100+ Free CLVS Practice Questions

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Question 1

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Before a legal video deposition, a videographer conducts a site survey. What is the PRIMARY purpose of the site survey?

To negotiate the deposition fee with the court reporter

To assess the room for lighting, acoustics, power, and camera placement

To determine which attorneys will attend the deposition

To schedule the witness's arrival time

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CLVS Exam

120

WKT Questions

NCRA

110 min

WKT Time Limit

NCRA

Scaled Pass Score

NCRA

39%

Production (largest)

NCRA Job Analysis 2017

3 years

Credential Validity

NCRA (1.0 CEU required)

100

Practice Questions Here

OpenExamPrep

The CLVS WKT is a 120-question multiple-choice exam in 110 minutes with a scaled passing score of 70. Domains follow the 2017 CLVS job analysis: Pre-production 19%, Production 39%, Post-production 28%, Professional Practices 14%. All three components (Education, WKT, Production) must be completed within the three-year exam retention window. CLVS holders earn 0.25 PDCs each cycle and must earn 1.0 CEU over three years to maintain the credential. Spring 2026 Production Exam: May 1-2, 2026 (registration March 16 - April 24, 2026).

Sample CLVS Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CLVS exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Before a legal video deposition, a videographer conducts a site survey. What is the PRIMARY purpose of the site survey?

A.To negotiate the deposition fee with the court reporter

B.To assess the room for lighting, acoustics, power, and camera placement

C.To determine which attorneys will attend the deposition

D.To schedule the witness's arrival time

Explanation: The site survey assesses physical deposition conditions — ambient lighting, window glare, HVAC noise, electrical outlet locations, network access, and workable camera angles. This drives equipment selection and logistics. Fees, attorney attendance, and scheduling are handled by the noticing attorney or scheduler, not the videographer.

2A deposition room has mixed fluorescent overhead lighting and a large window with direct afternoon sunlight. What is the MOST appropriate action?

A.Rely on the existing light and auto white balance on the camera

B.Turn off all fluorescent lights to eliminate the color temperature mismatch

C.Use a three-point lighting kit and close or cover the window to control color temperature

D.Film the witness in silhouette to avoid color issues

Explanation: Three-point lighting (key, fill, back) at a controlled color temperature (typically 3200K or 5600K depending on kit) combined with window control produces a clean, consistent image. Auto white balance fights mixed sources. Turning off fluorescents risks insufficient light. Silhouette framing is not acceptable for witness video.

3Which microphone type is MOST commonly used to capture individual voices on each party at a multi-party video deposition?

A.Shotgun microphone mounted on the camera

B.Omnidirectional boundary microphone on the table only

C.Lavalier (lapel) microphones on each speaker

D.Built-in camera microphone

Explanation: Lavalier microphones worn by each speaker provide the most intelligible, isolated audio at deposition distances. Shotgun mics struggle with multi-party coverage. Boundary mics pick up room noise and paper rustling. Built-in camera mics are never acceptable for legal video.

4In three-point lighting, the KEY light is defined as:

A.A soft light placed behind the subject to separate them from the background

B.The primary light source illuminating the subject, typically at a 45-degree angle

C.A diffused fill light placed on the opposite side to soften shadows

D.An accent light placed on the floor pointing up

Explanation: The key light is the main, brightest source, usually placed 45 degrees off-axis and slightly above the subject's eye line. Fill softens shadows from the key; back (or hair) light separates subject from background. No standard three-point placement is from the floor pointing up.

5A videographer's equipment list for a deposition should include a BACKUP recording device because:

A.NCRA requires two copies submitted to every party

B.A primary-system failure mid-deposition could make the testimony unrecoverable

C.Attorneys always demand duplicate rough-cuts at the scene

D.Backup systems eliminate the need for certification affidavits

Explanation: Deposition testimony is irreplaceable — you cannot ask the witness to repeat three hours of sworn testimony because your recorder failed. A redundant backup (second camera, separate audio recorder, or secondary capture card) is a professional standard. NCRA does not mandate the backup in its job analysis, but the Production Exam evaluates redundancy planning.

6You arrive at a deposition room and the only available outlets are on a single 15-amp circuit with a coffee maker already running. What is the BEST response?

A.Unplug the coffee maker without asking and plug in your gear

B.Ask staff to move the coffee maker to a different circuit or run an extension to a different room circuit to avoid overload

C.Use battery power only for the entire deposition regardless of length

D.Proceed and hope the circuit breaker holds

Explanation: A deposition that blows a breaker mid-testimony is unacceptable. Professional practice is to map circuits during the site survey and either reroute household loads or run to a different circuit. Battery-only is risky for long depositions; simply hoping is negligent; unplugging other people's gear without consent is poor professional conduct.

7The STANDARD shot framing for a witness in a legal video deposition is:

A.Extreme close-up showing only eyes and mouth

B.Medium shot from approximately mid-chest up, with headroom above the witness

C.Wide shot showing the entire conference table and all attorneys

D.Over-the-shoulder of the deposing attorney looking at the witness

Explanation: The industry standard is a medium shot (mid-chest up) with natural headroom, centered or slightly off-center. This shows demeanor and body language without losing the witness's face to distance. Extreme close-ups are intrusive; wide shots lose facial detail; OTS framing is inappropriate as primary witness coverage.

8Why do professional legal videographers typically use XLR audio cables rather than 3.5mm mini-jack cables?

A.XLR cables are cheaper

B.XLR is a balanced connection that rejects electromagnetic interference over long cable runs

C.3.5mm cables are prohibited by NCRA

D.XLR cables deliver power to cameras

Explanation: XLR is a balanced audio standard that significantly rejects EMI/RFI hum and allows long runs without signal loss. In a courtroom or conference room with fluorescent lights, computer monitors, and mobile devices, XLR is essential for clean dialog. 3.5mm is unbalanced and prone to interference. XLR is not prohibited by NCRA, nor does it typically power cameras.

9A "B-roll" plan for a standard legal video deposition would typically involve:

A.Extended cutaways to exhibits, the reporter, and wide room shots throughout

B.No B-roll — the witness is the focus throughout the entire recording

C.Cutaways to the deposing attorney's face when asking questions

D.Decorative establishing shots of the building exterior

Explanation: Legal video depositions are single-camera on the witness throughout (some jurisdictions permit a locked-off picture-in-picture for exhibits or a second camera on exhibits). Narrative-style B-roll cutaways are inappropriate. Building exteriors are irrelevant. Cutting to attorneys can create bias concerns. The video must remain a faithful, unedited record of the witness.

10Which of the following is NOT typically included in a pre-deposition equipment checklist?

A.Spare batteries and media cards

B.Lavalier microphones and backup wired microphone

C.Official court reporter's steno machine

D.Gaffer tape and cable covers for tripping hazards

Explanation: The court reporter brings their own steno equipment. Videographer checklists cover spare batteries, cards, cables, extra mics, gaffer tape for cable management, and lighting instruments. Mixing the reporter's gear into the videographer list is a role-confusion error.

About the CLVS Exam

The CLVS is NCRA's specialty credential for videographers producing legal video depositions. The certification has three mandatory components: the online CLVS Education course, the 120-item Written Knowledge Test covering pre-production/production/post-production/professional practices, and the in-person CLVS Production Exam at NCRA Headquarters in Reston, Virginia. The Production Exam requires candidates to record a mock deposition using their own equipment and submit a fully compliant final product.

Questions

120 scored questions

Time Limit

110 minutes for the WKT

Passing Score

70% (scaled) on the Written Knowledge Test; pass/fail on the Production Exam

Exam Fee

Online Education: $350 member / $450 nonmember; WKT: $200 member / $230 nonmember; Production Exam: $325 member / $425 nonmember (NCRA (National Court Reporters Association))

CLVS Exam Content Outline

19%

Pre-production

Site surveys, room assessment for lighting and acoustics, equipment checklists, camera and lens selection, audio setup for multi-party depositions, lighting plans, backup redundancy, chain of custody preparation, and pre-deposition coordination with counsel.

39%

Production

Videographer introduction and case caption, appearances on the record, oath administration, SMPTE timecode management, on/off-the-record tracking, audio mixing with lavalier and shotgun microphones, exhibit integration, FRCP Rule 30(b) compliance, and handling interruptions.

28%

Post-production

Edit-free original preservation, certification and videographer affidavit, chain of custody documentation, duplicate delivery to attorneys, BWF/MP4/MOV/MXF formats, secure cloud delivery, integration with Relativity/Everlaw/Litera review platforms, and trial clip designation with timecode.

14%

Professional Practices

NCRA Code of Professional Ethics for legal videographers, impartiality, confidentiality beyond the deposition, conflicts-of-interest disclosure, Federal Rules of Evidence 901/1003 authentication of video exhibits, and state-specific deposition rules.

How to Pass the CLVS Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 70% (scaled) on the Written Knowledge Test; pass/fail on the Production Exam
Exam length: 120 questions
Time limit: 110 minutes for the WKT
Exam fee: Online Education: $350 member / $450 nonmember; WKT: $200 member / $230 nonmember; Production Exam: $325 member / $425 nonmember

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CLVS Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize FRCP Rule 30(b)(3) notice requirements and Rule 30(b)(5) officer-present and recording-method rules — these drive the Production domain.

2Study the 2017 CLVS Job Analysis PDF on ncra.org — it is the blueprint NCRA uses for the WKT.

3Drill three-point lighting theory: key, fill, and back lights, color temperature matching, and how to handle mixed fluorescent/daylight rooms.

4Learn SMPTE timecode structure and the difference between time-of-day and continuous timecode for depositions.

5Practice the videographer's on-the-record introduction script and off-the-record handling — these appear across multiple production items.

6Review audio setup for multi-party depositions: lavalier placement, mixer gain staging, phantom power for condenser mics, and backup channels.

7Study post-production: edit-free original preservation, BWF vs MP4 vs MOV vs MXF containers, and H.264 vs MPEG-2 tradeoffs.

8Understand FRE 901 authentication standards for video exhibits and how chain of custody documentation supports admissibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCRA CLVS certification?

The Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS) is NCRA's specialty credential for videographers who capture legal video depositions. It validates competency in camera and audio setup, lighting for depositions, recording procedures under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 30(b), timecode handling, edit-free original preservation, and professional ethics.

How many questions are on the CLVS Written Knowledge Test?

The CLVS WKT is a 120-question multiple-choice exam administered by Pearson VUE with a 110-minute time limit. The passing score is a scaled 70. Content follows the 2017 CLVS job analysis with four domains: Pre-production (19%), Production (39%), Post-production (28%), and Professional Practices (14%).

What is the CLVS Production Exam?

The CLVS Production Exam is a hands-on in-person test held twice yearly at NCRA Headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Candidates bring their own equipment and record a mock deposition, then submit a compliant final product. Both the mock deposition recording and the submitted final video are evaluated pass/fail against NCRA standards.

How much does the CLVS certification cost?

Total mandatory costs: Online Education ($350 member / $450 nonmember), Written Knowledge Test ($200 member / $230 nonmember), and Production Exam ($325 member / $425 nonmember). Optional Hands-on Training adds $200 member / $300 nonmember. Total mandatory bundle runs about $1,075 for members and $1,405 for nonmembers.

How long is the CLVS certification valid?

The CLVS credential is valid for three years and requires 1.0 CEU (10 approved seminar hours) per three-year cycle to maintain. Up to 0.25 of those can come from Professional Development Credits. Candidates who do not complete all three components within the three-year exam retention window must retake any expired component.

Do I need a court reporter background to earn the CLVS?

No. The CLVS is designed for videographers and is open to NCRA members and nonmembers. No RPR or other NCRA certification is required. However, a strong videography background is recommended because the CLVS Education course does not teach basic videography — it focuses on legal deposition applications of those skills.