Andrew Colton is the leading legal video producer in North America. His productions have induced more than $1B in settlements.
I am often asked by my clients whether 360 Video — the latest online video trend — is something that should be used in litigation videos. At this point, my answer is no. While a great marketing gimmick, 360 video — which is best described as IMAX meets Google Street View — creates a false narrative which mitigates the purpose of successful day in the life video and legal settlement video productions.
Day In The Life Video productions focus on the injured and how they are living their lives — not how lives are being lived around them. For instance, let’s say your client is going through the cumbersome process of attaching his or her prosthetic leg. The impact from this visual comes from the overview of the prosthetic being attached, not a 360 view — with your client in the center — of what is happening in the room while the device is being attached. The argument remains the same for all traditional aspects of a day in the life video.
Here’s another hypothetical: your client, who suffered massive burns, goes to a big box store. While it is easy to argue that 360 video could capture the gasps and stares as your client meanders through the store, the 360 video equipment — still unnecessarily large — will become the focus of attention. Simply put: you’ll never successfully argue that the gasps and stares were directed at your client and not the 12 cameras on his head or being carried nearby. Successful litigation videos provide the perspective of a fly on the way, not the perspective of being the center of attention.
There are cases where 360 video for litigation may be helpful: site surveys and accident scene reconstruction. If the focus is land or a physical structure, 360 video may provide assistance in communicating the surroundings. But when people are involved, for now, my guidance is stay away from 360 Video for Litigation. It will undermine your argument and the visual imagery you are hoping to communicate.
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Andrew Colton is president of Colton Legal Media and the leading producer of day in the life video, settlement video, and his trademarked “Life After Loss” legal video productions across North America. Logging more than 100,000 miles each year, Andrew works on location with more than 100 attorney and law firm clients in high-stakes, high-value cases. He specializes in personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability, wrongful death, chemical poisoning, burn, mesothelioma, surgical mesh, aviation, police misconduct brain injury and birth injury cases. Telephone 877-484-4611 or use the contact form below to send a message.