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{{trope}}
When you need rock-solid evidence that something happened or that someone committed a certain act, having it all caught on video tape is just about the most convincing piece of proof there is. Even a [[Villain
In fact, the absolute certainty that video evidence provides is such a common trope that [[Subverted Trope|subverting]] it has become a very popular plot twist, usually by revealing that the footage has been [[We Will Not Use Photoshop in
And, yes, the video doesn't have to be recorded on ''actual'' tape; DVDs or computer files will work just as well, but old idioms die hard.
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Often used to achieve an [[Engineered Public Confession]]. May be achieved by a [[Magical Security Cam]].
With the development of [[w:Deepfake|Deepfake]] technology in the late 2010s, it's possible that this trope may be fated to become [[Discredited Trope|Discredited]] in any context other than a [[Period Piece]].
{{examples|Examples:}}▼
== Anime and Manga ==
* Brutally subverted in ''[[Ghost in
== [[Film]] ==
* The villains of ''[[Machete]]'' are completely [[Too Dumb to Live]] in regards to this trope. Booth is pretty dumb for crucifying a priest while explaining his villainous plan and not bothering to remove the clearly visible security cameras, but the Senator takes the cake for actually ''asking'' that someone videotape him while he's committing murder, and actually requesting that he get a copy of the DVD afterwards.
* In ''[[Ruthless People]]'', there's a [[Not What It Looks Like]], where the judge they're blackmailing was videotaped having sex in a car, but the [[Too Dumb to Live]] cameraman thinks he was killing the girl. The blackmail still works, though.
* ''[[Robot Jox]]''. Before he kills another character, [[The Mole]]'s confession is videotaped, which eventually leads to his unmasking.
* ''[[Spies Like Us]]''. Emmett Fitzhume and Austin Millbarge are videotaped while cheating on a State Department advancement test, which leads to them being chosen as expendable decoys.
* ''[[The Avengers (1998
* Subverted in ''[[Judge Dredd (
* The plot of ''Heist'' starts when Joe Moore's face is captured on a security camera he wasn't expecting to be there.
* ''The Omega Code 2'' has the "doctored" variant.
* The entire plot of ''[[Strange Days]]'' revolves around a murder caught on tape, with the added problem that the murderers are cops.
* The same applies to the forgettable French movie ''Skate or Die''.
* In ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'', Sullivan tricks {{spoiler|Mr. Waternoose}} into the simulation chamber, where he unwittingly confesses to {{spoiler|planning to kidnap human children}}. Mike then reviews the incriminating footage for the CDA agents in the control room.
== Literature ==
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* In the [[Grand Finale|series finale]] of ''[[Seinfeld]]'' the [[Main Characters]] are arrested because they watched an armed robbery take place and didn't call the police or do anything else to help. In court, footage that one of them shot themselves is used as evidence against them, showing them watching the robbery and, not only doing nothing to help, but actually ''mocking'' the victim as the robbery's going on.
* On ''[[Friends]]'' Ross and Rachel argue about which of them initiated the sex that resulted in Rachel getting pregnant. Ross insists that it was Rachel who hit on him, and shouts out that he can prove it because he videotaped the whole thing. This does not make the situation better.
* ''[[Star Trek:
* ''[[Square One TV|Mathnet]]'': The Karamasov brothers frame George for armed robbery by one of them [[Latex Perfection|wearing a George mask]] and robbing a bank. He stops to make sure the security camera has a clear view of him, even posing straight on and in profile like those pictures they take when the cops book someone.
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
* One episode of [[The Mentalist]] featured a suspected murderer that got off because the tape proving that he lied about his alibi hasn't been introduced on time to become admissable as evidence. It was later revealed he was really innocent and the real murderer had doctored the tape.
* ''[[Eli Stone]]'': One episode featured a baseballer that was charged with murder because a ball he hit had killed a person he hated and the prosecutor claimed the baseballer aimed for the victim. The prosecutor tried to introduce a DVD suggesting he defendant did have the skills to aim but, since the DVD was anonymous, it became unadmissable as evidence for being more prejudicial than reliable. (The prosecutor couldn't prove it wasn't doctored)
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== [[Video Games]] ==
* ''[[Ghost Trick]]'': In Chapter 5, {{spoiler|Lynne is shown to have shot Sissel on a security camera.}} Chapter 17 reveals that {{spoiler|Yomiel intentionally framed Lynne with his manipulation powers.}}
* In the original ''[[Command
{{quote|
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* On ''[[
* ''[[The Simpsons (
* The [[
* ''[[
* ''[[Hey Arnold
* ''[[Wheel Squad]]'': Akim and Johnny were once arrested for robbery and a security tape from World Mart had been introduced as evidence against them. It turned out that [[Corrupt Corporate Executive|Enzo]], the manager of World Mart, doctored the tape becaise his boss wasn't satisfied that the extra cameras had yet to diminish the place's theft rate.
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== [[Web Comic]] ==
* In ''[[
[[Real Life]]
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Narrative Devices]]
[[Category:Caught
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