BASIC PRACTICES STEP 4 Track Your Videos Use a spreadsheet or database to keep track of where you store the footage and who you share it with. In order for your video to be used as part of an investigation, you will need to give it to trusted human rights researchers or investigators. When you give the footage to another person or organization, they may ask you to sign a form that documents the hand off of the footage. In legal terms, the form documents the “chain-of-custody”. The information requested will vary, but you will most likely need to verify that you recorded the video and that you have not altered the video file. SET PRIORITIES All courts require that lawyers prove that the video shows what the lawyer says it shows. Only some courts require that a lawyer prove the chain-ofcustody. If you must prioritize, focus on the protection of the file’s integrity over keeping close track of the path of the video. However, it’s best if you can do both. 68 VIDEO AS EVIDENCE: BASIC PRACTICES V 1.0