Do you have an upcoming mobile videoconference deposition? Great! It’s 2020, so you should. Remote depositions through mobile videoconference are such a handy way to communicate with people anytime, anywhere. You can even connect from your smartphone (though, we recommend a laptop or tablet for the screen size). Whether it’s for a deposition, arbitration, or even a business event, these tips will help to ensure your videoconference goes smoothly.
Ensure you have a strong Wi-Fi or internet signal – if you do not have a strong signal, the other participants will not be able to see or hear you, and you will likely have trouble seeing and hearing them. Be close to your wireless router to ensure a strong signal, or, better yet, use a wired connection to your laptop if you can.
Check your audio and video feed prior to the beginning of the videoconference and speak in a normal tone of voice. Mics can pick up a lot of noise, so you don’t need to worry about shouting into yours. Talk as if you’re talking to the rest of the participants in the same room with you.
To get the best audio possible while participating in a deposition remotely, join the audio via telephone or use an earpiece or headset for listening and mute your end of the line when you are not speaking to limit the background noise. Again, mics can pick up a lot of noise, so the papers rustling (or dogs barking) in the background can be distracting.
State your name when you object, so that the court reporter and legal videographer can properly identify you for the record. Remember, the court reporter is also looking at screens full of people, so be sure to help them out.
Try to ask questions at a little slower pace so that any participants who may have their devices muted can un-mute themselves in order to object before you move on to the next question.
Be sure that the room is well lit so the other participants can see you. If the sun is pouring in behind you, it’s best to have drapes or blinds to cover the window to avoid appearing as a shadow.
Dress professionally and for the camera. Try to wear pastel, solid colors, and avoid polka-dots, stripes, and plaids.
Sit up straight and check the picture boundaries so that you know exactly how far you can move before you are suddenly off the screen.
Try not to look directly at the people on your screen, but instead into the camera lens, which helps develop a more natural interaction between participants.
Limit your physical movements as much as possible, and if you have to move, try to move more slowly so that your movements are not distracting to the other participants and so they don’t appear “choppy.”
Beware of the proceedings. While you may be comfortable sitting at your office desk or in your home, what you do is being seen by all of the participants, the sound is being heard, and it is being recorded by a legal videographer and court reporter.
Join by a smartphone or tablet app if you don’t have a good computer with a webcam.
Do not use your phone to respond to e-mails and text messages while you are using it to participate in a mobile videoconference. Everyone will hear the clicks, become distracted, and the sounds can interrupt the audio feed to the legal videographer and court reporter.
Maximize your smartphone/tablet’s battery life if using it to attend the meeting.
- Keep your device on the charger whenever possible
- Adjust the backlighting of your cell to a dimmer setting
- Close unnecessary applications
- Turn off application notifications for the duration of the videoconference
Purchase a smartphone/tablet case that has a stand so that you are not holding your device throughout the duration of the deposition. This will eliminate a shaky picture.
Finally, remember to put on pants, even if you don’t think you need them! Seriously. You never know when you may need to stand up and stretch.
A mobile videoconference deposition is pretty simple, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need expert help when connecting or managing it. Videoconference techs are available to ensure the process goes smoothly and the court reporter can make the cleanest record possible.
