Camera Operation and Video Recording Technique
Locked frames, continuous record
Camera work in a legal record is disciplined and deliberately uneventful. Frame the witness in a steady medium close-up - head and shoulders, eyes near the upper third, a little lead room in the direction of gaze - with the lens at the witness's eye level so the record neither flatters nor intimidates. Focus manually on the face rather than the background, and lock exposure and white balance before the oath, because auto functions hunt the moment someone in a dark suit leans forward.
The cardinal rule is continuous recording. Roll from the moment the proceeding convenes until it adjourns, and do not stop for objections, sidebars, or breaks unless the record is formally taken off the record. Every stop and start creates a gap someone can challenge. If you must stop, note the time aloud and log it.
Exam traps cluster around movement: zooming or reframing during testimony, panning between questioner and witness mid-answer, or racking focus to an exhibit while the witness is speaking. Wide shots and exhibit close-ups are valuable, but they belong on a second camera or during a natural pause, not as a substitute for the speaking witness. Another frequent trap is reliance on autofocus or auto-iris, whose visible pumping can be characterized as distortion of the record.
Rule of thumb: one operator, one locked frame, one continuous file. Compose so the shot can run an hour without adjustment, and let audio carry the information during any necessary repositioning.
Worked example: an attorney stands and gestures across the witness - hold the frame rather than panning; if the gesture matters, a second camera captures it.