhibit would be shown. If a particular exhibit is important, the exhibit should be referred to by number and shown to the jury and its importance to the case should be discussed. An actual trial exhibit (blown up) can be used as a demonstrative exhibit in this fashion where counsel uses the exhibit to demonstrate to the jury why it is that the evidence supports his client’s contentions on any contested issue in the case. "

To sum up - think visual when you're preparing your presentation - design for clarity.

My favorite statement by Mr.Hendix is actually his opening line for the article: "You must close your summation with confidence and with an ending appropriate to the tone of the case that will have the desired impact. Once you have concluded, sit down with an air of confidence that you have clearly won your case."

Gotta love it!

Verbal Graphics & Visual Graphics - Honing Your Inner Storyteller

Charles@VideoResources.com (Charles Perez) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 18:31:26 -0500

I love my job!

I get to meet attorneys who have to perform “stand up” on a regular basis to an audience whose approval they seek with material that is about as exciting as a wet newspaper.

Tough crowds - boring topics. Yet still they show up for appearance after appearance before a captive group of poorly paid and sometimes angry critics - many of whom are striving to look interested in the schtick the attorney's hawking.

When I’m consulted to prepare a presentation for a first- time client I begin by stressing that we need to play to the lowest common denominator in our "audience". The facts need to “speak for themselves in short order"; it’s like telling a joke – if you have to explain it, you’ve lost any impact as well as the impression you were striving for.

Good litigators are where they are because they possess the gift of verbal presentation – they are storytellers by necessity. I create the graphic extension to their story, but I’m careful not to become the story. Their story must “flow” naturally – the graphic must “feel" like it “belongs to the story.”

Our company has the ability to create stunning visuals, flashy titles and mind-boggling animations. Our clients’ eyes beam at the simplest effect – like they’re watching “Star Wars” for the first time.

Luckily, common sense prevails as I reign in the cowboys and we simplify, simplify, simplify the message until we’re left with ”just the facts ma’am.”

Just because we can create it doesn’t mean it’s going to work; by this I mean it’s too easy to overwhelm the message with the medium. You don’t want your audience to be dazzled with the mechanics of the presentation and completely overlook the message.

So, let me offer a few basic pointers for you first-timers dealing with projected images:

1. Hone your message to complement your visual(s) . Your graphic should make a statement that needs a minimum of explanation - it may be necessary to build your images as you speak, if so, try to make an even, yet noticeable transition between views.

2. Practice your delivery in front of a 7th or 8th grader. Do they understand your message? Seriously, if they can't figure out what your saying why would you expect a juror to grasp your message?

3. Set up your presentation quickly and quietly. We typically set up right before the trial begins or during a break. We’ve got the process down to about 10-12 minutes. Everything is done at a matter-of-fact pace with very little conversation. The key, I think, is to make the presentation look as much like an “everyday event” as possible.

4. Before launching into your spellbinding visual presentation, practice a little NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). Explain to the "audience" what you’re going to present – prepare their minds for the presentation - briefly explain the purpose of the image(s) you’re about to present. (Set the stage). Don’t make a big production about it – remember, this is an extension of your story – the illustrated part.

5. Keep the graphics conservative. I can’t stress this enough. You’re not going for an Academy Award – you’re trying to make a point.

6. Don’t read your screen to the "audience" – they can do that for themselves. Instead qualify why this graphic is important – reinforce the message with “Triggers”; short phrases that relate to the graphic so it creates a memorable impact.

7. Present to your "audience", not to the screen. Make the story flow. Be sure to practice with your presenter so that the story remains seamless and natural.

8. Don’t be a “drama queen.” (You know who you are.) Let the TV lawyers do that.

9. Respect your audience. Speak to them, not at them. You'll know you're in trouble when they start squirming and looking at their watches. (Glazed expressions are another sure-fire hint).

10. Keep the graphic that makes your point up as long as possible – let the visual reinforce the verbal - you’ve now associated an image with a verbal description - remember - give it a name, a “trigger” or "anchor" that will bring that graphic to mind the next time you need to refer to the subject.

11. Don’t overload the "audience" with images or data. Tell your story with simple images – simple but to the point. Let them absorb the information in bite sizes (or chunks) rather than big gulps.

11. Finally - if you're new at this and your message is every bit as effective on a white board, be safe - go with the white board. Continue honing your storytelling skill until the story becomes (literally) unimaginable, then - that's your cue to give me a call!