Should I choose verbatim transcription or a cleaned-up transcript?

It depends on the purpose of the transcript. Verbatim transcription keeps hesitations, false starts, interruptions and overlaps, which may be needed for research, interviews or internal records. A cleaned-up transcript is better for publication, article writing or content reuse: unnecessary speech clutter is removed, while the speaker’s meaning and tone are preserved. We define the transcription rules before the work starts and apply them consistently across the file or series.

Audio and video transcription for editing, subtitling and localisation

Q: Why add timecodes and speaker labels?

Timecodes and speaker labels make the transcript easier to use in production. They allow you to locate a sequence, verify a quote, review a subtitle, isolate a scene or send a script to an editor, translator or adaptation team. Each passage can be traced back to the recording without searching through the audio manually.

Q: Can the transcript be used for subtitling, translation or dubbing?

Yes, provided the transcript is prepared for that use from the start. For subtitling, the text must be divided into readable segments that can be synchronised. For translation, voice-over or dubbing, names, figures, references and terminology need to be stable before the next stage begins. We can deliver the file as SRT/VTT subtitles or as a script formatted for localisation and production.

Q: How do you handle difficult recordings: noise, accents, overlapping voices or several languages?

We do not guess unclear audio. Background noise, overlapping voices, uncertain words and language switches are handled with agreed conventions: notes, tags, markers or partial transcription where appropriate. For multilingual recordings, we set the logic in advance — main language, full or selective transcription, treatment of foreign-language passages and terminology normalisation — so the final file remains consistent and usable.

Recordings are often difficult to use as they are. A transcript turns spoken content into material that can be searched, checked, translated, subtitled or prepared for editing. Lipsie combines speech-to-text processing with human review to deliver the right transcript for the job: verbatim or edited, with timecodes, speaker labels and file formats that fit your production process.

What you need

➤ Spoken content transcribed without flattening meaning, tone or context
➤ Quick access to quotes, figures, decisions, names and key passages
➤ Source material prepared for subtitles, translation, voice-over or dubbing scripts
➤ Confidential handling for interviews, meetings, internal recordings and unreleased content

What we do

➤ Speech-to-text processing followed by human review and correction
➤ Transcript style set in advance: verbatim, cleaned-up or lightly edited
➤ Timecodes and speaker identification for editing, translation and quality control
➤ Delivery in usable formats: DOCX/PDF, SRT/VTT or production script

What you get

➤ Transcripts that can be read, searched, quoted and reused without reworking the audio
➤ Files structured for post-production, subtitling and localisation workflows
➤ Consistent handling across episodes, interviews, meetings and later versions
➤ Clear deliverables that can be archived, shared, edited or passed to production teams

Professional transcription matched to the next use of the file — verbatim, speaker labels, timecodes and delivery format

Full verbatim, cleaned-up transcript or lightly edited text: the format depends on what the transcript has to support. Research interviews may require hesitations, overlaps and unfinished sentences. A published interview needs a smoother reading version. Editing, subtitling or localisation work requires timecodes, speaker labels and consistent segmentation. We define these choices before transcription begins, so the final file matches the workflow instead of creating extra preparation work.

We also set rules for what must remain exact — names, acronyms, figures, terminology and references — and what can be standardised for readability. A useful transcript is not just “corrected” at the end; it is built on clear conventions from the first pass.

Timecodes and delivery formats: transcripts ready for editing, subtitling and localisation

A transcript should not force your team to start the work again. For videos, podcasts, interviews and series, we structure the file so each passage can be found and checked quickly: timecodes, speaker labels and a layout designed for editing, quote review, scene selection or subtitle preparation.

For subtitling, we can deliver SRT/VTT files with readable segmentation and synchronisation points. For dubbing or voice-over, we format the transcript as a production script, with the cues needed for recording, adaptation and studio work.

Confidentiality for sensitive recordings and content that is not yet public

Once spoken content is transcribed, sensitive details become easier to search, copy and forward: names, figures, decisions, launch dates, internal discussions or unpublished material. We set up a contained workflow with restricted access, agreed delivery channels and confidentiality commitments where required, so the file is not circulated beyond the people who need it.

For projects handled in the EU, we also apply practical data-protection rules at file level: fewer copies, limited exposure and controlled access. Data protection is handled through the way recordings, transcripts and delivery files are stored, shared and archived, not only through contractual wording.

FAQ: audio and video transcription services

The choice depends on what you need to do with the text. Verbatim transcription keeps hesitations, false starts, interruptions and overlaps, which can be essential for research, interviews or internal records. A cleaned-up transcript is better suited to publication, article writing or content reuse: it removes speech clutter while keeping the speaker’s meaning intact. We agree on the rules before the work starts and apply them consistently throughout the file or series.

Timecodes and speaker labels turn the transcript into a working file. They make it possible to find a sequence, check a quote, review a subtitle, isolate a scene or send a script to an editor, translator or adaptation team. Instead of searching through the recording by ear, each passage can be located directly in the transcript.

Yes, as long as the transcript is prepared with that use in mind. For subtitling, the text must be divided into readable segments that can be synchronised. For translation, voice-over or dubbing, names, figures, references and terminology need to be stable from the start. We can deliver the file as SRT/VTT subtitles or as a script formatted for localisation and production.

We mark what is uncertain instead of guessing. Background noise, overlapping voices, unclear words and language switches are handled with agreed conventions: notes, tags, markers or partial transcription where appropriate. For multilingual recordings, we define the logic in advance — main language, full or selective transcription, treatment of foreign-language passages and terminology normalisation — so the final file remains consistent and usable.

Send us your recording: we’ll prepare a transcript ready for editing, subtitling or localisation

Request a quote ➤