Which Different Multilingual Subtitling Services Can We Offer?
Subtitling
Business Language Services has witnessed a growing demand for subtitling services in recent years. From instructional and educational videos to blockbuster Hollywood movies, we have the tools required to provide high-quality subtitles for your content, in any language you require. If you already have your own software in place, our team is always willling to adapt to meet your needs. Our team of highly skilled linguists and project managers are fully equipped to handle any subtitling project from start to finish.
Closed Captions
Closed captions are subtitles that can be turned on or off. It is assumed that the viewer cannot hear any of the audio, so the closed captions display non-dialogue information, such as music, speaker names and sound effects. This provides much-needed accessibility for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing and can be particularly useful for those who are watching content in noisy environments or sound-sensitive locations, such as libraries or offices. Closed captions can also be extremely helpful for viewers with learning disabilities, ADHD or autism as they help to improve and maintain concentration and engagement.
Open Captions
Open captions are embedded or ‘burnt’ into the footage and can’t be turned on or off. This is especially useful in creating permanently inclusive videos, as viewers who require captions don’t have to worry about turning them on. For this reason, open captions are an ideal addition to social media, film and video marketing content, the aim of which is to reach as wide an audience as possible. Open captions are a good option if you are uploading to a platform that doesn’t have closed captioning functionality. They are also an easy option as you don’t have to rely on the viewer’s technical ability to display the captions
Our Transcription Services
Business Language Services understands the importance of accurate transcriptions that are produced on time, competitively priced and carried out to a consistently high standard. We only work with professional, specialist transcribers to meet our customers’ requirements. We cover the three main types of transcription: verbatim, intelligent verbatim and edited.
Verbatim Transcription
Verbatim transcription is the full written format of the spoken language. All words and utterances are transcribed, including interjections and filler words, such as ‘ah’, ‘uh’ and ‘hmm’, throat clearing and incomplete sentences. Verbatim transcription will include pauses, coughing, laughter and any other sounds. Given the extra time it takes to perform, it tends to be the most expensive and time-consuming variant. Verbatim transcription is used particularly for job interviews, police investigations and court cases. In all these situations, the reactions and utterances can give insight into the behaviour of the individual/s, and may, at times, be considered as important as the spoken word.
Intelligent Verbatim Transcription
This variant is probably the most commonly requested. Intelligent verbatim transcription means that all filler words and utterances, such as ‘ah’ and ‘hmm’, in addition to other unnecessary noises, are omitted. Repeated words may also be left out, if they do not add anything to the meaning, as will those non-standard, but common expressions, such as ‘Kind of’, ‘sort of’, ‘you know?’, etc. Other slang or over-casual words will also be amended. So, ‘Gonna’ would become, ‘Going to,’ and, ‘Wanna,’ would be changed to, ‘Want to’. The use of intelligent verbatim transcription often makes it much easier to read, understand and digest. For example, if a letter or transcript were to be dictated, intelligent verbatim transcription would be the normal choice, as there would be no need for unnecessary interjections, utterances or unwanted sounds. Business Language Services is often asked to adopt this variant for finance, medical and corporate transcripts.
Edited Transcription
Edited transcription is often requested when the recipient intends to publish the transcribed content, or if it is to be translated into foreign languages. This form of transcription focuses on readability and accuracy; grammar and syntax will be reviewed and corrected, paragraphs will be restructured and sentences edited or summarised for clarity. Transcribers will omit repetitions (unless used for specific emphasis), interjections, utterances and other sounds. This ensures that the transcription is easy to read and can be considered ‘publication-ready’. The premise of this type of transcription is that the transcript is as accurate as it is readable. Examples of edited transcription might include academic research, interviews, conference minutes and business communications, where high accuracy, quick delivery and readability are key.
Deciding which type of transcription is required will depend entirely on the intended use of the content. At Business Language Services, we work with our customers to identify which type of transcription will best meet their needs.
Frequent Transcription Requests
We work in a wide range of sectors and industries, which requires real proficiency and clear understanding of the different subject matters. This can range from academic texts to highly specialised medical or legal material. The following is a selection of the transcription work we are asked to undertake most often, although this list is by no means exhaustive:
- Minutes of meetings
- Seminars
- Conference reports
- Presentations
- Interviews
- Multi-person discussions
- Case Studies
- Webinars
- Medical reports
- Market research studies
How We Can Help
BLS will appoint a Project Manager for your multimedia assignment who will oversee the entire collaboration process with your organisation and our team. This ensures clarity of communication and full understanding of your requirements. We select the very best linguists for your project and work to your timescales, ensuring full collaboration and transparency at all times.
Whatever your requirements, be they simple transcription from a recording of a single language to a complex mix of transcription, translation and subtitling, BLS is here to help. To discuss your specific requirements, or to obtain a quote, please get in touch.
Subtitling and Transcription FAQs
We can handle a wide range of source formats, including all the most common video and audio formats. Get in touch with us and our team will check your source format and confirm that we can handle it.
All our subtitling and transcription work is either generated or worked on by a human. We are beginning to incorporate some of the industry-leading solutions for AI-generated subtitles and transcription in our workflow, but there will always be human input and we will always be transparent about the software used to generate your content.
We can certainly provide samples and references from our clients on request, allowing you to assess the quality of our services in advance of placing your order. Check out some of the feedback we have received from our clients here.