How to Add Accurate, Accessible Captions to Founder Videos

Correct the transcript against the audio

Listen to the finished cut, since trim changes can make an earlier transcript inaccurate. Check names, figures, acronyms, and small words that change meaning. A transcription that turns “we didn’t ship” into “we did ship” changes the story. If two people speak and their identity matters, use a clear speaker label. Include non-speech audio when it gives the viewer relevant context, such as an alert sound the speaker reacts to.

Automatic transcription is a useful starting point. A person who understands the subject should check terms and figures before publishing. When you correct a product name or replace a sentence, check whether the timing still lines up. Reading the captions alone can help catch a missing phrase that makes the next sentence difficult to understand.

Make captions readable in the actual frame

Break phrases at natural boundaries so the viewer can read them while keeping up with the picture. Avoid stacking long lines or switching text faster than the message can be read. Use contrast that works across light and dark footage, and move the caption when it would cover important information, such as a chart label or a product demonstration.

Choose caption delivery according to the player or platform. Closed captions can be turned on or off. Open captions are part of the picture and always appear. Where supported, a separate caption track gives people control over whether they see it. Test the delivered version because cropping and platform controls can affect where text appears.

Check the visual information, too

Watch the video muted and ask whether a viewer can follow the explanation. Then listen without looking. If the speech refers to “this number” or “that button” without identifying it, add a spoken explanation or a descriptive transcript. Captions carry the audio. A visual explanation can still need its own accessible description.