I am applying for a job under the specific circumstances that should you ever have need of a videographer’s services in the Houston, Texas area then I stand ready to serve you, if not previously booked.

Retired US NAVSECGRU – Oct 1979. Resigned US Army COMM Command July 1983. Independent business owner to this date. Legal videography since early spring of 1999. In addition to being a skilled Videographer, I bring value to your business in that I am mature, I am a businessman myself so I understand business and how to treat clients, I bring my clients (you) consistent quality work, you always get great sound and great picture, and last, but not least, I am reliable and my equipment is reliable – from my camera to the vehicle that takes me to depositions. I do not deal with attorneys direct. I only take jobs from established video firms or court reporting firms. I have no interest in having, or accumulating, law firm clients. My preference is to do the shoot for an established court reporting firm or video firm, turn in the raw product and be done with it. My rates reflect this preference.

Have camera, will travel anywhere (out of country included). Fees negotiable according to destination. Have experience in all parts of the world.

Typically I provide my clients (you) with a Mini Dv tape and a DVD. I do no production on the raw footage unless requested to by you; and if requested would negotiate a reasonable price with you according to what you request.

As listed above, I have an ELMO, and related equipments, to setup and do ELMO depositions. I can, and typically do, pic-in-pic when doing an ELMO deposition. My fee for doing ELMO depositions is the basic hourly rate plus a flat rate of $175 for the ELMO usage and expertise. The arrangement of my ELMO set-up provides an independent monitor for the witness to view, and another for the attorneys to see what is the finished picture that is being recorded.

My basic rate for depositions is $60 an hour with a 2.5 hour minimum. Jobs starting after 0600PM, weekends, and holidays my rate is $95 an hour, with a $250 minimum. I also expect reimbursement for any parking fees incurred. I do not charge set-up or tear down fees and I start my clock at the time on the notice as deposition begin time, and I stop it at the time of going off the record. You get to take advantage of the set-up and tear –down times. It is my policy to charge my hourly rate from beginning of the deposition to the end time of the deposition regardless of whether that time includes a lunch break or not, I do this under the strict understanding that I am in the attorney’s control and to be used as he sees fit. We break and eat, or we work straight through, it is the attorney’s decision and I charge for my time spent. It is also my policy to follow that same procedure in responding to any delays in beginning the deposition. My clock starts at the noticed time of deposition and ends when I go off the record at the end of the deposition. Out of town depositions beyond the Houston Metro area, I charge .42 cents a mile for travel. I don’t do door to door from my office. I calculate mileage beginning at downtown Houston to point where deposition is taken. If flying is the only option then I ask for reimbursement for flight tickets or pre-arranged and pre-paid airfare by employer, either is acceptable. Overnight depositions out of town, I also expect to be reimbursed for lodging and meals. I charge any camera shoot (day-in-the-life, accident scene filming, home inspections, chemical plant inspections, etc) at the same rate as depositions. I don’t look to get rich on the product I turn in, I’ll exchange tapes if that is an option, or charge cost for tapes if not.