Transcription Services

Video transcription and subtitle-ready files

Timecoded transcripts and SRT/VTT files from your footage, in 300+ languages, ready for editing or upload.

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Video transcription is the written record of what is said in a video, usually with timecodes so each line can be matched to a point in the footage. Prism Linguistics transcribes video in more than 300 languages and can deliver the result as a clean transcript or as a subtitle-ready file such as SRT or VTT.

A transcript makes a video far more useful. It gives editors something to cut from, gives marketers quotes and show notes, makes the content searchable, and is the first step toward subtitles that open the video up to a wider audience.

Transcript, or subtitles, or both

It helps to be clear on the difference. A transcript is a document: everything said, often with timecodes and speaker labels. Subtitles are what a viewer reads on screen, broken into short captions, timed to the speech and kept within comfortable reading speed.

The two are connected. A timecoded transcript is usually the first step toward subtitles, which is why we offer both. If you know you want captions on screen, our subtitling service takes it the rest of the way, including SDH and closed captions. If you only need the written record, a transcript is all you need.

What we deliver

Depending on what you are doing with the footage, we can supply a plain transcript, a timecoded transcript with speaker labels, or subtitle-ready files in SRT, VTT, SBV and other formats. For foreign-language footage we can transcribe the original, translate it into English, or produce timed files for subtitles in another language.

Who uses it

Video transcription across sectors

Media and production

Interview and documentary footage transcribed and timecoded, so editors can cut from a script rather than scrub through rushes.

Training and e-learning

Course videos transcribed for transcripts, captions and accessible learning materials.

Corporate content

Webinars, town halls and brand videos, transcribed for records, repurposing and accessibility.

Online video

YouTube and social video, with caption files that improve reach, watch time and search visibility.

Research

Recorded video interviews and observations transcribed and timecoded for analysis.

Foreign-language footage

Video in 300+ languages, transcribed in the original or translated into English with timing intact.

Questions people ask

Video transcription FAQs

What is the difference between video transcription and subtitling?
Video transcription produces a written record of what is said, usually with timecodes. Subtitling takes that further: the text is broken into short on-screen captions, timed to appear and disappear with the speech and within reading-speed limits. Transcription is the document; subtitling is what the viewer sees on screen. We do both, and a transcript is often the first step toward subtitles.
Can you deliver SRT and VTT subtitle files?
Yes. As well as a plain or timecoded transcript, we can deliver subtitle-ready files in SRT, VTT, SBV and other formats, ready to upload to YouTube, Vimeo or your own player, or to hand to your editor.
Do you transcribe video in other languages?
Yes, in more than 300 languages. We can transcribe the footage in its original language, provide an English translation, or supply timed files for foreign-language subtitles. Tell us the language of the footage and the languages you want out.
How should I send my video?
We accept the common formats, including MP4, MOV and AVI. For large files we will send a secure upload link, or we can work from a private link on YouTube, Vimeo or a shared drive. We do not need broadcast-quality files; clear audio in the video is what matters most.
Can you identify who is speaking?
Yes. We add speaker labels, and where you give us names or roles we use those. For interviews and panels this makes the transcript far easier to follow and to quote from accurately.

Need your footage transcribed?

Send us a link or the file, and tell us whether you want a transcript, subtitle files or both. We will quote and confirm a turnaround.