Captioning Videos: Special Topics

Vintage TV with legs and a striped wall behind. Credit: AlexAntropov86 on Pixabay.

Here’s a round-up of short captioned topics and tips. These used to be in the giant captioned video guide. But it was becoming unwieldy and I wanted to take out instructions for software as that’s always changing. I also separated out the Captioning Videos FAQ. ContentsCaptions Revealing SecretsMusic ExampleCrying ExampleCaption TimingUse #Captioned When Posting Videos3 … Read more

Captioning Videos FAQ

1950s TV screen with "Captioning Videos FAQ"

Thank you for your interest in captioning videos! When you caption videos, You’ll be rewarded with more video views because those with captions reach more viewers than those without captions. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about captioning videos. ContentsWho uses captions on videos?How do I create captions for videos?1. DIY: Do-it-yourself2. Caption … Read more

Deaf FAQ: My Perspective

Meryl looks up with a finger on her chin giving a look that she's thinking

When I give a presentation, I always preface it: “I can only share my experience as a deaf person because we’re all diverse.” We’re all different. Some of us are born deaf. Some are late-deafened. Some of us wear hearing devices. Some don’t. Some of us learn to speak and read lips. Some of us … Read more

Does Your Video Make These 6 Common Caption Mistakes?

Video still of Meryl with long captions

You review your captioned video one more time for caption mistakes. It contains no typos. The captions sync up with the audio. They have a blackish background with a whitish font. The captions show no signs of any leftovers from automatic captions aka autocraptions. That means it’s captimized right? Captimize is my term for captions … Read more

6 Reasons Why Automatic Captions Are a Big Problem

Problem with Autocaptions slide. Captions say "Thanks for capturing Russian traction Valium concentration happened crippling."

Would you publish an article on your website if it has typos and other errors? Well, then. Would you publish captions on your website if it has typos and other errors? That’s what automatic captions are and why I call them autocraptions. Automatic captions are like a person or synthesized voice speaking flatly without inflection … Read more

Why and How to Create Accessible Social Media and Website Content

Number sign marked in sand on a beach

Content accessibility isn’t just the responsibility of the design and production team. It’s everyone’s job. OK. Maybe content marketing doesn’t know to add alt text to images. Maybe a salesperson doesn’t know PDFs need to be accessible. Maybe a graphic designer doesn’t know about contrast beyond complementary colors. Do you detect a theme here? I … Read more

Accessibility Lawsuits: Why Supporters Need to Be Careful

Woman in lizard pose in captioned Peloton workout video

UPDATE on November 8, 2021: Peloton has subtitles for its live classes. Out of the blue, I received multiple messages pointing to an article on TMZ about an accessibility lawsuit. It had a sensationalist headline: “Peloton Sued: Deaf Folks Need More Guidance!!!” Before I opened the article, I could feel myself getting riled up for … Read more

Is Your Digital Marketing Missing This Something Extra?

Still of Meryl in a video "And if you caption your videos, start marketing that fact"

Do you buy DVD or Blu-rays anymore? They still have one thing you typically can’t get watching videos on-demand, online, or a streaming network. The special features. The bonuses. The something extra. However, when I check out the extras, I keep my expectations low. It’s because a lot of them don’t have captions. Something I … Read more