Video Subtitling Course

Lesson 1 • Captioning Workflow Overview

Maps the end-to-end captioning process from media intake to final delivery. Gives students a mental model for organising their work in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Audiences and Access Needs

Examines who uses captions and why, including deaf, hard-of-hearing, and situational users. Grounds captioning decisions in real user needs.

Lesson 3 • Types of Captions

Distinguishes open, closed, real-time, and offline captions by delivery method and use case. Prepares students to choose the right caption type for each project.

Lesson 1 • Industry Style Guides

Introduces widely used captioning style guides and their core rules. Students learn to read and apply a style guide consistently across a project.

Lesson 2 • Timing and Synchronisation Standards

Establishes rules for caption duration, reading speed, and sync tolerance. Students learn to time captions so they match speech without overwhelming viewers.

Lesson 3 • Accessibility Regulations and Requirements

Surveys broadcast, online, and educational accessibility mandates without citing specific codes. Connects regulatory intent to practical captioning decisions.

Lesson 4 • Formatting and Readability Rules

Covers line length, line breaks, font, and positioning guidelines that affect readability. Students apply these rules to format captions that viewers can read comfortably.

Lesson 1 • Verbatim Transcription Practice

Teaches word-for-word capture including fillers, false starts, and non-lexical sounds. Students practise verbatim transcription on varied media samples.

Lesson 2 • Transcription Tools and Shortcuts

Introduces software, foot pedals, text expanders, and keyboard shortcuts that accelerate transcription. Students configure a productive transcription workspace.

Lesson 3 • Edited Transcription Techniques

Covers principled editing to improve readability without distorting meaning. Students learn when and how to edit speech for caption use.

Lesson 4 • Listening and Comprehension Techniques

Trains focused listening to capture speech accurately under challenging audio conditions. Directly supports transcription speed and accuracy in subsequent sections.

Lesson 1 • Timing for Complex Audio

Addresses timing challenges in music, rapid dialogue, and multi-speaker scenes. Students apply advanced strategies to maintain sync in difficult content.

Lesson 2 • Reviewing and Correcting Timing

Establishes a systematic review process for catching timing errors before delivery. Students use playback and waveform tools to verify and fix sync issues.

Lesson 3 • Timecode and Frame Rate Basics

Explains timecode formats, frame rates, and drop-frame vs. non-drop-frame counting. Provides the technical foundation for all timing work in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Manual Timing Techniques

Teaches hands-on methods for setting in-points and out-points caption by caption. Students build timing precision through structured practice exercises.

Lesson 1 • Caption Authoring Software

Introduces professional captioning applications and their core interfaces. Students navigate key tools and understand how software choice affects workflow.

Lesson 2 • Metadata and File Management

Explains caption file metadata, naming conventions, and version control practices. Students organise project files to support efficient revision and archiving.

Lesson 3 • Creating Captions in Software

Walks through the full caption creation process inside a professional application. Students produce a complete caption file from a provided media sample.

Lesson 4 • Format Conversion and Compatibility

Covers converting between formats and resolving compatibility issues across platforms. Students practise converting files and verifying output integrity.

Lesson 1 • Multilingual and Translated Captions

Covers captioning content with multiple languages, code-switching, and translated dialogue. Students apply language-identification and formatting conventions for multilingual media.

Lesson 2 • Live and Real-Time Captioning

Introduces stenography, voice writing, and re-speaking methods for live caption production. Students understand the workflow and accuracy challenges of real-time captioning.

Lesson 3 • Technical and Educational Content

Addresses captioning challenges in lectures, tutorials, and technical presentations. Students apply research and notation strategies for specialised vocabulary.

Lesson 4 • Captioning Music and Song Lyrics

Covers notation, formatting, and timing conventions specific to musical content. Students caption songs and background music using accepted industry practices.

Lesson 1 • Quality Control Fundamentals

Defines QC goals, error categories, and the reviewer's role in the captioning workflow. Sets the framework for all review activities in this chapter.

Lesson 2 • Client Feedback and Revision Cycles

Prepares students to receive, interpret, and act on client feedback professionally. Students practise revising caption files based on annotated feedback samples.

Lesson 3 • Timing and Sync Review

Covers systematic checks for sync errors, display duration, and reading speed compliance. Students use playback and waveform tools to identify and fix timing issues.

Lesson 4 • Accuracy Review Techniques

Teaches methods for checking caption text against source audio word by word. Students practise accuracy review on sample files with seeded errors.

Lesson 1 • Building a Captioning Portfolio

Guides students in selecting, presenting, and contextualising work samples for prospective clients. A strong portfolio is the primary tool for entering the professional market.

Lesson 2 • Time Management and Productivity

Introduces turnaround time estimation, workload planning, and productivity habits for captioners. Students calculate realistic project timelines and build a daily work schedule.

Lesson 3 • Working with Clients and Agencies

Explains how to find, onboard, and retain clients and captioning agencies. Students practise professional communication and project intake procedures.

Lesson 4 • Rates, Contracts, and Invoicing

Covers pricing models, contract essentials, and invoicing practices for freelance captioners. Students draft a sample contract and rate sheet for their services.