BECOME A MEMBERCAPTIONING
Live television captioning (subtitling) is an area of realtime work which can be exciting, challenging and rewarding. Thousands of people of varying ages rely on subtitles and need them to be available at any time, day or night, in their homes, on large screens in public buildings, even at outdoor events.
You should expect to work at speeds well in excess of 200 words per minute. Your realtime skills will be tested to the full. You could be covering topics ranging from news and current affairs to popular entertainment, sport, comedy, cookery, children's programmes, and important national and international events. The variety is enormous and your dictionary of entries will reflect that.
Many realtime captioners work from home, which can be a very attractive option for some people, while others may be required to work from the broadcaster’s premises.
You will need nerves of steel and an ability to keep calm and write well under pressure. Sometimes it is possible to prepare for a programme, but at other times you may not have a clue what is coming next. In the event of a major incident, whether in this country or in a distant part of the world, all your hard work and training will be utilised.
Once the red transmission light goes on, you are on air. You cannot edit text once it has gone out on air. For that reason, writing live can be very frustrating at times. However, when you have done a good job, the result will be on the screen for all to see.