Chapter 7 - Videography

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. Explain the techniques of videography used by organizations that routinely use investigative photography.
  2. Discuss the specific techniques of videography used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to document ergonomic evaluations.pport photography used to collect evidence.
  3. Define the elements of a filming plan.
  4. Explain the advantages and limitations of collecting evidence with videography.
  5. Review the techniques for achieving the best results from videography used for investigations.

VIDEO DOCUMENTATION

Videography is a visual recording process that makes viewers feel as though they are actually at the scene and part of the action—and video recordings can provide a lot of information
quickly.

Videography, like still photography, requires some planning and setup to be successful. It is not as simple as just turning the camera on and panning with it, although digital technology is making video recording easier than it has ever been. For investigative purposes, give thought to what information you need to record. In the visual arts industry, developing objectives for a sequence of moving pictures is known as storyboarding. The objectives are sketched as frames in the filming process. You should also have a filming plan and be able to communicate its importance. Some of the techniques for documenting with a still camera apply to video documentation as well. As an example, you could video record an overview of an accident scene following this sequence:

  1. Establish a compass point from the camera to the subject. This is your center line.
  2. Before beginning the recording, rotate the camera 90 degrees to the left or right of the center line.
  3. Begin recording and, as you record, gently pan the camera in a 180-degree arc.