Anyone in this business absolutely has to love words, and symbiotic is an interesting one, isn’t it?  The word “symbiotic” is an adjective meaning an interaction between two different groups or species resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship.  There are many symbiotic relationships in the animal kingdom such as the sea anemone and the clownfish, or honey bees and flowers.  Each one provides something that makes the other better.

In this article, I want to explore the symbiotic relationship between court reporters and videographers.   Both are “guardians of the record” though it’s a record involving a slightly higher level of detail.  Court reporters write each word as it is said while the videographer records the audio and visual version of the same words.  Both work as a team to provide clients with a complete record of the proceedings, capable of being sync’d to the transcript.  By working together, the client has options on ways to use the testimony in future proceedings to benefit his or her case.

Videographers are often notaries just as court reporters are, but do not typically provide an oath at depositions or other proceedings as a court reporter would.  They provide opening statements on the record of the case caption, date, time and location of the proceeding and then only insert themselves into the record when it’s time for a media change or other necessary instruction.  They don’t, however, interrupt the proceedings as a court reporter would for clarification.  In the new world of remote proceedings, a videographer might notice that the court reporter has dropped off the call and is no longer getting a record.  In that instance, they would definitely interrupt so that all parties are aware of the situation and can be off the record until the situation is rectified.  Videographers will also interrupt if they notice that a participant’s microphone has been compromised in any way because they know this will affect the actual audio recording and also could be affecting the reporter’s ability to hear what’s being said.

I spoke with Dennis Clayton of Myers Legal Video Services here in Denver, and asked for his input on this topic.  He had several thoughts on how the reporter and videographer can work better together.

1. The most important element is the reporter and videographer acting as a team. Working together puts forth a professional image to the client as well. The best thing for that is familiarity. If you haven’t worked together before, log on or arrive 15 or 20 minutes early to get acquainted.
2. Go over any preferences either might have as far as read in, positioning, etc. Know that the videographer’s job is a good picture, good sound and reporter support. For instance, if the room set up isn’t what the reporter is used to, know that the videographer sets up based on decisions regarding spacing, lighting, power availability, number of attendees, and client preference.
3. If comfortable, share your cell number, especially on a remote job. If any attendees have an internet or other connection issue, phone may be the only communication mode available to address the situation.

After talking with Dennis, I reached out to one of our star reporters, Bonnie Carpenter Johnshoy, and asked her opinions on working relationships with videographers.  Here are some of her thoughts:

1. On remotes, good videographers are always quick to jump in if there are any audio problems and help to troubleshoot any issues.  That is always appreciated.
2. If all videographers could do the opening read-ons at a slower pace, that gives the reporter a chance to ease in to the deposition and get into the swing of things!
3. At the end of depositions, whether remote or in person, our videographers ask everyone to hang out for a minute in case the reporter has spelling questions and to give us their orders. This is particularly helpful on remote assignments.
4. It’s also helpful when the videographers check in with us to make sure that we’re ready to go back on the record.
5. Having the availability of a headphone jack for audio feed is also super helpful so we can hear exactly and more clearly what is being recorded on the video.

As you can see, there are many ways court reporters can assist the videographers and vice versa.  The reporter can also update the videographer on any standing orders that are listed in Vision for the particular case that they’re aware of, which saves time at the end when they’d normally have to ask those types of questions.

When you hear that a sync’d file is ordered, be considerate of the time constraints and try to get your file out a bit earlier than normal so the video team has time to do their work with the file and still get everything to the client in a timely manner.

Though not exactly as “symbiotic” as the anemone and clownfish where they are totally dependent on the other, court reporters and videographers do complement each other with their skills.  Video adds another dimension to our job of “making the record” for situations like trial preservation when a deponent might not be able to appear in person, or a situation where demeanor needs to be documented, something that doesn’t come through on the written record.  When acknowledging and respecting the role that each other plays, the final product is one that ultimately benefits the client.  The justice system is well served by two professionals working as a cohesive team.