10 min readReal Story: A Danish Film Interview, a Time-Coded English Transcript and Captions Added Later

In May, a filmmaker opened a live chat on a Thursday evening with a 75-minute interview recorded mostly in Danish, with some English mixed in. The production needed an English translated transcript with time code markers, wanted a nondisclosure agreement signed before work began, and was weighing whether to add a subtitle file. Our team signed and returned the NDA the next day, an account manager called to shape a custom quote with a shorter turnaround, and the translated transcript was delivered about five hours ahead of its estimated time. Once the production team had tested its workflow, it ordered the captions too, and an English SRT file followed a few days later.

Key Takeaways

• Tell us the purpose and format up front: a film edit needs time codes, not just text.
• An NDA can be signed and returned before any work begins on a recording.
• Captions can be added after the transcript, but they take extra time to segment and time.
• Ask for the caption format your editing software imports, such as.srt or.txt.
• When an upload matters, wait for the confirmation message before closing the page.

The Situation

The chat began just before 9 PM Eastern time. The customer described an interview, “primarily one speaker, but some back and forth conversation,” lasting an hour and fifteen minutes, and asked for a quote for a translated transcript. She wanted to know whether the work would be done by people rather than software, and our consultant confirmed that it would, delivered with a certificate of accuracy. Explore our interview transcription for details.

She asked about a faster turnaround than standard, and a Tuesday delivery was discussed. She also asked about confidentiality, and when our consultant said we were open to signing an NDA, she replied that she would send one with the file. The purpose was clear: “It’s for a film project,” she wrote, asking for a standard transcript format with time code markers. Projects like this sit at the meeting point of translation and interview transcription.

She uploaded the 1.9 GB.mov file before the chat ended and emailed the NDA later that night. Our intake team logged the recording at one hour and fifteen minutes, good audio quality, three to five speakers, Danish and English speech, on-screen timestamps and slight speaker overlap.

How We Handled It

NDA first, then a custom quote

The next morning our team converted the large video into a lighter file for processing. That afternoon the signed NDA went back to the customer, and our account manager called her to discuss scope, timing and budget.

The quote that followed was for a translation of the audio from Danish into English with time coding for each speaker, delivered in an editable transcript format. Our standard turnaround for a job like this is five business days; the account manager offered three business days without an expedite fee. A second quote included captioning as well. She chose the transcript first, paid that Friday evening, and said she was interested in the caption file but that it was “a bit too expensive for our budget.” The estimated delivery was the following Wednesday by 5 PM Eastern. Explore our bilingual transcript for multilingual recordings for details.

Holding the captions while her team tested

On Sunday, as the project moved into production, our consultant checked in about the optional captions, since deciding early helps prepare the output correctly from the start. She explained that her team would test its workflow the next morning: “If it holds you up, we should proceed without as the transcript is the priority.” Our team agreed to prioritize the transcript and hold the captioning decision.

On Monday she sent two questions. Could we provide a.txt file instead of an SRT, and was there a sample file her team could test for import? Our consultant confirmed that captions could be delivered in both.txt and.SRT formats. A sample was not possible, because our confidentiality policy does not allow us to keep or share other customers’ project files. He also explained that captions would need an additional 24 to 36 hours beyond the transcript’s delivery time.

Transcript delivered early

Just after midnight on Wednesday the customer wrote that the team would like to proceed with the caption file, and that she had additional material to translate. Our team sent an upload link early that morning.

At 11:55 AM, the English translated transcript was delivered as an editable Word file, together with a certificate of translation, about five hours before the estimated 5 PM delivery.

The caption file, and an upload that did not arrive

The next afternoon she called to check on the caption quote and on the quote for the additional material. Her new upload had not come through, so our team arranged a separate order for the new files with a fresh upload link. The caption quote, for an English SRT built from the delivered translation, went out minutes later, and she paid right away. “Terrific, thanks!” she replied when our consultant confirmed that the SRT was underway. Explore our localizing subtitles for different audiences for details.

The estimate for captions was 24 to 36 hours. Converting a transcript-first order into timed subtitle segments took longer than expected, and the SRT file was delivered on Saturday at 4:18 PM, ahead of the revised 5 PM target.

The Result

The production had a time-coded English translation of its 75-minute Danish interview, labeled by speaker in an editable format, with a certificate of translation, delivered ahead of its estimated time. It then had an English SRT file built from that translation, ready to import into an edit, and a signed copy of the NDA it had asked for.

What a Time-Coded Translated Transcript Includes

A translated transcript for film is different from a plain translation. It is built so that an editor can find any moment in the footage. A complete one includes:

• An English translation of all Danish speech, with English speech kept as spoken
• A speaker label at each change of speaker
• Time code markers at each speaker change or at regular intervals
• Notes where speech overlaps or is inaudible, rather than guesses
• An editable file format, such as Word, so the team can annotate it
• A signed certificate stating the translation is complete and accurate

On-screen timestamps, like those in this recording, can help align the transcript with the original footage. Our certified transcription explains how a certificate accompanies transcripts and translations.

Transcript, Captions or Subtitles: Which One Do You Need?

These terms are often used loosely, so it helps to be precise when ordering: Explore our captioning for translated content for details.

• A translated transcript is a document: the full dialogue in English, with speakers and time codes, for reading and editing.
• Captions or subtitles are timed text segments that appear on screen, short enough to read while the video plays.
• An SRT file is a common plain-text subtitle format that numbers each segment and gives start and end times.
• A.txt export may suit some editing or review tools; ask your editor which format the software imports.

A transcript can be turned into subtitles later, as happened here, but that conversion is real work. Each line has to be split, timed and checked against the picture, which is why captions carry their own turnaround.

Confidentiality and NDAs for Unreleased Footage

Interviews recorded for a film are often unreleased and sensitive. Before sharing a file:

• Ask whether the company will sign your NDA, and send it with or before the file.
• Use a secure upload link rather than email attachments for large video.
• Confirm the upload has been received before you assume it arrived.
• Ask how files are handled; we do not share one customer’s files with another.

All of our work is done by human translators, and a signed NDA can be in place before anyone opens the recording.

Planning a Translation Around a Post-Production Schedule

Editors work to locked dates, so build the transcript into the schedule early:

• Share the running time, the languages spoken and the number of speakers when you ask for a quote.
• Say how you will use the file: paper edit, rough cut, subtitles or archive.
• Decide on captions before production starts if you can; adding them later adds time.
• Allow for large-file uploads, and wait for the confirmation screen.
• Order additional material as its own job, so it does not delay the main delivery.

Film and Documentary Transcription for New York Productions

New York is one of the busiest places in the country for documentary and independent film. Post-production suites in Midtown and the Flatiron District, studios in Long Island City and Astoria, and independent producers across Brooklyn regularly work with interviews recorded in other languages. An order like the one in this story can run entirely online, from secure upload to delivery of the transcript and subtitle files. Explore our subtitling and translation services for details.

For anything that needs to be signed, collected or discussed in person, our office is at 224 W 35th St #5 #1206, New York, NY 10001, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, near the 1, 2, 3 and A, C, E at 34th Street–Penn Station. Learn more about our New York transcription services, or read about a bilingual symposium transcribed for a university.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you translate a Danish interview into an English transcript?

Yes. Our human translators listen to the recording and produce an English transcript of everything said, keeping any English speech as spoken. Speaker labels and time code markers can be added on request. In this story, the 75-minute interview had three to five speakers and some overlapping speech, and the result was an editable, time-coded English transcript delivered with a certificate of translation.

How long does it take to translate a 75-minute recording?

It depends on the language, audio quality and number of speakers. In this story, the standard turnaround was five business days, and our account manager offered three business days without an expedite fee. The transcript was delivered about five hours ahead of its estimated time. Tell us your edit or screening date when you ask for a quote, and the delivery time will be confirmed before work starts.

Will you sign our NDA before we share the recording?

Yes. Send your NDA with your request or before you upload the file, and our team will review, sign and return it. In this story, the customer emailed her company’s NDA on the night of the chat, and the signed copy went back to her the following afternoon, before the account manager’s call and before any translation work began.

Can captions be added after the transcript is delivered?

Yes. A delivered translation can be turned into a timed subtitle file, usually SRT, as a separate step. It takes extra time, because each line has to be segmented and timed against the video. In this story, the customer added captions after her team tested its workflow, and the English SRT file was delivered a few days after the transcript. Explore our professional interview transcription for details.

Which caption formats do you deliver?

SRT is the most common format and works with most editing and video platforms. Plain text exports such as.txt are also possible, and other formats can be discussed. In this story, the customer asked whether a.txt file could replace the SRT, and our consultant confirmed that both could be provided so her team could use whichever suited its workflow.

What should I send with a video for translation?

Upload the video or audio through the secure link, and tell us the languages spoken, the number of speakers and the running time. Say what the transcript is for and whether you need time codes, speaker labels or subtitles. Very large files can be uploaded as they are. Wait for the confirmation message after uploading, so you know the file has arrived.

Working on a Film With Interviews in Another Language?

Tell us the running time, the languages and the format your editor needs, and our team will confirm the turnaround before work begins. Get a free quote or call 1-800-230-7918. Vanan Services has served customers since 2009 and is rated 4.9 stars from 970+ Google reviews.

This story is based on a real Vanan Services order. Names, dates and other identifying details have been removed to protect our customer’s privacy.