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Chapter 6 - Computer Concepts and Legal Applications

Multimedia - Text, Graphics, Sound, Photographs & Video

We are increasingly being asked to present our cases – motions, briefs and oral arguments – in a multimedia format.

Multimedia is both a technology and communications concept. As a technology concept multimedia is explained in the sense of using text, sound, graphics, video, and animations to persuade. Multimedia is taking the various forms of media - sound, text, graphics, video and animations - and presenting various combinations of the above to persuade a trier of fact as to your client’s position.

Integration. The integration of multimedia - text, sound, graphics, animation, digital video and Interactivity into a presentation is one of the objectives of digitizing your information. A respected multimedia-authoring tool is Macromedia Director (www.macromedia.com) which enables one to create presentation, educational CD’s, simulations reference materials and more. Various file formats can be imported and VCR’s, CD-ROM players and a variety of different equipment can be controlled with this program.

As a communications concept, which is more important then multimedia as a technology concept, the digitization of information for use in multimedia provides a new and dynamic method of presenting your case to the trier of fact. Only in the last 10 years have we been able to digitize and present our case information in this new and dynamic way.

Always remember that visual aids can reinforce the points of your argument but you are center stage. These are visual aids; you are not a human aid. See also Chapter 8, Using Multimedia in Legal Proceedings.