Closed captioning services providers give visual aid to videos in the form of subtitles, integrating transcribed text from dialogue and sounds as they happen. Closed captioning was originally designed to help the hearing impaired understand the spoken words and music happening on television shows and movies, but the technology is also used in different situations where it would benefit audiences that are not necessarily hearing impaired. For example, closed captioning can provide dialogue clarification and contextual details of a video.
Professional closed captioners offer services for real-time (live broadcast) and/or prerecorded video. Real-time closed captioning involves the immediate transcription of dialogue on talk shows, speeches, sporting events, and other programs. Prerecorded or offline closed captioning is designed for movies, television shows, games, and other media without a live element. Closed captioning services for YouTube and other web streaming platforms can involve both types of captioning, and as the variety of live streaming programs increases, so does the need for real-time closed captioning.
Creative departments, production teams, and marketing teams can utilize closed captioning services to ensure maximum comprehension and engagement with videos. Many closed captioning providers can also assist with subtitles, a form of localization services which translates dialogue and text into the viewer’s preferred language. Businesses can create closed captioning and subtitles in-house with a variety of video software tools on the market. Depending on the demands of a certain project, businesses may consider outsourced transcription services or other translation services. A number of language-based agencies provide a range of services related to translation as opposed to one service.
To qualify for inclusion in the Closed Captioning Services category, a services provider must:
- Transcribe real-time and/or prerecorded videos, movies, and other forms of visual content
- Integrate transcribed text into subtitles within the content
