FAQ about captioning companies

There are some questions we’re asked over and over again – which of course, is fine, we’re happy to help – but just in case you do have a question about captioning companies, here are some of the more popular answers.

What do captioning companies do?

Quite simply, captioning companies add captions to video, either live or after the fact. If live, the videos can be business events, educational lectures or conference calls. Offline captioning can cover everything from YouTube videos to movies and TV shows.

How accurate is live captioning?

Very accurate. Here at 121 Captions, or speech-to-text reporters (STTRs) and Communication Access Realtime Translation providers (CART) can caption word for word at up to 360 words per minute, with only a one-second lag time! We pride ourselves on 100% target accuracy, and if you’re not happy with the accuracy of our captioning services, we’ll give you your money back.

How much do captioning companies cost?

Like most things in life, there are varying degrees of service. Captioning prices vary depending on the job, whether it’s live captioning, offline captioning, or transcribing. We are proud to combine the highest quality captioning services with value for money. Contact us at bookings@121captions.com to find out more!

Why should I add captions to my videos?

Captions can help in a variety of ways. For a business, captions are an important part of inclusion for employees and customers who may be hard of hearing. They also help a company stay on the right side of anti-discrimination laws, and can help with SEO.

For educational purposes, captions can be life-changing for some students. Captions have been proven to help comprehension and test results. On top of that, they are an excellent way for foreign students to keep up with what’s going on, especially if the speaker or tutor has an accent or mumbles.

Does the law state I have to add captions?

According to the Equality Act 2010, as an employer, you are legally required to make “reasonable adjustments” to accommodate those with hearing difficulties. This not only applies to businesses and employers, but also places of learning, including schools, technical colleges, and universities, making it illegal to discriminate against deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

What is a transcript?

A transcript is a record in writing of something, usually a meeting or a conference. We can transcribe any recording, visual or audio, to have a written record of what was said and by whom.

What is the difference between captions and subtitles?

There is a subtle difference between captions and subtitles.

Subtitles are only for dialogue whereas captions also describe what’s happening. If a movie is being shown in a foreign language for example, then subtitles will probably be used, to explain what’s being said. Closed Captions on the other hand will show what’s being said, but also other noises on screen, such as a doorbell ringing or an explosion in the background.

Subtitles are great for all videos, especially ones where noise isn’t a huge factor (e.g. a press conference), but for real inclusivity, closed captions should be used where possible.

So those are our top FAQs about captioning companies, what they do and why you need them! If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.