Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Transcribing vs Captioning

Today I'd like to clarify the difference between transcribing and captioning. I was recently credited in a movie for some transcription I did. When it was shared, everyone kept saying I captioned it. I didn't caption it. So, today I want to clarify those two terms.

Captioning is when you have the sentences at the bottom of the screen (or top) when the person is speaking. This is a real-time form of transcription. However, it isn't just a list of what is being said and by whom with time stamps.

Transcribing is when you have a list of sentences/paragraphs of the person speaking along with time stamps. For example:

00.10-01.20: When I started to learn ASL I wanted to do it because I watched Switched at Birth. This was fascinating to me because of all the Deaf characters and the interpreters. I decided I wanted to do the same thing.

01:20-2:20: (Another paragraph)

That is transcribing. It looks much different than captioning. Personally, transcribing is much easier. I find captioning to be very difficult, especially syncing them to the video. For the reason, I don't usually caption. I am teaching myself now, but it isn't an easy process. Transcribing is simpler and I don't find as difficult. 

No comments:

Post a Comment