When making a documentary film there are many tools you can think of that are necessary, for example a camera and excellent sound equipment, but there are also many other tools that aren’t as obvious, but that can be just as important.
One of these is a transcription of the film.
Once you have recorded your film you then need to edit it, at least once, if not many times. A transcription of the audio into text makes this editing process much easier and quicker. You can see at a glance in the written document how many times you have mentioned lions, (if you’re doing an African documentary on wild animals for example).
The transcription will also have a timestamp showing exactly where in the film, or audio, mention of lions comes up. All you then need to do is go to these different places, look at what you’ve got and decide if they all suit, if some of them would be better removed or if you want to edit them altogether.
A transcription will also show you where perhaps you were being deliberately silent, so as not to interfere with wildlife, but in the finished film the pause is too long and needs some background explanation.
These are only two of the examples of how a transcription will help in the editing process, but there are many more valid reasons for getting a professional transcription of your film done.
Once your film is finished, here again transcription is very useful. You can use it as text for your finished product, for promotional material, or simply for adding subtitles and captions. It also offers greater accessibility to viewers watching it, especially for viewers who are hearing-impaired.
People’s viewing habits have changed, and now many use their mobile phones to watch anything and everything. This is not always in the most appropriate places either, so viewers may very well look at the pictures without audio being on. If you have provided text, or at least enough captions to explain what is happening on the screen, these people will get enough understanding to know what you’re talking about.
Remember, what you are working towards is as many people seeing and enjoying your work as possible. By providing a written transcription you are opening the door to more viewers and making it enjoyable for more people.
We at Singapore Transcription have professional and experienced transcriptionists who would love to work with you on your project. Why not give us a call and get a quote for your work. Having us do the job will save your experts time, and leave them free to work on more important elements of the film, parts that we cannot do for you.