Independent Contractor

Transcription Style Guide

The Basics

Research
You are expected to research terms and names.

Please Research...
 Proper nouns – all person and place names (Is it Corey or Kory? Linwood or Lynnwood?)
 Character names (if not listed in the show’s style guide)
 Companies and specific products (Is it Wal-Mart or Walmart? M&Ms or M-and-Ms?)
 If terms are one-word, two-words, or hyphenated (good-bye vs. good night)
 Any unfamiliar terms (What sounds like “hickima juice” is actually “jicama juice”)
 Anything that comes up in spell-check

Research Tips and Preferred References

 A show-specific style guide is always your first resource. (See more about them below.)
 To find character or host names that are not in a style guide, use on-screen graphics and the
program's closing credits. If those are unavailable, www.imdb.com or a program’s website are good
resources.
 Spelling and one-word/two-word/hyphenated: merriam-webster.com.
 Always try a Google search to verify spelling of an unfamiliar term if it’s not in the dictionary or
onscreen. If a term doesn’t come up in Google, it is likely not correct. A few tips:
o Your program is about travel in England. A thickly accented person says what you hear as
"Malcolm Bay." But when you Google, the only “Malcolm Bay” that comes up is a real estate
company in Wisconsin...probably not what they’re talking about.
o Instead, Google a few contextual words from the program like "England, Lake District, Bay.”
Or type "England bay M" into the search bar and let Google auto-complete.
o Here are a couple of Google search tutorials for some more tips:
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/tipstricks/basics.html
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/tipstricks/win-a-bet.html

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Style Guides
If you are working on a show that’s part of a series, you will often get a style guide in your FTP folder
along with the video. The guides are written for our captioners, so there may be instructions about
video or timing that you can disregard. The important things to look for are:
 Style – double-check if the show requires style variances from our typical style.
 Speaker identification – narrators/announcers to look out for.
 Character names – already researched for you! (These are not IDs like narrator or announcer, even
if they are written similarly.)
 Terms – like common place names in a show, slang characters use, spaceship names, etc.
 Hints / Special Instructions / Miscellaneous – things to watch for (like subtitled speech, which you
should always transcribe), common sound effects, links to more information about a show. The tips
are usually applicable only to the captioning phase.

Can’t Find It or Can’t Understand It

 If there’s a research term that you can’t find after trying the above resources, spell it as best you
can, and indicate it with an asterisk * notation following the term in question.
Example: - Our next stop was to the village of Rinconada* in the Peruvian Andes.
 After the first * notation, make sure your chosen spelling is consistent throughout the transcript.
(Example: a minor character named Lizzy isn’t in the credits. Make sure that she is not also called
Lizzie in your transcript.)
 If there’s a word or phrase (not a research term) that you can’t understand after a second (or third)
listen, please indicate it with [inaudible]. Try not to have more than 10 [inaudible] indicators for
every 30 minutes of audio.
 Please don’t omit words or put in unconfirmed research terms with no notation.

Speaker and Dialogue Format

Overall, keep in mind readability for the viewer of closed captioning – the end result of all of this work!

Transcribe program dialogue in paragraph form with a hard return (new line) before each new speaker.

Case
 Transcribe in sentence case (aka mixed case) unless otherwise noted and confirmed in the job
request. Proper nouns and other researched terms should be capitalized when appropriate.

Verbatim
 Include all clear words spoken by a main speaker, including repeated phrases and speaker tics such
as "like" and "you know." (See the following sections for clarifications and exceptions.)

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 Do not paraphrase speakers. Watch especially for small transpositions and omissions.
(Example: "I looked for you for half an hour" and "I looked for you for a half hour" mean the same
thing, but the speaker said it one way, and that’s the way it should be transcribed.)
 Do not change speech to be grammatically correct, but do format what is spoken as correctly as
possible using the guidelines later on.

Speaker Identification
 Each new speaker gets a single dash with a space before their speech. This is called a speaker dash.
 Don't worry about ID'ing off-screen speakers who aren't announcers or narrators.
 Examples:
- I am a speaker. I get a speaker dash.
- I'm a second speaker. Since I'm speaking several sentences without interruption, my
transcribed text will wrap around to the next line in paragraph form.
- I'm the first speaker again. I get a new dash.

 The only speakers we specifically identify are a program’s announcer or narrator (if present).
o Announcers are the voices that give information about a network, show, or promotional stuff,
typically before and/or after the actual program.
o Narrator is the omniscient storyteller voice in a program and does not interact with characters. If
you see the speaker on-screen, they are not a narrator.
o A voice off-screen or over a radio/telephone/etc., just gets a dash or chevrons (not an ID).
o Narrators or announcers are identified with NO speaker dash.
o Use fe/male narrator: or fe/male announcer: the first time one speaks.
o Use narrator: or announcer: for all following instances.
 If there happens to be more than one announcer or narrator, continue to use the fe/male
differentiator throughout the entire program.
o Examples:
male announcer: Funding for this show is provided by viewers like you.
- I am a character on this show. It is a short show. In fact, it's over.
announcer: For more on this show, visit www.thisshow.com.

female narrator: Scientists are now working to identify the dozens of species of bees living in the
state.
- Because of our widely varying ecosystems, the biodiversity of bees here is tremendous.
narrator: Crystal Boyd, a graduate student in entomology at the University of Colorado, Boulder,
has studied Colorado bees for the last five years.
- Moving from the prairie to the alpine mountaintops, we see it all here.

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Multiple Speakers
 If there's no dominant speaker, and the intent of the scene is to show argument or confusion,
use [all speaking at once]
 If people are speaking in unison or as a group, use “both” or “all.” Do not use a speaker dash in front
of these.
 Examples:

both: Jinx! We're saying the same thing at the same time.

all: Surprise! We're all saying this together!

Miscellaneous
Some project require their own special style and/or speaker identification. Please always check the style
guide or look out for special instructions from us. If there is nothing about speaker identification in the
guide, please follow our standard style and identification.

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Transcription Only
If your Ooona task says “Transcription + Interval Timing,” you are working on a transcript-only project.

Transcription-Only Style

Transcription-only projects follow slightly different styles from transcripts that are going to become
caption files.

Timing
 Unlike transcription for captions, you will be required to provide timing information.
 Check the Notes and Messages in Ooona for the timestamp requirements. Some examples of what
we typically request:
o Every 30 seconds
o Every minute
o Every speaker change
If your video has a windowburn, please follow the windowburn for your timings. If it doesn’t please
follow runtime:

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Formatting
 Unless otherwise noted, format your timestamp as [HH:MM:SS:FF]. Hours or frames may not always
be available, so use your best judgement in omitting those.
 Your timestamp will be immediately above any ID requested.

Speaker Identification
 Depending on the project, you will either use speaker dashes, just like transcription for captioning, or
the person’s first name.
 If there are two speakers with the same first name, include the last name.
 Either your Ooona notes or messages will note or the sample provided will show which style of IDs to
use.
 Examples:

[00:00:01]
- So we’ll go through that and just get to know you and a little bit more about your style.

[02:29]
John: I’m originally from Duluth, but I’m living in Golden Valley to go to school, so I’m a boarding
student.

Verbatim
Unlike our transcription for captioning jobs, some projects do not need to be exactly verbatim. Often we
will ask you to ignore background chatter, stuttering, or false starts. Always check your Ooona notes and
messages.

Miscellaneous
Our transcription-only jobs often vary in style requirements from job to job. Please always check your
Ooona notes and messages, style guide, and/or sample (if available) for specific requirements. Feel free
to email transcriptionminneapolis@captionmax.com if there’s ever any concern about style.

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ABS Jobs
An ABS (as-broadcast script) should be an accurate reflection of all the speech in a program, with the
speaker attributed. Time stamps and some on-screen action can also be attributed if required by the
type of ABS requested from the client.

If you are requested to perform ABS work, be sure to ask textMN for a sample from the same program if
one is not included in your Media Shuttle folder.

Styles
 An ABS (as-broadcast script) can be similar to a transcript-only project, but usually involves more
details and formatting. You should receive a sample ABS in your folder; please follow that style.
 Unlike transcript-only projects, you will always be required to ID with a name (or title) and
include sound effects.
 We have two basic types of scripts that may be requested of you: standard and grid.

Identification
 First names (or first and last if two characters have the same name).
 “Man” or “Woman” (with no sequential numbering) if no name is given.
 Narrator or announcer.

Music/Sound Effects
 Sound effects are included in ABSs. Examples:
[sighs] [coughs] [car horn honking] [phone ringing] [door clicking]
 Interstitial music and other prominent music gets a basic [MUSIC] descriptor.

Miscellaneous
 [END OF TAPE] tag for last frame of picture in program.
 [COMMERCIAL BREAK] tag for commercial interstitials (usually black picture).
 Include program title and episode name in the header.
 Include page numbers in the footer.
 For grid ABSes, be sure to fill in the header before the actual script starts.
o The DSID or server number is included in the header in some grid ABSes, but not all. It
can usually be found on the slate before the start of picture. If you are unable to find it,
you may leave it blank.

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Standard ABS
An example of our standard ABS style:

PHAEDRA
01:00:01
Previously on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta..."
NENE
Somebody scream! Cirque du Soleil asked me to MC their show. Like, I don't know
what a orgy is all about.
GREGG
Really?
NENE
They gonna have to have a lot of hand sanitizer. No, ma'am.
KENYA
Everybody ganged up on me. This group of women always acts, like, you know, they
hate me.
TODD
01:00:20
You heard about Apollo?

Time Stamps
Between 15-30 seconds.

Profanity
Per audio; if it’s bleeped, use (bleep).

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Grid ABS
An example of our grid ABS:

TIMECODE CHARACTER DIALOGUE

01:00:00 NARRATOR This season, on "Ink Master: Grudge Match," two enemies
return to coach teams. On the last episode.
01:00:10 OLIVER PECK Just 'cause you're standing here right now don't mean [bleep].
Four people will go home.
01:00:14 STACY No pressure.
01:00:15 NARRATOR 22 artist fought for 18 shots.

Time Stamps
At speaker change or at a sound effect if there’s no speaker (every row needs a timecode)

Profanity
Per audio; if it’s bleeped, use (bleep).

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The Specifics
Grammar and Punctuation
Spacing After End Punctuation
Use only one space after end punctuation. Do not use double spaces.

Apostrophes
Plural numbers and acronyms require an “s” (with no apostrophe): 1900s, ATMs, .45s, “B”s, ‘80s, DVDs.

Acronyms
Generally, acronyms do not need periods.

Some common acronyms that still DO need periods:

a.m.—time (antemeridian) L.A.—place (Los Angeles)
p.m.—time (postmeridian) U.K.—place (United Kingdom)
A.D.—time (anno Domini) U.S.—place (but USA is okay with no periods)
B.C.—time (before Christ) Washington, D.C.

Contractions
 Transcribe contractions as spoken. If a speaker says "I’m" you don’t need to write “I am.”

 This is true of all other everyday contractions: CAN'T/ WON'T/SHOULDN’T/YOU’LL/WE’D etc.

 If a speaker cuts off the beginning or end of a word, treat it as a contraction with an apostrophe:
'CAUSE, 'BOUT, etc. Use these sparingly for readability (no more than one per sentence).

Slang
 Use your best judgment with slang (if you should spell it out how they say it or spell it correctly)
 Examples of Captionmax preferred spellings:

A’ight I’ma
C’mon Kinda
Gonna Wanna
Gotta Y’all

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Other Preferred Captionmax Spellings

Ah jeez shh
Ahh! (not Aah!) ma'am ta-da
Aha mmm (yummy) ugh
ain't Mm-hmm (positive) uh-huh - positive
aw (short) Mm-mm (negative) uh-uh - negative
Aww (long) Mm-mm-mm (I don't know) uh-oh
Ay-yi-yi Nah (no) whoa
'cause No-no whoo (as a cheer)
ew nother Whoo-hoo
'em (short for them) oh yay (“yay tall” or a cheer)
Hmm ooh (rhymes with boo) Yea (as in “yea or nay”)
I'ma Okay Yeah (as in yes)

Homophones
Please proofread for common homophones TO/TOO/TWO, YOUR/YOU’RE, and THEIR/THERE/THEY’RE,
as well as less-common homophones like ACCEPT/EXCEPT, ALTER/ALTAR, ISLE/AISLE, etc.

A good site for common homophones and other English usage errors:
http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors

Um, uh, er
In general, do not transcribe um, uh, er, etc. This can come off as insulting to the speaker and makes our
captions much harder to read. Only include these types of throwaway utterances if the character is
supposed to come across as unsure, stalling, etc. for dramatic purposes or if the program's style guide
specifically requires them.

Mm-hmm and uh-huh

Include these if they are in direct answer to a question or if they are not interfering with any other
dialogue. If it is just a speaker mm-hmm-ing behind another speaker, leave it out.

Single Dashes
 If a speaker stutters for dramatic effect, indicate this with a single dash between the stuttered
letters. Do not transcribe stutters for a non-dramatic program, e.g., a talking head interview.

- I-I-I can’t believe it.

Double Dashes
 If a speaker repeats whole phrases (not a single-letter stutter), indicate with double dashes (with no
spaces surrounding the dashes).

- I said to my--I said to my wife, "What time are we meeting?"

 If a speaker cuts him/herself off and goes in another direction, indicate with double dashes.

- I want to cut a length of siding to go on this--wait, where's my saw?

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 If a speaker gets cuts off mid-sentence, indicate with double dashes:

- I have to tell you something before you--

- You're too late. I'm already on my way.

Ellipses
 Use ellipses when a speaker is interrupted and then continues the same train of thought after the
interruption:

- John was the first one in the whole wide world...

- John was also my brother, by the way.
- Who understood me as a person.
 Do not use ellipses to indicate someone trailing off. If someone cuts themselves off, it gets double
dashes. If it’s a full sentence said with uncertainty, it gets a period.

Quotation Marks
 Place commas and end-of-sentence punctuation marks inside quotation marks.

 Put quotation marks around the titles of works of art, films, books, etc.

- His first big break was the low-budget film “Stacy’s Knights.”

 Use quotation marks around obviously quoted words like historical speeches:

- Lincoln began with, “Four score and seven years ago...”

 Use quotation marks in the “So I was like...” style of speech.

- So I was like, “I can't believe you said that to me.” And he was all, “Believe it, girl.” And I was
like, “I can't believe it.”

- I said to myself, “Self, you can do this.” But then I thought, “Can I really?”

 Use quotation marks around terms that are being defined (common in ed. programs).

- This type of work was called “sharecropping.”

 Use quotation marks to call attention to pronunciation (but only in blatant situations):

- Is it “ay-pricots,” Don, or “ap-ricots”?

Exclamation points!
 Use exclamation points sparingly. Save them for if someone is actually yelling.
o Feel free to be a little more liberal with usage when transcribing children’s
programming.
 Interrobangs (‽ or !?) can be confusing to viewers. Just go with a singular question mark.

Colons and semicolons

We don’t really use these. It’s preferable to break up sentences with periods, as shorter sentences are
easier to read when broken across several captions.

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Commas
Commas get a section all to themselves, because proper comma use is so important to a closed-
captioning viewer’s understanding. Below are Captionmax’s many preferred comma rules.

(A good guide to commas with practice tests: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/01/)

Compound Sentences
Use commas to separate independent clauses (clauses that could stand on their own as sentences)
when they are joined by conjunctions (and, but, or, so):

- She went out for bread, and she came home with a puppy.

- I want to be a great basketball player, but I am rather short.

- My recollections of Kevin as a young guy were, he was just a cocky young guy, and he backed it
up, and he was a big dreamer.

o Note the difference from dependent clauses, or clauses that can't stand on their own as sentences.
Dependent clauses should not be separated by a comma.

- She went out for bread and came home with a puppy.

- She wants to play basketball but is too short.

Serial (Oxford) Comma

Use the serial comma before the coordinating conjunction in a list of three or more items:

- I ate bacon, eggs, and hash browns for breakfast.

- I don't want that one, that one, or that one.

- He graduated, donned a suit, and took a job with a marketing firm.

Introductory Clauses
Use a comma after introductory clauses (if/then constructions, since, because, etc.):

- If you want to bake a cake, then you've got to break some eggs.

- Since we left early, we got to stop for coffee and donuts.

Introductory Prepositional Phrases

Use a comma after introductory prepositional phrases:

- Around the corner, there's a roller rink.

- Behind the building, you'll find the parking lot.

- After high school, he majored in business.

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Introductory Words
Use a comma after introductory words:

- Okay, I get it already.

- Yes, I would love a piece of pie.

- And we thought, “Well, this is good.”

- Hey, buddy, what’s going on?

Common introductory words:

Hey, Okay, Well, Yes, No, Yeah, Now, Sure, Indeed, Thanks.

Do not use a comma to offset so, and, or but at the beginning of sentences except for cases of direct
address.

Commas do not precede too when at the end of a sentence.

- I was there, too. - I was there too.

Repeated Words
If a speaker repeats single words on purpose, separate them with commas.

- Hey, hey, hey, it's Fat Albert.

Parentheticals
Offset parenthetical expressions such as “like” and “you know” with commas.

- What kind of person, you know, does that sort of thing?

- She was, like, super cranky about me coming in late.

Direct Address
Names and titles used in direct address are set off by commas. This includes any kind of address that is
referring to a person (like sir or ma’am) or a group of people (like everyone or y’all).

- Jane, John, wait for me! You guys, wait!

- Listen, tiger, I don't have to put up with this.

- Please work with me on this, Jimbo.

- Hey, you, get off of my cloud.

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Comma Splices – When Good Commas Go Bad
A comma splice is when two independent clauses with no conjunction joining them are separated by
commas. We do not want this.

Bad
- I heard the news, I came right over.
- It's me, can I come in?
- It’s got characters, it’s got crime, it’s got
ethnicity, it’s got food, it’s got life and death.
Good
- I heard the news. I came right over.
- It's me. Can I come in?
- It’s got characters. It’s got crime. It’s got
ethnicity. It’s got food. It’s got life and death.

Numbers
 Numbers one to ten are written out, and numbers 11 to 999 are numerals.
o Exception: Numbers in a series where any of the numbers are over ten should all be written as
numerals.
 "I cooked 3 eggs and 12 sausage links."
 "I think all told there was 10 to 12 schools I went to."
 Numbers 1,000 and above need commas.
 Numbers over 999,999 are numerals + words: 5 million, 100 billion
 Measurements are always numerals: 3 inches, 30 feet, 300 miles, 30 pounds, 3 cups.
 It is okay to start sentences with numbers, if called for (7 million people visit the park annually).
 The following table is not comprehensive, but is a good start for many situations.

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Number said… You write…
zero, one, five, nine, ten zero, one, five, nine, ten
eleven, fifteen 11, 15
first, fifth, ninth, tenth first, fifth, ninth, tenth
Eleventh, fifteenth 11th, 15th
She had twelve kittens, five puppies, She had 12 kittens, 5 puppies, and 1 fish for pets.
and one fish for pets. (If one number in a list should be a numeral, use all numerals.)
She transcribed twelve shows and ate She transcribed 12 shows and ate three M&Ms.
three M&Ms. (But if numbers aren’t related, you do not have to be consistent)
Five to one odds Five-to-one odds
Fifteen to one odds 15-to-1 odds
Fifty-fifty chance 50/50 chance
Twenty percent off the price 20% off the price
Big numbers
eight thousand 8,000 (use commas in numbers over 999)
five million people 5 million people (Use numerals for #s in the millions, billions, etc.)
one billion light-years 1 billion light-years
one-half million tons 1/2 million tons (Please correct fractions like ½ to 1/2 in Word)
one and a half million 1 1/2 million
one point five million 1.5 million
three quarters of a million 3/4 million
I've transcribed thousands of shows.
I've transcribed thousands of shows.
(Spell out numbers not intended as precise measurements)
Time
seven o'clock 7:00 (Always use numerals for time; include double zeros)
half past ten 10:30
from nine to five from 9:00 to 5:00
twelve hundred hours (military) 1200 hours
oh-five-thirty (military) 0530
Dates
the eighties the '80s (Use lower case “s” without an apostrophe)
the eighteen hundreds the 1800s
The nineteen forties and fifties the 1940s and '50s

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From nineteen forty two to forty five from 1942 to '45
June sixth June 6th
June sixth, nineteen eighty June 6, 1980
December eighteenth December 18th
December nineteen eighty December 1980
On December eighteenth, twenty-
On December 18, 2012, we had a holiday party.
twelve, we had a holiday party.
Measurements
Three inches 3 inches
A three-foot board a 3-foot board
A three-mile walk a 3-mile walk
The board is six feet two inches. The board is 6 feet 2 inches.
The man is six foot two. The man is 6’2”. (Use symbols for a person’s height only.)
She ran six miles and biked twelve miles. She ran 6 miles and biked 12 miles.
Add a half cup to the mix. Add 1/2 cup to the mix.
Add two cups and one tablespoon. Add 2 cups and 1 tablespoon.
Two by Four 2x4
eight and a half by eleven 8 1/2x11 (Mixed fractions don’t get hyphens)
Three by five foot sheet 3x5-foot sheet
Put in a half inch seam Put in a 1/2 inch seam (Fractions don’t get hyphens)
Money
Five cents 5¢
Twenty dollars $20
Ten bucks 10 bucks
Fifty grand 50 grand
It was six, seven hundred dollars It was $600, $700
Fractions
One third of the men 1/3 of the men
Two and a half years 2 1/2 years
One twentieth 1/20
Point three miles 0.3 miles
Half the research was easy to find.
Half the research was easy to find.
(Spell out numbers not intended as precise measurements)

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Miscellaneous

Sound Effects
Transcripts should not contain sound effects or character utterances of any kind, barring [inaudible]
indicators.

Censored Words
 If a censored word is faded out, indicate it like this [...]
 If it's bleeped out use: [bleep]
 Treat [...]/[bleep] as a word in the sentence (unlike sound effects), and punctuate accordingly.

- So I said, "I’m [...] out of here."

- It looked like they were into some serious [bleep].

Some shows have specific requirements for handling censored words. This will be indicated in the style
guide, so please read it carefully.

Subtitled Speech
 You are not required to transcribe speech that is subtitled on screen. However, some specific shows
do require this. As always, check your job notes and style guides.

Foreign Languages
If the speaker is speaking another language, do not transcribe anything unless it is a common word or
phrase found in Merriam-Webster (e.g., adios, Gesundheit, je ne sais quoi).

Music with Words

If a prominent on-screen speaker is singing/chanting/rapping/etc., transcribe it. Feel free to ignore lyrics
and sung portions from background music. The goal here is to avoid "over-transcription," so use your
best judgement and/or ask for clarification from textMN.

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 Top Ten Transcription Transgressions

10. Skipping the Spell-check

Any word that shows up underlined in red should be researched.

9. Missing Quotation Marks

Especially quotation marks around the dreaded “I was like” construction: So I was like, “Blah,
blah, blah,” and she was like, “Blah, blah, blah,” and then I was like, “Blah!”

8. Not Using a Show’s Style Guide

Some programs have a lot of technical terms or complicated characters. Skimming the show’s
style guide before you start will help you to be on the lookout for those words.

7. Common Comma Conundrums

 YES: comma between independent clauses joined by conjunctions (I went shopping, and I bought eggs.)
 NO: comma between independent clauses NOT joined by conjunctions (comma splice).
 YES: comma after introductory words in a sentence like “hey, well, yes, no, okay, sure.”
 NO: commas after an introductory “and, ” “but, ” or “so.”

6. Notorious Numbers
Numbers one to ten are written out, numbers 11 to 999 are numerals, and numbers 1,000 and
above need commas. Big numbers like 3 million are also numerals, as well as measurements
like 3 inches, 3 feet, 3 miles, 3 pounds, and 3 cups.

5. Incorrect IDs
Use a dash. The announcer/narrator should look like this... narrator:

4. Homophone Abuse
Proofread for common homophones: TO/TOO/TWO, YOUR/YOU’RE, & THEIR/THERE/THEY’RE,
as well as less-common homophones like ACCEPT/EXCEPT, ALTER/ALTAR, ISLE/AISLE, etc.

3. Wrong Words
Captionmax has many preferred spellings for words like “okay,” “all right,” “got to,” and more.
Check out the contractions and preferred spellings, and make autocorrects in Word to match.

2. Varying Verbatim
Do not paraphrase sentences or leave out seemingly insignificant words like “you know” and “I
mean.” Do try to keep sentences together when two speakers are speaking over each other.

1. No Context
Sometimes, a character says, “Hi, how are you?” and it sounds like, “Hi, how’s your shoe?” We’re
counting on you to use the context of the scene to fill in words that are tough to hear.

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 Style Guide – Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
Case: Transcribe in sentence case (aka mixed case)

Speaker identification:
Use dashes. Narrators or announcers are identified in lower case, with no speaker dash.
- Now I'm using dashes. // narrator: I'm a narrator.

Research: Research all proper nouns. If you can’t find a term, indicate with * after the word. Research
whether terms are one word, two words, or hyphenated. If you can’t understand a word or phrase, use
[inaudible].

Interruptions: If a speaker is cut off by another speaker, use double dashes (--). Use ellipses when a
speaker is interrupted…and then continues the same train of thought after the interruption.

Repeated phrases/Cut-offs: If a speaker restarts/cuts off mid-sentence, use double dashes.

Parentheticals: Do include expressions such as “like” and “you know,” offset by commas.

Um, uh, er: In general, do not transcribe um, uh, er, etc. Use mm-hmm/uh-huh sparingly.

Stutters: Do not transcribe stutters of single words, unless it’s important for dramatic purposes.

Multiple speakers: Transcribe the dominant speaker, or if there isn’t one, use [all speaking at once]

Contractions: Transcribe contractions as spoken. See guide for preferred spellings.

Censored words: If a censored word is faded out: [...] and if it's bleeped out: [bleep]

Subtitled speech: Transcribe all English-language burned-in subtitles.

Commas: See guide for preferred comma style. A few biggies are serial commas, commas to separate
independent clauses in compound sentences, and commas surrounding direct address.

Exclamation points: Use sparingly and only when a speaker is really yelling!

Quotation marks: Around obviously quoted words like historical speeches; around “new” terms and
definitions, and around anything said as a quote: So I was like, "OMG, you look hot!" Also around titles
and other works of art.

Acronyms: With a few exceptions, acronyms should generally not have periods.

Number: Spell out one to ten except in measurements. Okay to start sentences with numerals.

Sound effects/ Music: Transcripts should not contain sound effects or character utterances of any
kind, barring [inaudible] indicators. Transcribe lyrics and sung portions from prominent on-screen
speakers.

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