Transcripts
Creating a script for your video helps not only with planning and shooting but also with the captioning process. If you do not have a transcript for your video, you can create one afterwards using a few different methods.
Otter.ai is a free transcription program. It allows you to upload videos (shorter than 40 minutes) and then creates a transcript that can be downloaded.
If you are recording in Zoom, you can enable captions by going to Settings>Recording. In the "Cloud Recording" section, make sure to check the "Audio transcript" and "Save closed caption as a VTT file" boxes to generate the captions.
Captioning
All publicly posted videos must be captioned, regardless of intended audience. The recommended guidelines for captions are listed below.
Each line of text should be a maximum of 42 characters in length with a maximum of two lines per subtitle.
-
Display text for a minimum of one second but no more than 7 seconds.
-
Describe any sounds that are necessary or enhance understanding of the content. Non-speech sounds like [MUSIC] or [LAUGHTER] should be added in square brackets.
-
Follow accurate spelling.
-
Identify the speaker when multiple speakers are present, and it is unclear from the video who’s speaking.
-
Use upper and lowercase letters when appropriate.
-
Use punctuation to provide maximum clarity in the text, not necessarily for textbook style.
-
Synch each caption carefully to the audio.
Captioning Options
Once you have a transcript for your video, you can add and sync the captions using a free program called Amara. The video and accompanying handout below demonstrate how to use Amara.
Another option is to use Adobe Premiere Pro to generate a transcript, create and download closed captions, and create open captions. See the video below for more information.