How to Use MovieCaptioner

Basic Workflow

Please note the Windows version of MovieCaptioner will require installing QuickTime, but the Mac version does not. You can download QuickTime for Windows here. MovieCaptioner will not even launch if QuickTime is not installed first.

This short video will give you a good idea how to use MovieCaptioner.

load movie buttonThe basic workflow of MovieCaptioner is pretty simple. You'll click the Load Movie button and find the movie you want to caption or transcribe on your computer. It will ask you to save your project so the auto-save feature can work. This will save your project automatically every time you record a new caption or edit a caption. This way you'll never lose any of your work.

text properties areaPrior to starting to transcribe you should set your text and background properties. Whatever the text properties are set to will be recorded when you save your caption. The two buttons called Change Selected Caption(s) and Change All Captions will be used only if you want to change the text properties of previously recorded captions.

start buttonOnce you have your text properties and background set, you're ready to go. Click the Start button in the lower left of the interface. You'll hear the first 4 seconds of your movie repeating in a loop. The 4 seconds can be changed in the Repeat Interval by clicking the left or right arrows next to it. Now just type what you hear in that video loop. You'll hear a beep at the end of the loop so you can tell the difference between the end and the beginning of the loop. Sometimes it can be hard to tell. The beep can be turned off by unchecking its checkbox. When you have everything in the initial video loop typed, record your caption by hitting your Return key (Mac) or Enter key (Windows). You may also click the Save Caption button, but it's quicker to just hit the key while you're typing. This will record the starting timecode of your first caption along with the caption text into the list on the right of the interface. You'll notice that the movie will automatically move to the next 4 seconds of the movie. Just keep typing what you hear in the loop and hitting your Return or Enter key and you can work your way through transcribing the entire movie this way. It will stop automatically when you get within 4 seconds of the end of the movie.

caption list with recorded captions


Next Up...Editing Your Captions »»