Transcribing is most commonly known as moving data, usually from an audio format into a document format, but can also be the transfer of text information from a variety of sources to a document format. For example, transcribing text from a hand-written document into a digital file format such as MS Word.

One of the most common mediums involved in transcription is audio, such as from interviews or audio logs that are kept by lawyers, doctors and other professionals. Likewise video often needs to be transcribed in one format or another depending on the situation and the nature of the video.

When dealing with both audio and video, translation may be necessary if you're dealing with a language barrier. This type of audio translation is also necessary where a conflict or obstacle arises that prevents the audience from understanding the dialogue or monologue that's taking place within the audio or video content.

Video and Audio Transcription can provide a script in cases where the audio may be degraded and difficult to understand for the lay person. This can be necessary in the event of damage or corrupt media that may have suffered from deterioration over the years. It's quite common in older formats but even newer digital media can suffer from data loss and corruption.

Corporations often rely on video transcription, particularly when working alongside other businesses and/or clients that may speak a different language, or they simply may not be as fluent in the native language of the business or speaker. Transcription and translation services allow a company to provide a means for a client or business to understand the dialogue that's taking place.

Subtitling also has its place in corporate and client videos. Depending on the nature of the meeting and length of a video, a script may be cumbersome and can also be costly to produce if a number of copies are needed. While it's considerate to provide a script (which can also be used for notes by clients and business associates) sometimes it's simply not practical. Subtitling can simplify the process by providing the transcription that's timed with the video.

It's important to note that subtitling is not closed captioning which (at least in the U.S.) refers to text that is aimed at the deaf and hard of hearing. Captions include indications of who is speaking along with relevant noises such as a car horn or a screaming baby and are usually displayed in a black box near the bottom of the screen. Subtitles on the other hand are intended for people who can hear but may not be able to understand what is being said because the speech is marginally intelligible due to accents, whispering, child speak, or slurred speech. Monolingual subtitles are often used on news programs showing videos of security footage or reality shows when a speaker has wandered too far from the microphone. Other times subtitles are used when a foreign language is being spoken. The dialog is translated and the text appears in the language of the intended audience.

Often time's subtitles need to be provided in other languages for business purposes, especially when the conveyance of a specific message is important. As such, this service extends into a number of other areas including corporate safety videos, orientation meetings and seminars where dialogue can be muffled or muted and even in legal environments where the accuracy of the spoken word is vital.

An example would be of a jury who is required to watch a video of a crime being committed. If the people in the video are speaking a different language or cannot be easily understood due to poor recording conditions, a noisy environment, overlapping speech, or any number of other reasons, subtitles are a useful aid.

Whether for a script to accompany a video or audio file or for the subtitling of a video, transcription and translation from a professional service is available to ensure the accurate conveyance of any message.