NCAVF’s work is a combination of technology and artistry within the legal forensic world. More and more, audio and video recordings are being utilized as digital media evidence in a court of law, and our audio / video forensic evidence experts are here to assist our clients so they can get the most out of understanding and utilizing their recorded video and audio evidence. We keep up on the latest technologies and trends, and pay close attention to new developments in the legal field, especially cases involving digital media evidence. Our Los Angeles-based forensic lab continuously updates the skills of our experts and equipment for optimal image enhancement and filtering, audio cleaning and noise removal, and video analysis.

At NCAVF, we like to always stay up-to-date on the most recent audio, video, and still image recording and digital media playback technologies. Every day, we see new formats of recorded video and audio evidence, and law enforcement investigations increasingly require audio and video forensic experts’ legal analysis. Sometimes a client simply needs technical digital assistance in copying and preserving the original digital evidence before it is erased from a security surveillance camera systems (DVR), and sometimes a client needs a more complete, all-inclusive forensic expert examination, enhancement, and testimony. The steps from start to finish can often include:

• Finding and downloading a high resolution video copy from original recording device such as a DVR
• Enhancing video/audio evidence, using various techniques and methods
• Analyzing the video/audio evidence to look for details and discrepancies
• Preparing a detailed report of our findings
• Creating an easy-to-use PowerPoint or individual clips to play video, audio, or other digital evidence for depo, trial, and deliberations
• Setting up digital media playback equipment for smooth presentation in court
• Operating the playback equipment during trial
• Testifying as an expert witness

The audio and video forensic experts at NCAVF are ready to handle your case, whether it’s just a simple data transfer that’s needed, or much more involved legal forensic digital enhancement services. There are countless security and surveillance camera systems in operation today, all over the world, with all kinds of video surveillance hardware and software that records, stores, and plays back video using their own unique formats. Allow us to help you navigate the myriad computer systems, file formats, and playback methods to make sure your digital video evidence is properly stored, enhanced, and prepared for your investigation and later plays properly during your arbitration, hearing, or trial.

Video filtering and forensic digital video brightening

Brighten dark video images, sharpen and clarify details, improve contrast in dark images, repair damaged video signals, filter unwanted/background sound, stabilize shaky video, and correct wobbling video. Our video and audio experts are ready to help. See still-images taken from a video that shows our low light and dark scene correction.

Slow motion and frame by frame forensic image analysis

Video usually records at 30 frames per second, and sometimes a fast moving event can only be seen by slowing down the footage. The forensic video and audio experts at NCAVF will work with you to find those individual video frames which demonstrate your case and then apply proper video filters and enhancement software to make those frames as clear as possible.

Still image enlargement

Still images can be created from the video and blown up into a large poster size picture for attorneys to use as evidence in court. Lawyers may wish to play a recorded video on a large flat screen TV, and they also may desire to pass around an enlarged single frame poster size still image from the video when speaking to a jury during a court case.

Determining the height of a suspect or measuring the distance between two points seen in security camera video

When the identity of the suspect is in question — for example, when the suspect’s face is never seen in a video — knowing the height of the person seen in a security surveillance along with the clothing worn can sometimes help with a case. NCAVF recreates the scene of a crime in a 3D computer model, using specialized crime scene reconstruction software, to help determine measurements of key evidence, including the height of the suspect. See example of height determination.

Research of technical evidence

Often our clients don’t understand how the technology used in recording evidence in a case might help them — computers, security cameras, recording systems & software settings — the experts at NCAVF speak the language and help you investigate and discover background technical information that could help your case. We assist in describing — simply and clearly — that information first to you, and then, later, to your jury. Were the cameras up to date and cleaned properly? Was the computer software program setup correctly and calibrated to capture the evidence? Are there frames missing from the recording? Is this missing video information important? Are the activities seen on the surveillance camera in reality closer than they appear on the screen? Does the surveillance recording show the event in the same way as it was seen by the participants during the incident?

Many questions can be asked that could be very helpful and that an attorney may never consider.

Preparing video and audio evidence for ease of presentation in court

Preparing digital video and audio evidence for easy use in court, both for attorneys to utilize during trial and for juries during deliberations, is crucial to ensuring your case gets a fair hearing. The smoothest technology right now is to use a PowerPoint with video and audio clips pre-chosen and edited down for simple, clear playback in court.

(Tip for success: Once the evidence is ready, it’s also crucial for an attorney to practice with the video and audio playback system to be sure your presentation goes smoothly and accurately.)

Video production for court demonstration

There are many uses for video in court. Nothing is more convincing to a jury than seeing the facts with their own eyes, and watching video is second best to being there, firsthand.

When you wish a jury could visit a location, but you know that is not possible, then bring the location to them! Create a video that presents the location of the alleged illegal activity, help them visualize the scene of an accident, demonstrate how new construction blocks customers from reaching a business, explain the details of a demolition site or a landfill, and show with video the details of construction fraud to support your real estate lawsuit.

Attorneys call our legal video team to video record crime scenes, construction sites, demolition sites, eminent domain targets, and to record property for insurance purposes.

Call NCAVF to record video to save details of a location that might soon disappear. Allow us to edit that video and create an easy to use set of clips for your PowerPoint presentation in court.