Audio/Video Forensics: Hollywood Revealed

It is truly fascinating how all of my businesses inter-relate and work together. An Audio/Video expert as relates to recording arts, I am also qualified as an Audio/Video Forensic Analyst and expert witness.

With my extensive recording and videography experience I have a unique perspective on how events come together. This in turn gives me a better understanding when interpreting the video and audio forensic projects I work on.

In November, I will be going to Anchorage, Alaska to present a seminar on the military base. I will also be presenting a lecture to the local law organizations, “Audio/Video Forensics: Hollywood Revealed”.

With this lecture, I will explain and show many examples of how perspective can alter the truth in video and audio recordings. I will show how, with the proper understanding and complete scope of reality, cases can be turned around.

We all know that no matter how trustworthy a witness, much of their understanding of the event in question relies on their interpretation. If you have ten different witnesses, you will get ten different stories. This is because, while each witness saw the exact same event, they each interpreted it based on their own personal experiences.

When analyzing forensic video and audio evidence, you have to suspend personal experience and rely solely on technical experience and facts. What you know to be true, based on what you actually see or hear on the recording. If segments of a recording are missing, that can change the whole interpretation. An experienced analyst can tell when a segment has been deleted. Sometimes, with an original recording this deleted information can be retrieved, thus giving the opportunity for a full, accurate analysis.

In some instances, perspective plays a huge part of analysis accuracy. Example: When Hollywood tapes a building blowing up, and the scene shows the building exploding in your face… do you really think they have the camera that close? Of course not. In such a case, the camera is a safe distance away with a special lens to pull the building and action in close. But in doing so, there are clues that the experienced analyst recognizes that tells them immediately how this shot was produced. This same experience is used when analyzing video evidence.

I look forward to educating these law enforcement individuals about the variety of ways that information can be interpreted and how I use technology and my audio/video background to dig down to the indisputable truth of the event.

With this knowledge I know that they will come away with a better understanding and respect for the valuable work done by forensic analysts and how it can help them to better present their cases.