Blog | Shereck Video Services, Inc.

Tips for Successful Video Meetings and Chats During Covid-19 Social Distancing

Posted on April 24, 2020May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

In this “New Normal v2.0” world, video conferencing is becoming part of that new normal. I do believe there is no substitute for the old fashioned, face to face meeting, but video conferencing is here to stay.

With that in mind, as the “Video Guy,” (that’s what my license plate says), I will share some useful tips for successful video meetings & chats.

For business meetings, wear work appropriate clothing, top & bottom. You never know when you might stand up and forget what you’re wearing, or what you’re not wearing.
It’s a good idea to sign in a few minutes early to test your audio & video connections.
When you first sign on, it’s best if you mute yourself before jumping in.
Make sure your name appears properly. Not iPhone666, or Sexy Mama!
Don’t Zoom & eat.
Don’t Zoom & Drive.
Don’t yell into the microphone. Use your inside voice.
Try not to walk around with your device. It makes for very shaky video & unwanted noise. If you’re using a phone, get some type of holder/stand for your phone.
Make sure you are framed properly. Don’t sit too close or too far away. Make sure your camera is at a good angle and you are framed in the center. The camera should be placed at eye level for best possible framing.
If possible, do not sit in front of a window or other bright light source as that will create a silhouette effect similar to taking a picture at the beach facing the sun with the sun behind your subject. It is best to have a light source in front of you.
If you’re not speaking, you should mute your audio. Even the slightest noise, phone ringing, door bell, dog barking, TV in background, shuffling paper, or even just moving your device in your hand will create unwanted noise and will cut off the audio of the person speaking as the system searches for the loudest audio source, regardless of what that source is.
If you step away from your device/computer, make sure you mute your system.
This is a little hard, but when speaking, try to look into the camera as much as possible. It takes a little getting used to as it’s normal to look at the people on your monitor than the camera.
You may want to purchase an external web camera & external mic for improved quality. Most built in cameras & mics in laptops are not great. A camera, such as the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 ($70 at Best Buy) and an external mic, such as the Insignia USB mic ($20 at Best Buy) will serve the purpose. You may also want to use an external speaker as well for the same reasons above. These are all nice, but not necessary.
The virtual background is fun to play with when conferencing with friends & family, but for business meetings, could be distracting and diminishes the quality your image. It’s best to use a simple, clean background such as a wall without too many colors & bright lights. If you do need to use a virtual background because you’re working in the laundry room or a messy bedroom, keep it simple. Also, if you are using a virtual background, try not to stray too far from the camera as you will disappear in the image. Use your company logo, or a generic office background. Don’t use your family vacation pictures from Disney World, unless of course you work for Disney.
If you’re sharing documents or any type of files in your virtual meeting, it’s best to have them already & ready to share than trying to look for them during your meeting. It can also prevent you sharing things on your computer that were not intended to be shared. (I’ll leave that up to your imagination).
And this should go without saying, DO NOT take your phone or device into the bathroom during a video conference. Even if you think you are muted/blocked, don’t take that chance! ☺

Hope these tips are useful in helping you create better video conferences. Shereck Video is here for all of your virtual corporate and legal deposition solutions. See you on the web!

Absent Employees

Training seminars are usually quite comprehensive and provide invaluable information for employees, interns, students, or whomever is your audience. However, they are usually a one day event and that may mean that someone (or multiples someones) may get sick that day or have a conflict and not be able to make it. Additionally, you may have new hires who started work after the seminar date. With a video recording of the event, absent employees can get all caught up on what they missed and will be able to receive the enrichment provided by lectures and discussions, even if it isn’t quite the same as being there in person.

Opportunities to Rewatch

While attending a seminar is often immensely valuable, there is usually so much important information that some of it may be forgotten over time–even if you took notes. Additionally, as a person advances in his or her career, that person may want to revisit a seminar as different parts of it may be more relevant as time as gone on. Video recordings provide the opportunity to rewatch the seminar as many times as you’d like to continue benefiting from it.

Promotional Material

The world is saturated with businesses trying to succeed in today’s economy. Clips from seminar videos can make excellent promotional material for your business as you show the world how devoted your company is to its industry and to the growth of its employees. Such videos can truly set your company apart as they show your company continuing to stay active in the learning process and remaining completely up-to-date with industry trends and changes.

If you plan on taking video of your training seminars, you need an experienced videographer who has professional equipment and understands lighting and noise interference, among other issues. At Shereck Video, our skilled experts will capture your seminar event using up-to-date, professional-grade equipment so you can return to it whenever you need to.

How to Choose a Videographer: 6 Questions to Consider

Posted on January 23, 2020May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

Video is an extremely effective way to get a message across, whether during a legal trial or used as part of a business marketing plan. Viewers have a stronger emotional response to video and are more likely to take action based on watching something than they are by merely looking at a picture or reading text. There are many videographers out there all claiming they’d be perfect for your needs, so how do you know who to hire? Here are a few elements to consider to help you choose a videographer who is truly right for your project.

1. What is Their Area of Expertise?

Not all videographers focus on the same specialty. Some are legal videographers. Some are wedding videographers. Some focus on corporate events. And some advertise themselves as general videographers who can do it all. Depending on your needs (and budget), you may want to hire a videographer who handles the specific kind of video you are looking to have created.

2. What is Your Budget?

Budget is an important factor in hiring the right videographer. Know how much you can reasonably spend on a videographer before researching so that you don’t fall in love with someone’s work only to find out you can’t afford to hire that person. That said, don’t settle for a videographer whose work you don’t feel is best for the job just because that person charges an inexpensive rate. You should know both the high end of your budget and the low end. Choose a videographer who comfortably fits your budget and also does an excellent job. Also, be aware of any extra costs that don’t come part of a package presented to you so that you are not surprised when the bill arrives.

3. How High is Their Quality of Work?

Always ask to see past projects a videographer has done. You have the right to examine the quality of the person or the company’s work before making the decision to hire them (or not). Don’t only rely on the montage they have prepared with their best work; ask to see the full-length video (or two!) of a past project so you can get an accurate sense of how skilled a videographer they are.

4. What is Their Video Style?

Videographers all have their own style and while some styles will speak to you, not all will. Some videographers are artsier, some incorporate a lot of interviews, some insert some humor, and so on. Someone may be an amazing videographer but uses a style that doesn’t fit your vision. That’s okay. There will be a videographer out there whose style matches yours. When watching samples of a videographer’s work, pay attention to their style and see if they will be flexible in doing things a different way. Even if they will, it might make more sense to hire someone whose vision matches yours from the get-go.

5. What Production Equipment Do They Use?

When you are looking for a high-quality video, you want the videographer to use appropriate video production equipment. This might make their price higher, but as long as it falls within your budget, it’s worth it to pay more to get the right end product for your needs. That said, don’t feel like you need your videographer to have the absolute fanciest equipment. The skill of the videographer is more important than what equipment he has.

6. Can They Meet Your Deadline?

When thinking about how to choose a videographer, don’t lose sight of your timeline. After all is said and done, your videographer needs to be able to deliver the finished product by the date you need it. If a videographer cannot complete your project on time, that person is probably not the one you should hire. You can speak to others who have used a particular videographer to find out if he or she tends to deliver the end product late, and you should also specify with the videographer exactly when you need the video and if they can realistically deliver it on time.

Choose A Videographer with Confidence

In an ideal world, you will find a videographer who fits neatly into all the above categories, but you will likely have to make some compromises. That’s okay. Decide which areas are ones where you can compromise and go into your videographer search with the confidence that you will find the right person for the job. At Shereck Video, we make it our priority to work closely with our customers to create their vision using skill and quality equipment while meeting their budget and timeline. We specialize in legal and corporate videography and are happy to meet with you about your video needs!

Top Five Reasons To Convert VHS Tapes to Digital Files

Posted on December 30, 2019May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

The holidays are often a nostalgic time for people, and they might make you want to break out the home videos and watch holiday gatherings from years past. The issue many are having nowadays is that old home videos were taken on VHS, or even 8mm film, and it’s tough to find a VHS player these days. Even DVDs are becoming obsolete, but at least you can still use them (for now). Read on to find out why the choice to convert VHS tapes to digital files or DVDs can make a great gift for a loved one, or even for yourself!

Durability

VHS tapes degrade over time the more they are played due to damage from the VHS machine. The tape heads themselves cause damage to VHS tapes even while no one is watching them. Over the years, the integrity of the video can be significantly decreased on a VHS tape due to chemical damage from the way tapes are made. On the contrary, DVDs store videos digitally, meaning the videos remain safe and preserved for 100 years or more!

Declutter Your Home

VHS videos are large, bulky, and take up space in your home. When you convert VHS tapes to digital files or DVDs, you actually end up decluttering. DVDs are thin and can be stored more easily. In addition, you can usually put more than one VHS tape on a single DVD because they contain much more storage space. Digital files can be stored in something as small as a thumb drive, or even stores as a file on your computer, taking up no extra space at all. Therefore, most of that space used to store VHS tapes can now be used for something else, or just cleared for a more minimalistic look.

Compatibility

VHS videos are no longer compatible with modern video viewing machinery. Most TVs, video players, and computers are set up for digital files only at this point. Holding on to VHS videos that you can’t actually watch seems counterintuitive. Give the gift of bringing those videos back to life by making them digital so they can actually be enjoyed!

Shareability

What good are memories that are not shared with family and friends? In today’s digital age, digital files can be easily shared through email, social media, and the cloud, as well as kept on several thumb drives or DVDs to give out to others.

Backups

Home videos are one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable. When your videos are digital, you can store them in several different places, including on your computer, in the cloud, and on physical thumb drives so you always have a backup. This way, if you misplace your thumb drive or your computer crashes, you can feel secure in the knowledge that your video files are still safe.

At Shereck Video, our professionals can convert your old VHS tapes to digital files so they can be preserved, easily stored, and enjoyed over and over again for decades to come! We can even convert old 8mm film that goes back to as far as the 30s. Renew those VHS tapes or 8mm films for a loved one or for yourself. Contact us to learn more about this service!

Why Use Drones at Your Company Event

Posted on November 23, 2019May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

Drones are the hottest new piece of technology to have at events and they provide enormous benefits, from helping with the pre-event planning to providing unique material for your marketing afterward. We’ve laid out below some of the top reasons why you should consider including a drone in your next company event.

1. Drones Give Great Marketing Material

Drones capture a unique angle when taking video–the bird’s eye view. Sweeping and expansive, this aerial perspective creates a sense of wonder and beauty for the viewer. Videos and photos taken from drones are perfect to use in your marketing materials, whether on your website, social media platforms, images in a brochure, and more! You can also share videos and photos as promotional material for your event to get people interested and excited!

2. Drones Help With Planning Your Event

Drones don’t just have to take video during your event–they can take video in the planning stages so you can get a good sense of the different venue options. This way, you don’t have to rely on memory or a few photographs to help you compare places. You can show the videos to your whole planning committee and make an informed decision based both on your notes and a comprehensive visual presentation of each venue choice. Drones can also often create maps–including 3D maps–of locations, which can help you in planning some of the logistics of your event.

3. Live Stream Your Event

With drones, you can livestream your event to your clients and on social media for all those who can’t attend. Live streaming creates excitement about and engagement with your company, and allows those who can’t make it to feel like they are there, and can even bring your viewers “backstage” or “behind the scenes.” You can also use livestreaming to build up excitement for your event in the days preceding it.

4. Create Hotspots

Drones at your company event can act as hotspots for boosted internet service. If you feel that is something that is important to your guests–or if you are doing a presentation during the event that relies on a strong internet connection, you may want to consider using a drone as an internet hotspot.

5. Safety and Security

Drones don’t just video your event for entertainment and marketing. Their video capabilities allow them to act as useful surveillance cameras, as well. Drones can also monitor weather conditions by testing and keeping track of the atmosphere and can alert you if an unsafe or undesirable weather event is imminent. This is especially useful if your event is outdoors.
Drones are relatively new and they are becoming smarter and more versatile as time goes on. There are many drone regulations in place for safety and privacy reasons and they differ from state to state, so you need to do your research before using a drone or before hiring a company to pilot a drone for you. At Shereck Video, our professionals are certified to use drones and are up to date on all the regulations in place to make sure drones at your event are used safely and legally. Contact us if you want to learn more about this exciting service!

How Using Video In The Courtroom Can Lead to a Win

Posted on October 23, 2019May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

Video in the courtroom helps your arguments stand out!

Using video in the courtroom is instrumental in helping lawyers make a strong, well-organized case. Videos help better illustrate points in an argument and create a more meaningful impact on the jury. Statistically, people remember only 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, and, amazingly, 70% of what they both see and hear. By using video, you are both able to help your evidence stand out and make your audience more sympathetic to your case. Here are just a few ways that you can use video to strengthen your case.

Illustrate Your Arguments

Video helps you show exactly what you mean during an argument. For example, instead of explaining how your quadriplegic client needs daily assistance, you can show on screen a video of your client struggling to perform daily tasks. In the video, one can see all the difficulty your client undergoes in a task that most take for granted, stirring an emotional response in the viewer. No matter how eloquent of a speaker you are, showing your jury your point through video helps them both understand and sympathize with you better. They are also much more likely to remember this piece of evidence when deciding on a verdict.

Record Video Depositions

A video deposition is simply a deposition that involves a videographer to record the deposition. During a case, video depositions are invaluable; cases can last months, even years, making it difficult for witnesses to remember what they said. Video depositions prove what was said if the witness doesn’t remember or lies on the stand. The witness cannot state they did not say something if it’s on video. A lawyer has the option to continually refer to this video evidence whenever needed throughout the case. Video depositions are a must-have for every case.

Document Daily Living Videos

Daily living videos create an animated portrait of your client, allowing you to depict the newfound struggle that the client must undergo and gain sympathy from your audience. Daily living videos in the courtroom highlight how difficult performing even the simplest tasks are while also portraying how a client simultaneously seeks their independence. Such a portrayal allows the audience to emotionally connect with the client, and even more so when the client succeeds at fulfilling a difficult yet routine task such as getting dressed, going to the store, or cooking a meal.

Through video, the viewers become educated on what it’s really like to live with a debilitating injury or condition, something they might not understand through a verbal argument alone. Most jurors have no idea of the little details involved in traumatic injuries, and video helps them understand the gravity of the client’s situation. These types of videos can help the client get awarded more money because of the sympathetic connection made using a video. A lawyer is also likely to get a settlement faster when the defense counsel sees how the client’s life has been affected.

Give Courtroom Presentations

A technological courtroom presentation drastically increases the jurors’ ability to understand the case. In a study conducted by B. Dixon Jr. for the National Center for State Courts, 94% of jurors agreed or strongly agreed that the use of technology “improved their ability to serve as a juror in this case,” and 86% of surveyed jurors agreed that technology used to display exhibits and play audio increased their understanding of evidence presented in the case. A courtroom presentation provides a visual representation of the message that the lawyer is trying to convey in an impactful and meaningful way and, while not exclusively a video per se, this visual presentation does include video components that help the jurors better understand the case.

The use of technology is often necessary for presenting openings, exhibits, demonstratives, and video depositions. Having an expert in this software run the presentation is recommended to make sure the litigator can make a clear argument that doesn’t confuse the jurors. A professional certified in legal videography can not only help you run your courtroom presentation but will also help you use the software to put together document images, photographs, graphics, video, animation, and other exhibits into a clear and convincing courtroom presentation.

Video in the Courtroom Makes an Impact

Using video and images in your court case will convey a stronger argument and help you make a greater impact on your audience. Shereck Video Services can create any video that you need for your case as well as help you put together, with advanced technology, a courtroom presentation. Video is no longer optional but mandatory in a world where people are used to engaging screens daily. Let us help you make a stronger case with video.

Why Video Legal Document Signings?

Posted on September 23, 2019May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

The most important part of a legal document is the signature – without that, the document holds no weight. Legal documents like wills and pre-nuptials have a significant impact on yourself and your loved ones, so you want to make sure there are no discrepancies or questions about the validity of the signatures. An effective and successful way of protecting the integrity of the signatures is to have the signing videoed. Read on to learn more about how a video of legal document signings, and even a reading of legal documents, can be important protection of the legal status of the document.

1. Shows Signers Were of Sound Mind

In the case of a Last Will and Testament, an unhappy family member may claim the deceased was not of sound mind while signing the will. A video of the person signing and even reading and explaining the will is often enough to show the signer did indeed have clarity while signing. Similarly, in a pre or postnuptial, a video of the couple calmly signing the document will make it harder for one of them to claim they were coerced into signing.

2. Provides Validity for Signers with Disabilities

If a document signer is blind or requires assistance with signing, it can be easy to claim the person signed without knowing what the document said. A video of someone reading the document to the person and showing the person signing it of his or her own free will shows the person did actually know what he or she was signing.

3. Shows Proper Signing of the Document

Believe it or not, a signature is not valid if certain parameters are not met. Depending on the document, two witnesses and/or a notary must often be present during the signing. By videoing this process, you can prove that the document was signed under the proper circumstances, should anyone attempt to claim otherwise.

You may not think about taking a video of legal documents signings, but when it comes to anything legal, you want to make sure there are no avenues open for a dispute over the validity of your document. The professionals at Shereck Video are trained specifically in the intricacies of legal video. If you are looking to video any legal proceedings, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

5 Surefire Ways Video Marketing Adds Value To Your Business

Posted on August 30, 2019May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

If pictures are worth a thousand words, video is worth a thousand pictures. Youtube reported that, collectively, humanity today watches around 1 billion hours worth of video each day. That’s a hundred thousand YEARS of video. In a day. That alone should tell you how drawn people are towards the video medium. In fact, 90% of consumers report their buying habits are influenced by videos. Supported by such statistics, it’s plain to see that video marketing adds tremendous value to your website and, hence, your business.

Need further convincing? Here we get into specifics on how video marketing adds value to your website.

1. Emotional Response

It is no secret that watching a video elicits an emotional response about the video’s subject. An emotional response doesn’t just have to be serious – a laugh is an emotional response, too. Any funny or meaningful video that causes the viewer to feel something helps your brand. That’s because decisions about purchasing from, subscribing to, or even investing in a company are not based purely on information but on the way a person feels about the company. Business decisions are highly personal and subjective, and you want to make sure people feel connected to your brand on an emotional, personal level. Video is an excellent medium with which to speak straight to the heart.

2. Personal

In a similar vein, video gives you the opportunity to give people a glimpse into the day to day workings or thoughts or even antics of people in your company, which adds a highly personal aspect to your marketing plan. Through social media stories, your youtube channel, and vlogs (video blogs) on your website, you have the opportunity to give customers an authentic window into your company so they feel personally connected and trust you as a brand.

3. Increase Conversions

Brightcove reported that, in a study they conducted in 2018, 76% of consumers said they purchased a product or signed up for a service after watching a video. More and more, trends show that potential customers and clients engage more with a website if there is a video on the landing page. Clients are also more likely to open an email with “video” in the subject line.

4. Good for SEO

Google has started listing videos in their search results. That should be a good clue that search engines are starting to view video as a reliable source of content, and are even favoring it over other forms of content. If you optimize your video for SEO, you are taking important steps to improving your site’s overall SEO quality.

5. Get Ahead of Marketing Trends

An overwhelming majority of marketers believe that video marketing will continue to be effective in the coming years, and are utilizing video in their marketing plans. That means you can get ahead of the curve by developing your video marketing strategies now, so that you’ll already have them established by the time everyone else is doing it.

Video is fast becoming the number one way to display content on business websites. At Shereck Video, our professional videographers are experienced in creating high-quality corporate videos that become an integral part of telling your brand’s story. Make sure your company is ahead of marketing trends by including video as part of your marketing strategy!

The Top Three Reasons Why Activities of Daily Living Videos Are So Powerful

Posted on July 29, 2019May 3, 2020 by Shereck Video

Activities of Daily Living: man learning to use a walker.

What are Activities of Daily Living?

Activities of Daily Living include any actions we take each day in order to function. For example, preparing food for one’s self, using the bathroom, taking a shower, and getting dressed. These are actions many of us take for granted. However, if someone becomes seriously injured, that person may suddenly be unable to adequately perform some or all of these tasks for themselves, requiring expensive help in the home. The person also likely experiences a form of mourning and depression over the loss of his or her independence.

How Will a Video Documenting Activities of Daily Living Help a Case in Court?

1. It builds an understanding of the needs of your client. Even though the jury may hear details of your client’s injuries and consequent disabilities, it makes a world of difference to actually see those limitations on a video. The jury members will be able to visualize the struggles your client goes through in order to complete simple tasks, and will come to a better understanding of the scope of how your client’s life has been impacted by his or her injuries.

2. Video will illuminate the costs required to pay for necessary help. Jury members will be able to see all the help required by your client to accomplish simple tasks as well as to regain independence. Between home help, therapies, nurse visits, and more, the expense of being injured adds up quickly and there’s no better way to hit the point home than by showing it on video.

3. It creates an emotional connection to your client. Hearing about your client’s injuries cannot be compared to physically watching your client struggle to regain independence. After jury members see how hard your client works to perform daily tasks both with help and independently, they will likely be touched on an emotional level, making them more likely to be sympathetic toward your client when it comes time to make decisions.

Video is one of the most powerful tools we have in our arsenal. The expert Certified Legal Video Specialists (CLVS) at Shereck Video work closely with you to make sure you get the high-quality legal videos you need. The next time you have a case involving Activities of Daily Living, make sure to get them on video to make your case even stronger!

1. Record Testimony

Do you have a witness who can’t be at the trial? There are so many reasons why a witness needs to be deposed at another time and in another setting. Maybe the person lives in another state or country and can’t afford the money or time it takes to fly in to testify live. There could be scheduling conflicts. No problem! With video depositions, a witness can give their testimony under oath and have it count in the courtroom later. Video allows the judge and jury to watch the testimony as if the person was in the courtroom giving it, including all the person’s facial expressions and intonations. The video can even be edited to exclude any objections sustained by the judge, as well as any questionable testimony.

2. Preserve Testimony

If you have a witness who is ill or even near death, you definitely want to preserve that person’s testimony, as you may not be able to get it again. Video depositions can keep that person’s testimony on record for the life of the case and beyond. Videoed testimony also prevents witnesses from changing their testimony later on.

3. Video Depositions Add Dimension to the Testimony

In a written script, only the words a witness speaks are preserved. However, in a video, the witness’s tone of voice, heavy sighs, and other telling body language become part of the testimony, adding dynamic and dimension to the words being spoken. The judge and jury members can tell if a witness is nervous, confident, or seems unsure, which contributes to the overall picture of whatever event or experience is being described.

4. Eliminates Doubt

With in a video, a picture in picture effect can be used where a piece of evidence can be displayed within the video alongside the witness speaking and explaining about the evidence. The second “picture” can be a document, an image, or even a video clip. Picture in picture video eliminates doubt about the relevance and importance of the piece of evidence and can increase its admissibility.

Jump on the Video Depositions Bandwagon

Video depositions have revolutionized the legal industry and it’s time to jump on board. These videos should be taken by Certified Legal Video Specialists (CLVS) so they know exactly what to focus on and how to edit the videos appropriately. Equipment needs to work perfectly so there are no malfunctions during these important interviews. At Shereck Video, we are experts in taking video depositions and other legal videos and we make it our priority to provide you with high-quality videos for your records and trial. Don’t hesitate to make use of this powerful tool in your next legal proceeding!