A Californian legal consulting firm, Verdict Advantage, was searching for a versatile power solution for the video component of its service offering: a highly realistic courtroom environment to conduct live jury focus groups. Epiphan Pearl-2 was discovered as the perfect solution, a video production core with multiple built-in inputs, multi-channel recording, and other advanced capabilities.
The need: A flexible, high-performance system for multi-camera recording
Attorneys and legal teams spend much time preparing for trial. Live jury focus groups can be incredibly effective, helping attorneys test their cases and develop their skills before a jury. The more closely the focus group and setting match the courtroom experience, the better.
Verdict Advantage aimed to deliver the most realistic live jury focus groups. The mock courtroom the team constructed is as authentic as it gets. The 2,000+ square foot facility comprises a main courtroom, a deliberation room, and attached conference rooms. From the public seating area to the pulpit, no detail was spared.
Along with this highly realistic setting, the firm devised a powerful differentiator for its live jury focus group, offering to record the whole thing from multiple angles – capturing judge, jury, and attorney – for legal teams to watch back and identify areas for improvement.
“This unique capability offers legal firms an unparalleled perspective,” says Head of Business Operations Jesse Vaughan. “Participants not only see the live feed during the trial and deliberations but can also go back and watch all the videos and analyse them from the lawyer's standpoint – to catch reactions and other moments they may not have picked up on during their live session.”
"Participants not only see the live feed during the trial and deliberations but can also go back and watch all the videos and analyse them from the lawyer's standpoint – to catch reactions and other moments they may not have picked up on during their live session." Jesse Vaughan, Head of Business Operations at Verdict Advantage
To fulfil the full vision of Verdict Advantage, the team needed a video production solution that could record from multiple cameras, display live feeds on the 360-degree in-room display and output the footage as separate files for post-production.
The team consulted an AV contractor, who offered the perfect solution: an Epiphan Pearl-2 hardware encoder.
Power your courtroom with the versatile Pearl-2
With unmatched flexibility and long-term reliability, Pearl-2 is the ideal video production system for various courtroom applications – from video record keeping and evidence presentation to overflow rooms and remote depositions.
The solution: Pearl-2, the ultimate all-in-one video production system
Considering what Verdict Advantage wanted to achieve, the contractor recommended Pearl-2 as a cost-effective solution compared to competing hardware. With its multiple built-in video inputs and multi-channel recording capabilities, Pearl-2 was just what Verdict Advantage needed to power the video elements of its service.
An array of technology makes up Verdict Advantage’s video component, with a Pearl-2 as the video encoder core:
- Pearl-2 uses a six-channel configuration with dual presets – one to capture the main courtroom and another for the adjacent deliberation room.
- A Crestron switcher routes the cameras into Pearl-2 via HDMI and SDI.
- Pearl-2 outputs the feeds to the 360-degree in-room display on a multi-view layout for live viewing while recording each channel separately for
review or post-production. - Pearl-2 can also capture the content feed – an attorney’s laptop, for example, or a 3D object or document camera – which an operator can switch to using a Crestron touch panel.
- Audio comes in through gooseneck, proximity, and wireless lapel microphones connected to a two-channel amplifier.
In addition, Pearl-2 makes it simple to monitor the video and audio feeds during live jury focus groups, whether through the admin panel or the intuitive Epiphan Edge interface.
The result: a winning business model with room to grow.
With its fully furnished courtroom and unique video production environment, Verdict Advantage has attracted law firms looking to use its one-of-a-kind premises for authentic trial practice and extensive case development.
Verdict Advantages’ clients have seen success, too. A trial firm ran three focus groups to help develop their case in one case. After analysing the recordings, the firm had a strong enough case that the insurance company increased its initial settlement 12.5 times over.
Beyond delivering what the team needed to fulfil its initial objectives, Pearl-2 offers various other innovative features that are helping Verdict Advantage grow its business model.
“Out of the box, Pearl-2 delivered exactly what we needed,” Vaughan says. “As we worked more with the system, we discovered many features that weren’t part of the original plan but will help us expand our capabilities and business.”
One of those unexpected applications is video training. “There’s a bit of stagecraft to being a trial attorney,” Vaughan explains.
“Simple production things like not breaking the fourth wall, how you hold yourself, what your demeanour is, and how effectively you deliver case facts are all key aspects of winning a favourable verdict in court.”
In this way, Verdict Advantage, with its video capabilities enabled by Pearl-2, is helping create higher-level trial attorneys who achieve more significant results and the justice their clients deserve.
The team behind Verdict Advantage plans to bring the ultimate live jury focus group experience to more studios across the United States, with Epiphan Pearl-2 at the heart of the video component.
*This blog is extracted from Epiphan Video.
About Epiphan Video
Epiphan Video provides award-winning, purpose-built hardware solutions that help your business create impactful video content.
The Epiphan Pearl range of hardware encoders is the ultimate system for maximum versatility with multi-encoding, multi-streaming, recording, custom layouts, switching, and more. It is ideal for live event production, enterprise communication or lecture capture in higher education.
AP Tech is the authorised Australian distributor of Epiphan Video products. Every Epiphan solution from AP Tech is backed by local warranty and support.
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