Day in the Life Video
Day in the Life video
The Evidence Store specializes in both
the preservation and presentation of visual evidence. One of the more dramatic ways of demonstrating physical impairment as a damages issue is through the so-called Day-in-the-Life video.
The first such film we did was in 1975. It depicted the coma-vigil state of a teenager who was struck on the back of his head by the over-extended mirror of a fuel oil truck while he was walking along the shoulder of the road. The story in the local newspaper on the day the case settled read: "The case settled a day before the jury was to see a film depicting the day in the life of S_____ L_____!"
As part of every assignment we do an initial interview with the client or the family. We see the house or facility in which we are to be working and head off any technical problems before the actual taping. If we are working in a hospital or nursing home or extended care facility, we work closely with the administration and staff to assure the least disruption of their normal routine. Meeting the client in advance is important to us. We are more comfortable if they meet us without a camera in hand so we don't feel like we are barging in on them like a "60 Minutes" camera crew!
Our equipment is minimally invasive and we try not to overproduce the assignment as if it were an HBO special. We approach the assignment as if we were a fly on the wall, capturing the scene as it appears before us. We put ourselves in the eyes of the jury, providing a documentation of what they themselves would see if they were personally there that day.
A video can be a short 10 minutes showing how a young boy takes out and cleans his glass eye, re-inserting it before going off to school, or a full day in the life of a child with CP, showing the AM care, being transported on a special bus to school, and the return to home in the afternoon for supportive family activities and interaction. If a schedule requires recording PT, OT, speech or other therapies at a facility, we try to schedule the sessions sequentially so that we can complete the assignment in as few hours as possible. This in no way lessens the credibility of the video, and makes us more welcome the next time we work in that institution.
Rates for this service are $175 per hour, portal to portal. Editing can be done at the time of the initial filming, or delayed until additional sessions, if needed, are completed.
Our newest innovation is to provide these videos with narration. Since most cases settle before trial, we create the resentations with an audo narration by either the subject (injured party) or caregiver (parent or spouse) so that the viewer will have a more complete understanding of the extent of the injury or condition.
If the case does, in fact, go to trial, the tape can be shown without the audio. It has been recommended that day in the life videos shown at trial should be shown before the testimony. The foundation for its authenticity is presented, and any explanation is given during pauses in the tape, rather than showing one continuous video.
This accomplishes two things. It keeps the jury involved in what is happening when they might otherwise becomre bored or impatient watching repetitive or slow moving sequences such as amulation or therapy scenes. It also avoids the potential of having the tape excluded as being cumulative of the any authenticating testimony.
There are also instances where the need to advise adverse counsel of the intent to tape is being done away with. This makes it easier to schedule such sessions, and avoids the interference often encountered with additional spectators crowding into a room on the day of taping.
Call at any time for more information and samples of recent projects.
