How do I send you material?
You can send us a Dropbox, YouSendIt or similar link to the clip, upload it to an FTP site (yours or ours), save your clip to a hard drive or USB stick.
FAQs
Do you need a script?
Scripts are very helpful if they are available. But if not, please nominate a contact person for any content inquiries.
How long does it take to caption?
- 5-10min web clips 4 hours
- 30min programs 24 hours
- average movie 5-7 days
Always call to discuss your deliverables as we can usually work around you.
What format should I send my videos in?
We accept most standard video and audio formats, such as MPEG1, MP4, MOV, WMV, WAV, MP3.
For any broadcast or DVD/Bluray work, we require a burnt-in-timecode be present.
What files do I need for web captioning?
The most common and easiest caption file to use is the .srt caption file. This is a standard web format which is widely used on YouTube, but we can provide other types if required.
What is the difference between subtitles and captions?
Subtitles generally refer to translated text, while captions are in the same language as the audio and include additional information to help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
What is the difference between open and closed captions?
Open captions are visible to all viewers. They are embedded into the vision. If you require this please request burn in when placing your order. Closed captions are only visible when the viewer chooses to turn the captions on.
What is Audio Description?
Audio description is narration added to the soundtrack during existing pauses in dialogue to describe important visual details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone. It provides people who are blind or visually impaired access to visual information such as actions, characters, scene changes, and on-screen text.
How do I know whether to choose Audio Description, an AD transcript or extended AD?
This will depend on whether you are aiming to comply with Level A, AA or AAA of WCAG 2.0 and whether there is sufficient time to record audio description in the existing pauses in dialogue. Please see the WCAG 2.0 factsheets below for details.
How can I meet WCAG 2.0 compliance?
Please see the WCAG 2.0 compliance factsheets for details.
How do I provide Audio Description on YouTube?
YouTube currently only allows for one audio stream per clip so you will have to post your video with our audio description track separately to the video with standard audio. Please ask for ‘AD Layback’ when placing order.
Should I use automatic captioning on YouTube?
In the majority of cases the automated captioning on YouTube is incorrect and has nothing to do with your subject matter. Auto captions can be detrimental to your brand and message. Only professional captioning guarantees accurate representation of your video and product.
Hints for better Audio Description
- Audio Description on average takes twice as long as captioning, so please factor that into your schedule.
- Make sure there is time for AD at least once in each video. Providing time at the start to read out the title is probably the easiest way – at least 4 seconds. Or at least 2.5 seconds of dialogue or sound-effect free space during the video.
- Include all the important information in the soundtrack.
- If there is onscreen text that is not included in the soundtrack (eg supertitles, titles, credits, text cards or graphics) provide sufficient time in the soundtrack for these to be included in the AD. If there is a long section of text, there will need to be pauses in the AD so extra time is appreciated – as a guide, for every 10 seconds of text, add an extra second of time. (Reading text aloud takes longer than reading it to yourself).
- Videos with very low resolution can be difficult to AD. If we can’t see it, we can’t describe it. The resolution needs to be high enough so we can clearly see the action in dark scenes, credits, onscreen text, signs and labels.
- There is usually limited time for AD so we can’t describe everything that happens onscreen. Let us know if there is anything of importance to you/the project that should be included in the AD.
- If the AD is likely to include any names or terms with unusual pronunciations, let us know what the correct pronunciation is.
- Let us know if the clips are intended to be watched in a certain order before we commence work.
Australian Government Accessibility policies
How to make sure you comply with WCAG 2.0