Leveraging Day-In-The-Life Documentaries To Illuminate The Impact of Injury

For nearly 35 years, I’ve used video to capture life experiences and produce them as “Day in the Life” documentaries, performing my duties with the compassion and moral honesty that is both critical and mandatory to my role. It is a humbling honor to enter a home that has been drastically changed for the worse and then be trusted to tell its story. I understand the expectation to professionally, fairly observe the environment and then document the situation with a goal to produce a video that clearly and thoroughly demonstrates the impact of severe and sudden change – something not fulfilled by mere text description on paper.

I approach each video documentary from the perspective that it’s the most important piece of a puzzle. A great deal of the puzzle lays clearly before me, and it’s obvious that life has changed dramatically for the injured party. It is then my job to recognize the missing piece, illuminate it, and bring it to the forefront to complete the picture. It is then the responsibility of the court system to review and evaluate each complete and unbiased story.

Long before a camera ever begins recording, usually as soon as the decision has been made to document a plaintiff, I arrange for an initial discussion with the family. This first step in the process is imperative to creating a rapport with the client that will, ultimately, result in a complete and effective video. It also gives me the opportunity to assess the situation and set expectations for the client and for myself. On site the day of the shoot, I carefully walk through every aspect of the injured party’s day, documenting each thoroughly on camera – bathing, dressing, eating, transportation, medication, therapy, and more.

As important as it is to demonstrate the experience of the injured party, it’s also meaningful to incorporate that of the surrounding family, understanding there is always an underlying impact on every member of the household. By the time a shoot is complete and I’ve left the home, I often feel emotionally drained by my observations – a signal to me that the documentary will succeed in creating clarity around the experience of the claimant and family.

Injuries change lives. It’s almost impossible to explain the extent in words. A Day in the Life documentary is the most effective means of demonstrating impact and creating a path to understanding. In the end, videography is secondary to the primary responsibility I have – that being non-fiction storytelling that succeeds in opening the eyes of the audience to another’s new, and stark, reality.

Barry Hersch created Video Discovery, Inc. in 1983 after graduating from Kent State University in 1981 with a degree in Telecommunications (film and video). Initially, Video Discovery Inc. only provided depositions and courtroom playbacks in the greater Cleveland area. Over the years, Barry began exploring new areas of legal tech such as non-linear editing and illustrations and he decided to convert VDI into a one stop shop for full litigation support. In addition to managing VDI, Barry handles most field shooting of Day in the Life / Site Documentaries and depositions. In his free time, Barry enjoys volunteering, working out, playing tennis, travel, and being with his family.