Death of a Speaker
By Ed Primeau

It was 1998; the professional speaking industry was receiving national attention thanks to the leadership of Dr. Terry Paulson CSP, CPAE and the National Speakers Association Board of Directors.

CBS news was at the National Speakers Association Convention in San Antonio interviewing members for a 60 minutes television segment on the business of professional speaking. Professional Speaking was off and running as a legitimate profession. Unfortunately the show didn’t turn out as we thought but American’s (and many other countries around the globe) were all officially introduced to the professional speaking profession using a very impressive message delivery system, television. What they failed to cover was the difference between professional speakers and experts who speak professionally.

Ten years later, our nation survived a terrorist attack and is in the process of recovering from a recession. Both continue to stun the meetings industry. Professional speaking, as usual, will never be the same ever again!

The industry known as professional speaking is dying. It is dying because professional speakers are not evolving with the marketplace and for that matter the business world at large!

We see it first hand ever day as professional speakers are now looking for jobs. Former school teachers who jumped on the professional speaking band wagon years ago and made a decent living are now unemployed. The main reason this is happening is those professionals have not done anything to evolve. They are waiting for the old school industry to return.

Those professional speakers who are “experts who speak professionally” and know how to be visionaries are the platform orators who will survive and thrive as the industry heals itself.

Fact: Experts, who speak professionally, not just professional speakers, are a vital commodity to corporate America because they can teach, motivate and change the attitude of hundreds of people anywhere in the world in an hour or less.

Fact: The professional speaking industry will never be the same again. Professional speakers whom are not experts who speak professionally will eventually perish and die. The meetings industry can see right through the old fake it till you make it mentality.

Fact: Professional speakers are starting to come outside their heads like a refugee coming out of a bomb shelter after an air attack looking around to see who is left alive. Experts who speak professionally are realizing that they have to reinvent themselves.

Primeau Productions Inc. and I have seen a lot of professional speakers come and go. In the following items, we hope to communicate a non arrogant description of a surviving professional speaker. These activities are a collection of items written by Primeau productions staff that experts who speak professionally engage in today.

So, what are the characteristics of a surviving speaker?

Humble
Professional speakers are survivors because they know how to make it through the tough times. They are not arrogant and reluctant to negotiate fees and add value when necessary. They are not insistent on limousines and first class tickets.

Education
Survivor professional speakers continue to learn and grow. They are not broad in subject and able to speak on just about any topic that a client willing to pay for. They are experts and continue to learn and grow rather than remain idol and passive.

Instead, a survivor professional speaker is willing to adapt to market conditions, trends and do whatever it takes to get the job done and impact lives.

Fee structure
Professional speakers are willing to have a fee range instead of a “fee”.
Professional speakers who are experts who speak professionally understand value and negotiation and are not arrogant about negotiation. They shop for the best price when looking for a service and understand their prospects also want to shop around negotiate.

Unique
There are way too many speakers who call themselves “professional speakers” and way too many bureaus who call themselves “speaker’s bureaus”.

Professional speakers who have a brand which is a clear statement prospects remember them by are survivors. Who do you think of when you hear Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm, Attitude is Everything, The Fred Factor?

Speaker’s bureaus that represent a few select professional speakers who are the best of the best will survive. They fill have evolved and provide a service for corporations who need help discovering the speakers to best deliver the perfect message for their organization.

Self Promotion
Survivor professional speakers have a professional website and of course have a world class preview video. They do not rely on speakers bureaus alone to bring them business, but also know how to promote themselves using social media to publish and promote their knowledge.

They are willing to consider alternative marketing strategies like viral video and social media as well as blog’s. They know how to pick and choose the outlets that will help them promote their message and distribute it professionally to those appropriate outlets.

The bottom line is that this industry was built on people helping people to succeed. If some have been fortunate enough to earn a living from helping people, that is wonderful. Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, Earl Nightengale, Og Mandino and Cavett Robert all delivered a message to help people succeed and made a wonderful living from their efforts.

If you are reading this and feel that you do not have anything different to contribute to help people success, get out while you have time before you deplete your life savings. If you are a bureau and have no vested interest in helping people succeed, time to but a fast food franchise.

Rather than just sell every speaker without knowing whether each speaker you represent is still in the business or not, then get another occupation. Make room for those speakers’ bureaus that really have a purpose and mission of helping other people succeed. Yes, there are speaker’s bureaus who still list retired speakers, speakers who have left the industry, and speakers who have even died on their websites. How arrogant to think companies will buy from them!

Be a caring individual with a definite purpose and you will be a survivor.

The Video Revolution Continues
Screen capture program aids in forensics, training and marketing

Video is a useful tool that has become woven into the fabric of our day to day lives. At Primeau Productions Inc. http://www.videoproductionprimeau.com/ we help our clients create and develop video that helps their businesses grow. One of the software programs we use as a tool is Mac and PC compatible, Camtasia Studio by TechSmith. Camtasia is a screen capture program that turns any computer screen into a marketing and educational experience. It allows the user to record a video of any computer screen while narrating instructions of what you are demonstrating in the video.

Businesses are using video more and more for sales and support, as well as information and training. Software programs like Camtasia help production companies produce high end videos that help businesses and professionals create video products and add video to their websites.

As the Internet continues to grow and the Video Revolution expands, computers will become more widespread as our main video viewing mechanism replacing cable television. TV advertising will be reduced and Internet advertising will skyrocket.

Camtasia is an excellent software program we use as one of our tools to produce training videos for our sister company http://www.ouraftercare.com/, a suite of web solution modules for the funeral industry. We also use Camtasia as a screen capture program for video forensics.
I help my coaching students understand how Camtasia works and we create training and marketing videos they use in their business to help increase efficiency and perceived value.

I also use Camtasia in my forensic practice. I recently had an assignment where the digital video was provided to me for clarification on a cd embedded in a CCTV surveillance proprietary digital video player.

As an aside, security companies who provide digital surveillance video use proprietary video players to keep their surveillance footage secure for later use identifying crimes. However, when I am asked to clarify security footage, it is necessary to have that video outside the proprietary player so other supporting software programs like Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and Photo Shop can aid in the clarification.

Digital security video is created to be secure and the manufacturers that make digital CCTV systems use technology to encrypt the digital video footage so it can not be manipulated and is reliable in court as authentic. However, as a forensic expert, often times I am asked to clarify events that were not captured clearly so the appropriate outcome can be achieved.

Most CCTV digital video manufactured today has alternative export options in addition to the secure digital video players such as MPEG and AVI. Once the video or images are exported using MPEG or AVI formats; the video is no longer authentic or secure. The video forensic expert has to qualify the work performed and justify to the court why forensic processes are necessary.

So, this recent forensic assignment provided CCTV surveillance footage from a digital CCTV system that did not have the capability to export MPEG or AVI images. Only the predatory video player could be used to view this footage which needed clarification.

Camtasia was a tool I used to capture crisp clean footage from this surveillance system and identify the information necessary to aid in the investigation.

How can you use video in your business to increase your perceived value?

Drop me an email anytime and I would be happy to help you brainstorm ways or answer any questions you have regarding video and The Video Revolution!

800-647-4281

Second 16mm film received October 16th, 2009 for restoration from the Napoleon Hill Foundation entitled "Accurate Thinking".

Here is how Napoleon Hill came into my life:
In 1994, my dear friend Mike Pallin gave me a set of Napoleon Hill cassette tapes titled "Your Right To Be Rich". The tapes changed my life slowly but surely. I learned how to turn adversity and defeat into great opportunity; think positively on a daily basis, think accurately and a bunch more excellent life and business skills.

I then discovered a great book that should be a part of every high school curriculum, "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.

Fast forward a couple years and I am visiting another dear friend Terry Brock during a very difficult time in my life and noticed a book in his library "The Law of Success" also by Napoleon Hill. I sat in his Orlando Florida penthouse and started to read. By the end of the week stay, I had made it through about one third of this large book. The biggest book I had ever read. As I handed it back to him he told me to keep it!

My life continued to improve over the years as I studied the principles. Then a little over a year ago, as I started exploring social media, I could not help sharing my lessons with my new friends.

I started social media posting and Napoleon Hill video clip uploading to the Primeau Productions YouTube channel. All of a sudden (after some visualization and a simple phone call to the Napoleon Hill Foundation), Primeau Productions Inc has been engaged by the Napoleon Hill Foundation to restore some real treasures. Eleven films of lectures by the man himself from 1963!

I am humble but was so excited I had to share the news with my friends and family of course using social media.

People have been emailing me about how the video clips I uploaded to YouTube changed their lives! People from countries like Brazil, China, Japan, Russia, Belgium, Australia, Canada and of course the United States.

Our friend Bob Bolya loaned me a set of audio cassettes and two VHS tapes titled "The Master Keys to Success" about a year before the postings. Of course I spent a year holding onto the package, viewed and listened almost daily, I was then asked to return them. But before I did, I had to save some key parts that I would listen to again and again. I choose to save them on YouTube and share them with our YouTube family.

That's when everything in my life and business began to switch into hyper drive. For no apparent reason, our production company business was reinvented, growing to accommodate existing customers with additional marketing skills; my forensic business tripled and my new executive assistant Patty came into my life. Coincidence, I don't think so.

Now, Primeau Productions is applying our video and forensic skills by restoring these amazing films to digital high definition quality. It is our hope to be involved in creating DVD product with the guidance of the foundation that will help Mr. Hill's message continue to touch lives. This is the mission of the Napoleon Hill Foundation. "A nonprofit educational institution dedicated to making the world a better place in which to live".

What an honor it is to have a role in the continued effort to help spread timeless motivational messages!

Napoleon Hill Foundation products

Here is a video segment taken from The Master Keys to Success on Accurate Thinking:

Ed Primeau

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http://www.linkedin.com/pub/primeau-productions/16/227/77a
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Szigg.net - Web Directory

Videotaping Instructions

Introduction to the video taping company

I am glad we have your professionalism for our videotaping. We are a professional organization who is presenting our program to an audience of customers, prospects and other interested parties. Our main purpose is to give that audience the best information and value ever.

It is crucial that your videotaping does not interfere with our message delivery.

Live Seminar Videotaping

As a video professional, you have to make sure to tape down wires, keep lighting safe and out of the audience members eyes and not interrupt the presentation. One caveat- if the shoot has the potential of being ruined because of an unexpected interruption in sound, use your judgment as what to do. Ask the presenter how comfortable they are if you have to stop them for an unexpected reason. This is not always possible however as you will find out.

Keep in mind as professionals, you charge for your services accordingly. This is a significant amount of money for us to spend on a video. Please do everything you possibly can to make us comfortable and assure the footage you ship create is first class.

Here are our requirements, our dream list of details, for this video taping session. Thank you for helping make it a reality. Please be the director for this production.

Rehearsal

Rehearse if at all possible either before they go on or the night before after set up. This would include checking the lighting for nice even consistent lighting, wireless audio microphone radio frequency drop outs or interference and equipment functionality. Test record a 2 or 3 minute section of their presentation and play it back listening to the audio through headphones and viewing from your confidence monitor or viewfinder. Listen carefully for hums or buzzes. Absolutely no hums or buzzes will be acceptable.

You will hear room noise and HVAC (heating and cooling) systems. Not much you can do about that after all it is a hotel or meeting facility and not a sound stage!

Equipment:

Digital camera with mini dv or dv cam format; Beta sp is also acceptable.
(2) 400-600 watt lights minimum.
(1) Back light as a general wash if necessary. Make sure back light is not in the A camera shot.
(1) Back up wireless lavaliere to use in case house patch is not acceptable
(1) Audience reaction microphone (more if possible)
(1) Audio mixing board with 2-XLR -10db outputs if necessary, not mandatory
Microphone cabling
Extension cords
High quality professional camera tripod with fluid head

The room:

Oversee or give video friendly input for the set up of the room. Do what you can to make sure it looks good on tape. This may include recommending a stage direction (if kitchen doors and exit signs, windows and mirrors could ruin a look) that will look best on tape. If possible, recommend that they build the room set from the rear forward. Give as much distance from the wall behind the stage if possible. It will then be out of focus. If there is a drape, please make sure client does not blend in with the color.

In the back of the room, try to set up two risers for the main camera. One riser is for the A camera and one for the camera operator. (Avoid footage that is shaky) double this for two cameras.

What does the shot look like in your viewfinder or monitor?

It is our preference to NOT have a center isle. It adds energy and value to see backs of heads in shots. If this is not possible, place the camera to one side or the other in the rear of the room instead of shooting straight up the middle, center isle.

Take into consideration what the camera will see from each back corner location. If you choose the back right corner because there is AC easily available, turn the camera on using your battery to take a quick look at the shot before setting up to stay at that location. What do you see in the viewfinder? If there are undesirable exit signs, thermostats or kitchen doors in the shot, move the camera so they are NOT in the shot. PLEASE, recommend pipe and drape if you are not happy with the back ground look. Black drape sucks out light but looks better than royal blue and maroon.

Audio

Do you own an audio mixer and a wireless lavaliere? Bring them as back up just in case. Use the mixer, yours or the house, to get your main audio feed of all microphones used for the presentation. If this includes laptop audio, you may need to filter the laptop audio to remove buzzes. Let’s discuss once we know if our client is using laptop audio.

Use a direct box to filter buzzes. If you are not familiar with a direct box, it has several different audio inputs and outputs and allows you to convert jacks and plugs, select your input and output levels and lift grounds. Most all buzzes that will be incurred have grounding origins. This could be a bad cable or inconsistent AC grounding.

Also, when incurring audio buzzes, you can use a three prong AC ground lift to help remove the buzz. In other words, lift your ac ground on all your equipment so the third prong on your AC plug is not connected to the house AC ground. Often times light dimmers, coffee services and other hotel service instruments cause buzzes in your delicate audio components.

Having an audio mixer (Mackie or something with balanced XLR outs) if you can for back up. This gives you patching flexibility. It is not absolutely necessary to have the mixer, let’s consider our options.

Hopefully the facility will supply a clean audio patch and all this will be unnecessary reading. Just in case, as a back up to the back up, have your own wireless lavaliere to put as a second microphone on our client if all else fails. We must have good clean audio.

A possible scenario using the direct box is to use a ¼’ mono auxiliary out to the ¼” direct box input. Send an XLR out audio feed using AUX and direct box to your XLR (separate from the audience microphone) audio track on the video tape.
Set up an audience microphone on a microphone stand and send that to a second, separate audio channel on the video tape. This will allow mixing the audience reaction (applause, laughter) in the edit as necessary. To reiterate, audience microphone sent to one channel on the camera’s audio in and the other client / speaker microphone for the other camera input so I have mixing flexibility- post shoot in the edit.

You can also use the camera microphone to capture audience reaction/applause and assign to the isolated track or use the B camera to record audience reaction (if we decide on a 2 camera shoot).

Bottom line, we need good room sound of people laughing, applauding and having fun watching this presentation. I need it isolated so I can control it in the edit.

Make sure all audio is digital safe and not distorted or too low. Please ask if you have any questions or call Primeau Productions at 800-647-4281.

PLEASE do NOT mix audio from client microphone and the audience. They must be separate.

Shots

Try to arrange for two side isles instead of one center isle so we see backs of heads and shoulders in the shot some of the time. Speaking of shots, we would like a variety of slow push and pulls throughout.

Please shoot as if live all the time. No jerky movements.
You do not have to constantly move in and out...just occasionally. Medium body shot (waist up) a majority of the time.

It is important that we have movement in the video. If the client presenting is moving around a lot while speaking, then do not be concerned with zooming in and out for movement. If you own a separate pistol zoom control, please bring it and use as you follow the speaker or presenter. If their stage movement is enough, then you do not have to do a lot of zooming in and out, perhaps occasionally.

The background of the shot should be abstract and out of focus as well as darker than the lighting of the subject, our client, on the stage.

There should be no ugly walls in the background or telephones or fire plugs or other obnoxious items in the shot. Forgive our redundancy.

Hopefully the room is large enough so the video does not look too compressed and busy. We know this may be out of your control however, one out of ten times when you arrive and realize the room is too small, ask if we can move to a larger room. One out of ten times one is available and we move. The more room the better!

If we are shooting more than one camera, get us a variety of interesting shots with camera two. Some would include larger audience shots, others would be four, three and two people shots. Make sure nobody in your shots is sleeping, looking bored or picking their nose. Find the audience members enjoying their selves and get it on tape.

If you are comfortable get some other shots of the performer including behind them with the audience in front; side angle shots of the speaker performer and quick pans to the audience and back. Shots we could use for a montage or transition or edit. Wide shots from the rear of the room showing the IMAG (image magnification screens) are also desirable.

Keep your camera in manual iris and focus. Set your iris once for the stage area and adjust only if the speaker walks out in the audience or a dark spot on the stage. If you are not too far back, you will be able to keep your camera in focus manually. We do not want video footage that comes in and out of focus constantly throughout the presentation.

Lighting

Lighting should be done from far room left and right as close to the stage as possible. Back of the room lighting will cause shadows. Place your lights extremely wide so that the shadows are out of the shot. By placing your lights close to the front of the room and wide, the shadows will be far left and right behind the performer. When you are shooting, these shadows will be out of your shot because you are not shooting extreme wide shots. We do NOT want any shadows in the shot. If necessary use back lighting to help accent the performer and remove any shadows.

Place the (2) lights against the walls stage left and right and use sandbags or grip tape so if they are bumped they will not fall over.

Back light a bit for depth near the back extreme side points of the stage so the lights do not get in the shot.
(The room may be big enough for this...can you site inspect before the shoot?)

Please go above and beyond the call of duty and feel free to help us look our best. Make sure we look good and have no stray or fly away hair strands before performing. If female, how does our lipstick look?
If male, is our tie straight? Is our shirt unbuttoned or spinach in our teeth?

I know this may be uncomfortable but I promise you we will not mind the feedback. We will greatly appreciate you telling us something is not right. Maybe suggest we take one final look in your monitor before the shoot begins?

NO EMPTY SEATS IN THE SHOT!

We are using this footage to produce a promotional or marketing video that will get us business. It is crucial that the footage look exciting and interesting. PLEASE do all you can to avoid empty seats in the audience.

If we are using two cameras, make sure the second camera (if shooting audience faces) does NOT show empty seats.

As a final thought, we prefer digital video ( hard drive, DV CAM tape or MINI DV) over Beta Sp. Clean audio and well lit footage.

You can not ask us too many questions and none are considered dumb.

Hide all lavaliere wireless microphone wires; make sure to use fresh batteries always. Please let the us know if something on our person is not right like fly away hair or lipstick or crooked tie-ANYTHING!

Make sure Microphone capsule does not rub.

Photographer

If the group has hired a photographer, please meet with the photographer, introduce yourself and ask they not get in any of your shots. Of course you can’t help the flash going off. In fact, that looks kind of cool in the video. However, it has to be understood you both stay out of each others way. The polite way of doing this is better than the rude way.

Any questions contact Primeau Productions Inc 800-647-4281 or
Ed@PrimeauProductions.com

Websites like YouTube, Viemo and MetaCafe (as well as 80+ other social media networks that host video socially) are good social media locations for marketing videos but not website videos.

Some businesses choose to link to social media websites which host video (just like we did on our website) as a method to get a video onto their company website. We did it to show our customers video to make a point, not cheep out. www.SequencingInc.com hooks up our video content delivery network!

A very important consideration for your website video:

It is best to have a private company like www.SequencingInc.com host your website video like you do your website. It is not expensive like it use to be. You need video to market your business. That is a given success fact. If you think globally and consider YouTube has paid advertising, you will consider hosting your own video.

One advantage of hosting your own video on a dedicated content delivery network (which uses multiple servers strategically located across the country and the world) is that it is not on a single server. Prospects can sign in to view your video which is played from a server nearest to their location. This is a good thing.

Another advantage is that you control the quality of the video and can run much higher bps than a "free" service. If you control the quality of your video, it will look much better than it would using a free service. For example, YouTube converters recompile uploaded videos at a much higher compressed rate and the video becomes grainier and more distorted. This is a bad thing.

Another advantage to hosting your own video is branding.

You are not subjected to ads and banners of the host (YouTube) when you control the video yourself. You do not want your customers to see paid advertising when they view your video.

These social media websites should be used as secondary marketing for clips that can be titled accordingly. You can name this channel any way you like when you open your account. When you have a prospect you feel should view a specific video that is not in your website marketing video, then send them a link to your video on YouTube. Simply cut and paste the URL at the top of the page when your select video is playing on YouTube (or any free video service) into an email.

www.SequencingInc.com operates a trusted and respected dedicated video delivery network and can help you host your own video.

800-647-4281
Ed@PrimeauProductions.com

Keep in mind that in today’s market, your companies video needs to be short, entertaining, and deliver knowledge. In otherwords, make it so good they can't throw it away and want to share it with everyone!

Create your video with these characteristics and you will have a winner!

Stay away from “Cookie Cutter” style videos. Why on earth would anybody in any business, professional speaker, author, entertainer or corporation want to produce a marketing video that looks the same as another competitor?

Sure any video is better than no video--but do you want to be perceived like everyone else in your market segment competing for business with a blah blah video, or do you want to show value and be unique?

Have your leader (CEO, company president) star in the video. People buy people and talking heads sell!

Always begin with PROFESSIONAL RECORDED VIDEO that consists of high quality digitally recorded footage including audio using direct microphone sound sources.

In other words, the announcer, presenter or performer is wearing a headset or lavaliere microphone. If live, the audience (if applicable) is also being picked up with audience microphones. Audio is an important ingredient in a professionally produced video.

Lighting is an equally important ingredient. You want your subject well lit. Use incandescent lighting instead of fluorescent and avoid shadows. Make sure you have enough key lighting to bring out details and facial features and avoid “hot spots” -– light reflecting off shiny surfaces like eyeglass lenses and un-powdered skin. Avoid back lighting at all costs.

The Second component in a successful video is CREATIVITY. Look at any great video and list all the creative elements you admire about that video. Creativity can be expressed in the clips, sound bites, voice over, music and graphics. Always write a script or storyboard when you begin any video production and review them with your client to ensure you both are on the same page with their expectations of the production and your creative vision for execution.

We nailed Steve Rizzo’s brand every time creatively. With Rizzo’s talent, it was a matter of brainstorming until we had an idea and position for the creative angel of the video.

In one of the videos we had little comedy breaks that took the viewers attention away from the stage presentation segments and allowed them to escape to another dimension of video that also included his message and branding. This technique adds production value and is a great opportunity to exhibit your brand.

Today this creative idea grew into Steve Rizzo's Secret Minutes to Success:

The Third component of a successful Inbound Marketing Video is BRANDING. What will your viewer remember about the video? Will they ask for you and remember you? Primeau Productions has produced five videos for Steve Rizzo CPAE (Counsel of Peers Award of Excellence) Hall of Fame Speaker. (www.SteveRizzo.com).

Christine Holton-Cashen (www.ADynamicSpeaker.com) is another client we helped brand and created a video around the “Christine Cashen Show.”
We used original music with lyrics to help communicate her message, a
“TV Show” opening and close as well as television segments.

We recently completed a preview video and are working on an Inbound Marketing Campaign for Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE (www.EileenMcDargh.com) The brand we designed for her is “Connecting in a Disconnected World”.

Another client, Barbara Glanz, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) has been branded “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm”.

Your brand identifies your uniqueness and helps your prospects remember you and your company.

The Fourth component is to show your EXPERTISE. Floyd Wickman CSP, CPAE Hall of Fame speaker (www.FloydWickman.com) has been on the professional speaking circuit for over 30 years. His brand is his name and his experience speaking to thousands of audiences.

With Floyd’s video, the magic is in the script. Our expert staff of writers created a different perspective on the previous marketing campaigns. With a new creative marketing direction, the video fell right into place.

Broadcast-quality professional motion graphics and editing help carry his message and expertise in a visually interesting way throughout the under six-minute video! * Near the end we strategically placed two overlapping client crawls, which exhibit the depth of his industry expertise.

*Note: Statistics show that the average audience gets bored and starts losing interest after 10 minutes. You want your video to clearly and concisely communicate your message in 10 minutes or less.

Contact us with any questions
800-647-4281
Primeau@PrimeauProductions.com

800-647-4281 Audio and video clarification, authentication and restoration; analogue and digital experience; voice identification; expert testimony by a registered investigator with over 25 years experience.

Forensic Video

In audio/visual forensics studies and application, video authentication is an intricate process requiring extensive training, experience and sophisticated tools and equipment. Add ever-changing technological advances and increased use of recording devices by businesses and the general public – and you begin to glimpse the expertise needed by today’s AV forensics professionals.

An electronic expert conducts an authentication using scientific processes acceptable in the scientific community then submits a formal report or doctrine depending on the processes and procedures of the county, state, country or other legal jurisdiction.

This article provides an overview of the process of authenticating a videotape for purposes of verifying it as legal evidence. Should you need the services of a forensics expert, Primeau Productions has been a practitioner in this scientific field since 1984. Contact us for any AV forensics needs you have.

Recording over tapes is a common practice with consumers. It’s also quite common with security camera/surveillance tapes. Repeated over-recording of surveillance tapes is pretty much the norm since the use of new, blank tapes for every recording use would be costly, especially if security cameras are on 24/7. As a result of reusing tapes, videotapes being considered for use as evidence in court must often be examined for authenticity and recording integrity by AV forensics professionals.

The first step in the authentication process is to make an identification of the VCR used to create the original evidence. This is done by making an exemplar.

VCRs actually have an identity, much like humans do. With people, we identify human characteristics like eye color, hair color, weight, body size/type, DNA, fingerprints. VCRs also have record “signatures” which forensics experts need to examine. Essentially, these identifying signatures or recording characteristics are: stop, start, record, record interruptions and other indications discovered on the tape’s audio tracks.

With video recorders, we identify signature characteristics in several ways. First, there are two distinct audio tracks generated on most videotapes that have replicated (or recorded) images existing on tape formats, such as VHS tape. The two tracks are: (1) Linear and (2) Non-linear. Audio tracks provide forensics experts with much information – as does the video control track.

We begin documenting the identity of the (alleged) recording device or VCR by recording a fresh video test pattern – via an NTSC test pattern generator – and a series of audio tones generated by an industry-standard tone generator. These are recorded onto a virgin (blank) tape.

Hertz frequencies are also examined. Hertz, or Hz, is an audio frequency measurement, similar to decibels (db) measuring audio volume intensity. HZ frequencies examined in forensics generally include 250 Hz, 1000 Hz, 3000 Hz and 8000 Hz. Reading and comparing these frequencies is achieved by use of a computer spectrum analyzer. (Primeau Productions uses an industry-standard analyzer made by made by Sound Forge.)

A comparison analysis is conducted on the exemplar and on the original evidence tape. Note that even if the videotape being examined under forensics scrutiny has no picture, the audio tracks can still be examined for evidence, along with the video’s control track.

Once we have an exemplar made on the same equipment on which the evidence was made, it’s time to address further comparisons.

Video recording signatures (think of them as similar to human signatures) are examined. Stop/start record signatures are studied; record-interrupt distances are measured physically by conducting the ____ test, then “developing” the tape itself by applying Krylon magnetic tape developing fluid. This fluid is amazingly effective in revealing the true recording signature – very similar to how fingerprint dusting powder reveals a person’s fingerprints.

After viewing the entire videotape using the “fast forward” mode, where ever a record interrupt is visually observed, the tape is stopped as near as possible to the exact interruption spot. The tape is disengaged (ejected) and physical exam of the tape commences. Krylon magnetic tape developing fluid is applied to the tape itself to reveal stops in the tape. (See exhibit 1, attached, which is a digital snapshot of a VHS tape “developed” with the magnetic tape developing fluid.

Notice the vertical line straight up the tape. This is where the recording stops.

It is apparent that, due to the region to the right of the vertical line, this tape has been re-recorded over a previous program. The distance between the stop signature and the curved restart signature to the right of the dark region is the gap in the engage mechanism. The curved program continuing would be another straight line of the tape, indicating that recording was stopped then restarted.

When a new videotape is inserted into a recorder, the tape is threaded into the engage mechanism. This places the tape against the recording head; this action actually pulls the tape out of the shell and threads it across the tape head. This process can be recreated if it becomes necessary.

If a recording is stopped, the engage mechanism disengages. If the recording is continued, and the tape is not shuttled, the tape is re-engaged and the recording continues. However, some physical “glitch” will be evident in both the TV monitor image and in the physical examination of the developed magnetic tape. In addition, evidence of this interrupt is often obvious (and substantiated) by examining the control track.

Since Exhibit 1 continues with a curved line, this is an indication that the tape was stopped and the time taken for the machine to disengage and stop recording. This is obvious due to the blank space between the vertical line and the curved record disengage which follows.

After the first identified record interrupt is examined and documented, physical study of the tape continues by repeating the process in search for any other interrupts – re-engaging the VHS tape into fast-forward tracking mode until another glitch is noticed. Naturally, the entire above process of developing and observing is again repeated for each instance of noted interruption.

Next, as required by the scientific community and forensics procedures, the exact length of the videotape must be established. While most videotapes have a time/length stamped on the spine, length verification is needed. The length is imprinted on the spine of the plastic shell that houses the physical tape itself – example: 120 or 160 may be imprinted. However, the stated length must be verified by taking a measurement. This is verified using information obtained using the hours/minutes/seconds display on a well-maintained, professional videotape recorder.

To do this, the tape is completely rewound to the beginning and the tape counter is reset as the start point. Then, fast-forwarding the tape to the end, the digital counter’s reading at the tape’s end point is observed and noted. Now, if the reading on the videotape display count is less than the indicated stamped length, this can be an indication that the tape has been tampered with. If the time is more than what is indicated on the spine, that’s acceptable. (Most tapes are loaded “long” from the factory; a manufacturer’s 120 minute-length tape may actually be 121¼ minutes, or thereabouts.)

Then, using a cross pulse monitor, any glitches discovered on the tape are measured and checked considering other conditions that exist on the tape (i.e., the tape’s “fingerprints.”)

The cross pulse monitor measures the glitches – different electrical and magnetic fields on the videotape – similar to how an EKG records and measures electronic signals from a human heart. Even if there is no video image on the tape, tape signatures can still be revealed during this monitoring test as long as the tape has been recorded on at some point.

Glitches are also examined using a frame-accurate professional tape deck. Since NTSC video (the standard in the U.S.) is 29.95 frames per second, one can observe individual video frames using the frame-accurate machine. If a tape has been re-recorded, a stop signature will be frame accurate (i.e., one frame has an image and the next frame does not).

On the frame-accurate deck, one will notice video frame deterioration over a series of several frames after the stop occurs, the deterioration appearing as “snow,” or video noise, on the screen/monitor. Basically, the image kind of fades out; then we can observe a gradual fade back-in from “snow” to the resumed image that was captured on the tape during recording. (Hence, Exhibit 1’s curved restart of previous recorded program.)

If a recording is stopped, and the tape was disengaged from the tape head then re-recorded, we would notice something very different. Physical examination using the magnetic tape developing fluid would reveal a straight vertical line, indicating the stop, and a straight vertical line indicating the re-start of the recording. A professional, frame-accurate video deck would reveal frame-accurate stop/start with
no fade-in. Many of these tests can be conducted or recreated using a professional frame-accurate video deck.

If any frames need to be examined further, the video sequence is loaded into a computer using a professional video capture card, manufactured by Targa. NOTE: Targa is a professional-brand capture card. Off-market and consumer video capture cards are not of the highest resolution; they should not be used when forensics/scientific reliability is at stake.

Once the footage has been loaded into the computer, using the Adobe Premiere program, we can further examine the frame sequence and print out any exhibits as necessary.

Note, also, that videotapes can be physically cut and spliced. Thus, glitches detected during the process will also prompt the forensics expert to examine a tape for physical splicing (as opposed to electronic splicing or edits resulting from re-recording over tape images). A splice repair is generally made with an adhesive-style clear tape on the videotape. To the untrained eye, these could appear to be several scene changes. To the trained eye, these indicate that the tape has been recorded on previously or is possibly a physical splice to be examined.

Note, too, that it’s a good idea to read these and other stop/start signatures using an oscilloscope, as well as physically using Krylon fluid to confirm record-interrupt theories.

Next, all test results must be compared from the original evidence tape to the exemplar test results to determine if both tapes were made on the same equipment. The scientific community requires that forensics experts document all test steps and procedures, as well as equipment type, as in the authentication process in order to substantiate conclusions arrived at.

Is social media over rated? How many of you reading this post receive leads for product sales and or sales inquiries that can be traced to social media efforts?

Since Primeau Productions Inc. produces Internet video, we actively use YouTube (connected to Google Reader, Facebook and Twitter) to post new productions.

When uploading a video, you will see the other social media logos. Click on them to connect.

YouTube is a social media. Did you know that you can turn on "active sharing" (in your accounts section-under sharing and privacy) as well as notify other social networks every time a new video is uploaded?
That way, you will leave a trail when viewing videos for other YouTubers to get to know you.

Everyone reading this has the ability to create their own Internet video content with Windows Movie Maker.

Post other useful videos in addition to our own videos.
Post useful videos everyone would like to see (in addition to video of you); not just advertising or self serving videos.

You will find that this connectivity is a great multitasking social media activity. With this type of Inbound Marketing, the prospect mentions a specific message or video when contacting you.

Invite other "YouTubers" to subscribe to your YouTube channel, especially those who have high viewer numbers. It is amazing how many product leads you will generate.

Please share a success story you have had with social media.

Visit our YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PrimeauProductions