Learning how to transcribe an interview is essential for professionals in journalism, research, content creation, and even legal proceedings, as accurate transcripts capture every detail for analysis and reference. Modern transcription methods, for instance, the automatic transcript function of CapCut, empower users to bring the spoken words to the finish line in minutes. This shift gives not only the time-saving advantage but also the productivity upshot, which opens the door for everyone to pull off quality transcripts.
What is an interview transcript
An interview transcript refers to a written document of a conversation, in most cases between an interviewer and a subject, which is done in a way as to keep the exact content for later reference, analysis, or publication. The main function of it is to represent the exchange of views correctly, which becomes very convenient when they are rechecked, distributed, or used as proof, in the cases of journalism, scientific research, business, or law.
Usually, a professional interview transcript should have:
- Speaker labels – Explain in detail interactions between different speakers (e.g., Interviewer:/Subject:).
- Timestamps – The time of the day or the duration of the recording is marked at different intervals to assist in tracing a particular part of the discussion (optional but very helpful).
- Non-verbal cues – Recording the characters' actions like [laughs], [pause], or [sighs] for the given context.
Types of interview transcription
Interview transcription could be of various types, specifically different styles, depending on the purpose and the audience.
- Verbatim transcription: Everything that is said and done, and every sound, word, or phrase that is spoken, even the filler words (um, uh), false starts, and non-verbal cues like [laughs] or [pause] are included in the data. It is the most detailed and accurate transcription style. Such works as legal proceedings, psychological studies, or any place where detail and tone are the main characters are referred to as their best use.
- Intelligent transcription: The main message of the speaker is kept, while unnecessary fillers, repetitions, and irrelevant talk are removed, and the original meaning is maintained. This style is mostly used in journalism, content creation, and professional reports, where clarity and readability are the main issues.
- Timestamped transcription: This one has the time stamps at certain intervals or just before the speaker's turn, which makes it easier to find a particular part of the audio. Video production, research analysis, and training materials are used as needed.
How to transcribe an interview using CapCut automatically
With its integrated transcript feature, CapCut desktop video editor is an excellent tool for transcription of interviews, and the whole process is significantly faster and easier. Manually typing the entire conversation can take up more than a day of your time, but with CapCut, simply upload the interview audio or video. The Transcript option will automatically provide you with a text version that you can edit right away. Download CapCut today and start creating professional-quality interview transcripts in minutes.
Key features
- Video/audio transcript: CapCut's transcript feature can automatically convert spoken video/audio into accurate and editable text in seconds.
- Remove filter words: It's easy to clean up filler words like um, uh, and repetitions to improve readability by using CapCut's transcript feature.
- Auto captions: Users can use CapCut's transcript feature's auto caption generator to generate captions directly from the transcript for easy viewing and editing with text tools.
- Caption file export: CapCut allows users to export transcript captions in caption formats, including SRT and TXT, perfect for use in other platforms or projects.
How to transcribe an interview with CapCut
- STEP 1
- Import and transcribe an interview video
Open CapCut and upload your interview video. From the timeline toolbar, click on the "Transcript" button to access the transcript feature. CapCut will transcribe the video in seconds.
- STEP 2
- Edit the transcript interview video
If you want a cleaner version for readability, click on "Remove filter words" to automatically eliminate filler words like um, uh, and unnecessary repetitions without altering the original meaning.
Click on "Generate captions" to let CapCut automatically generate a highly accurate transcript from your video. The tool will process the audio, detect speech, and display the text in sync with the video. You can also review the generated text, make manual edits, and adjust timestamps or speaker labels to ensure the transcript is polished and professional.
- STEP 3
- Export the transcript caption file
Once your transcript is ready, export it as a caption file to save or use on other platforms. You can download captions in SRT and TXT formats, making them easy to repurpose for articles, subtitles, or documentation.
Why transcribing an interview is important
- Enhances content accessibility
One way a transcript can help content is by making it accessible to everyone. People with hearing impairments or those who simply prefer reading over listening are some of those who can make use of it. Moreover, people whose first language is not English will find it easier to follow the text than the spoken language. By providing content in various formats, the content becomes more inclusive and user-friendly.
- Allows for easier content analysis
Firstly, written transcripts enable researchers, journalists, and content creators to quickly scan, highlight, and annotate key sections. Whereas they are forced to re-listen to the audio several times to find the necessary parts, they can locate specific points instantly, thus saving a lot of time and effort in the analysis process.
- Provides a permanent record for legal or research purposes
In the majority of cases, interviews are the source of valuable information that needs to be retained. A transcript renders it absolutely clear that the information presented is, therefore, it can be used as evidence in the court of law, for compliance, academic research, or corporate documentation purposes.
- Useful for repurposing into articles, reports, or social media content
The ease with which transcripts can be converted into blog posts, reports, press releases, or social media marketing brief quotes is one of their main features. As a result, your content is not only extended in its own life and reach, but the additional interviews also get the maximum exposure.
- Accessibility for wider audiences
If the interview is converted into text form, people with different learning preferences, language abilities, or technological limitations can have access to the content. For instance, a person who is in a noisy place can still read and communicate with their work.
- Improved SEO for content creators
Search engines cannot "listen" to audio but can read and index text. By providing transcripts, you give your content keyword-rich, searchable material, improving discoverability and ranking in search results.
- Easier for accurate quoting and referencing
One can remove all uncertainties in the process of quoting by referring to a written source. Besides that, it also provides double benefits, such as being more credible and reducing the risk of misinterpretation, as the statements are being re-stated word-for-word.
Techniques to improve transcription efficiency and accuracy
- Good quality recording equipment
A good microphone and recording device will give you clear and crisp audio with minimal background noise. When a recording is of poor quality, AI tools can confuse the words, and then you have to spend a lot of time correcting the mistakes.
- Choose the right transcription tool
The best AI-powered tool to use is one like CapCut's transcript, and this is because it has many user-friendly features, such as automatic captions, filler word removal, and editable text output. The correct tool can save you a lot of hours of manual work, and the quality of the work will be of a professional level.
- Speak clearly and at a steady pace
If you are the one who is doing the interview, make sure to tell the participants to speak slowly and clearly, not to interrupt each other, and to keep their pace steady. Clear enunciation can significantly speed up the process of transcription, and it is true for both humans and AI.
- Utilize timestamps and speaker labels
If you put the timestamps just before each speaker's turn, then it will be easier to move around in the text. Additionally, if you have speaker labels, then it will be easier to know who said what. This is one of the easiest ways to follow a multi-speaker interview or a panel discussion.
- Review the transcript
A review of the transcript is still indispensable even with the help of high-tech AI transcription. Look for words that were incorrectly transcribed, check if the formatting of the transcript is okay, and also check if the transcript is correct in the context, and if it is easy to read.
Conclusion
Learning how to transcribe an interview helps to a great extent to open up the content, make the content accessible to a wider audience, facilitate in-depth analysis, and also to extract content in the form of articles, reports, or social media posts without much effort. Besides, a written record guarantees correctness, contributes to SEO, and keeps valuable information for later use. Utilizing AI features like CapCut's transcript significantly makes the whole process quicker, more convenient, and less tiresome by half when compared to the manual transcription process. Download CapCut now and enjoy the ease of creating perfect and professional transcripts of your interviews in just a few minutes.
FAQs
- 1
- How much does it cost to transcribe an interview professionally?
Many transcription tools require you to pay a subscription fee to use. However, CapCut allows users to try the transcript function for free. After transcription, you can remove filter words and generate subtitles automatically.
- 2
- What file formats are best for transcribing interviews?
Most common audio and video files, such as MP3, WAV, MP4, and MOV, are compatible with transcription tools. CapCut is compatible with various well-known formats, which means that you can easily load your interview in the original format without having to change it.
- 3
- Can I get a transcript in multiple languages?
Yes. AI tools, such as CapCut, have multilingual transcription capabilities. Moreover, CapCut provides bilingual captions, which not only let you create transcripts and captions in two languages but also enhance accessibility and reach your audience.