Turn SRT or VTT captions into readable notes
An exported caption file contains timing and markup that are useful to a player but get in the way when you read the text. Keep the timed file and make a separate plain-text copy.
An exported caption file contains timing and markup that are useful to a player but get in the way when you read the text. Keep the timed file and make a separate plain-text copy.
Keep the original file
Preserve the cue numbers, timing and speaker information in the source file. If you own the video, use your original captions or an authorized export. Do not overwrite the track you may need to edit and upload later.
Clean a copy
Remove cue numbers and time ranges, then check adjacent repeats. Rolling captions often repeat a line as new text arrives. A repeat in a quotation may be intentional, so check the result against the source.
Add human structure
Break paragraphs at topic changes. Verify names, units and terms that auto-captions often mishear. Treat the transcript as a draft for outlines and metadata, and keep a time reference for quotes you may publish.
Author
Categories
More Posts
PNG, JPG, or WebP for YouTube thumbnails?
The best working format and the best delivery format can differ. Choose the export based on both the picture and the upload destination.
Compress a thumbnail without muddying the details
Compress for the upload limit you need. Keep the uncompressed master so future edits do not inherit compression artifacts.
Build YouTube chapters from your final cut
Add chapters after locking the edit. Chapters work best as a short map of what the viewer can do or learn.