CERTIFIED COURT VIDEO SPECIALIST (CCVS)

The AGCV recommends that the professional videographer should actually start with the CCVS certification. This is the complete course that includes the deposition (CDVS) and the documentary (CVDS) information.  At present, the home study course requires completion of a final 200 question exam with a grade of 80% or better.  All exams are "open book" exams.  In addition, the student must also prepare a video recorded deposition, either an actual or a mock deposition.  This prepares the professional videographer for meeting the needs of any attorney in any law office, whether that attorney is a trial attorney, estate planning attorney, corporate attorney, etc.  Cost of this certification should not be a factor as the money will be back in your pocket with your very first contract.

CERTIFIED DEPOSITION VIDEO SPECIALIST (CDVS)

The CDVS is available to any professional videographer that does not expect to expand their services beyond the production of depositions.  This can save the videographer money up front to get started as a legal videographer, however, it will cost more to add the documentary certification later should they decide to expand their services. This is achieved by home study.  The home study requires the passing of a final 100 question exam with a grade of 80% or better.  It also requires the production of a deposition whether actual or mock.

CERTIFIED VIDEO DOCUMENTARY SPECIALIST (CVDS)

The professional videographer that is already certified by the NCRA as a CLVS and is already doing depositions or the professional videographer may be an AGCV member that already has their CDVS may very well decide to expand their services to include documentaries.  This is available by home study and as a 3-day live seminar.  The home study requires the passing of a 100 question final exam and production of a video documentary of either "day-in-the-life" or a "settlement" documentary.  All must pass with a grade of 80% or better.