Captions and transcripts provide related ways to access video information. Captions synchronize text with the picture and include relevant speech, speaker information and sounds. A transcript makes that information available as a readable document; a descriptive transcript can also explain important visual content.
Choose the outputs for the destination
A separate caption file lets a compatible player display timed text. Burned-in captions remain part of the picture. A web transcript lets readers access the content without watching the full video. The required formats depend on where the work will be published. The W3C media accessibility guide explains the distinction among captions, transcripts and descriptions. Use the relevant requirements for the actual audience and platform.
Build an accurate text source
Start from the final edit and audio, not an early script that may no longer match the film. Check names, numbers, product terms, speaker changes and meaningful sound cues. Automated transcription is a draft that needs review. The Sitecore founder conversation offers a useful discussion format for considering speaker labels, terminology and timing. Plan those deliverables before the final handoff.
Give the caption editor a terminology sheet alongside the final picture. Include speaker names, product names, acronyms and any wording that must match approved claims. When a phrase is unclear, send it to someone who can confirm it rather than choosing a plausible spelling. Check captions against what is actually said; a polished script may contain wording the speaker changed during recording.
Review timing and placement
Check reading pace, line breaks and how captions interact with faces, product labels and other text. Test the actual destination when possible. A caption file and a burned-in version can behave differently when a video is resized or cropped.
Watch a complete pass with the captions enabled and the sound off. Can the viewer identify a speaker who is off screen, follow the sentence across caption changes and understand a meaningful sound? Then review with sound to check synchronization and accuracy. Break lines at sensible phrases and avoid leaving a caption on screen after the subject has changed.
Test a representative desktop and mobile view using the actual player. Check whether captions cover a name, demonstration step or required label, and whether the player adds its own captions over text already burned into the image. Delivering both formats can be useful, but the publishing team needs to know which combination to use.
Deliver and maintain the approved files
Identify the master, caption file, transcript, language and version in a consistent naming system. Keep the approved text with the project so edits and localization use the same source.
Make a transcript readable as a document, with speaker labels and paragraphs grouped by topic. If understanding depends on an on-screen action or chart, consider the additional visual information needed in a descriptive transcript or another appropriate accessibility output. Keep the text connected to the exact edit it describes; even a short trim can change caption timing and make an earlier file unsuitable.
An on-page transcript also makes spoken information available as text, but it does not guarantee search rankings. Our video SEO guide covers the broader page and player requirements, while localization planning addresses language versions.
