|
Jedi Knight Luigi posted:Honestly 50-60 WPM isn't bad at all, and I believe 50 was the minimum required for hire as an offline caption editor where I work. It's very likely something you could do to supplement LiveOps, and your state of residence would be completely irrelevant as a contractor. I would second that. It's not so much about typing speed as it is audio quality and how many times you have to go back and listen again. I would also suggest talking to the LiveOps people again, if you haven't. You likely got a canned response that was never seen by a human because you hit X days without work.
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2018 23:26
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 12:34 |
|
|
That's the thing with transcription, it's effectively on your schedule. 50 WMP is more than fast enough to polish most poo poo off in time. Your average "gently caress I'm gonna post and complain about it" file is in the 10k word range, that's only actually about 200 minutes of typing in total across a 24+ hour period. Average length in the 6k range, 2 hours typing time. It's doable.thylacine posted:Ha ha so some dumb lawyer expected a legal transcription with all the formatting and dumb stuff (grammar, ha ha) that entails (and certification to do it) to a generic transcription house and got... a generic transcription back and was mad? Format was good enough to put away a murderer last year you'd think it'd be good enough for some guy making complaints about his boss or whatever the gently caress that rambling nonsense was because I sure as gently caress ain't sure what the hell he was talking about for that loving hour.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 02:06
|
|
|
AuntBuck posted:I would second that. It's not so much about typing speed as it is audio quality and how many times you have to go back and listen again. I would also suggest talking to the LiveOps people again, if you haven't. You likely got a canned response that was never seen by a human because you hit X days without work. I did talk to LiveOps, attempting to appeal. What they said on 3/1 or so: LiveOps posted:Thank you for your message. This has been researched. So basically they passed the buck to "upper management", either at the client or LiveOps, and there's no way to appeal to said people to reconsider.  I had thought I was doing OK...Anyway. Transcription would be great, except for the fact I'm blind in one eye and deaf in one ear, with additional sight/hearing loss in the remaining eye/ear. (I can do phone work, which surprised me initially, but I wouldn't trust my ears to do verbatim transcription at all. I can't even take notes reliably in a school situation.) Don't get me wrong, it'd be great except for that. I'm signed up to ratracerebellion.com and their fb group, have been since this came down the pipe, but being in NJ seems to limit who'll hire me (a lot of jobs won't hire folks from NJ, why I don't know). As I said, I won't be moving to FL til December at the earliest, so am anxious to get a job in the meantime.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 15:29
|
|
|
I mean...if you're doing contract work anyway, and if your parents are reliable why can't you just put the Florida address? Would that help?
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 16:55
|
|
|
If LiveOps is any indication they go by business phone number I think? That would be NJ area code since these jobs would want a landline.... It's a fair point.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 18:04
|
|
|
Shima Honnou posted:That's the thing with transcription, it's effectively on your schedule. This seems to just be a pet peeve of mine that doesn't bother other people nearly as much, but it drives me nuts so I'm gonna talk about it. This isn't really true. You sign up for DT you're essentially their on call bitch. If some QA person has a problem with your file, whether it's legitimate or not, you're on the hook to fix it, like now. I've been emailed at 5:30am and at like 8pm on a Sunday and any time in between being told to review a file and also it's past due to the client so you better do it ASAP. I mean technically they can't tell you that you have to do it right now, but as contract employee number 45 out of 93, if you don't you're really gambling with your job and they know it. It barely happens to me now, because I've been doing this long enough that I almost never have problems with my files. But if they hire some new over-eager QA that's looking to prove just how attentive and meticulous they are, they're gonna prove it by wasting your time. It's happened before.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 20:30
|
|
|
Really, though, that's just DT. I hate that they're still the go-to for breaking into the business just because they always hire, because they're really one of the worst clients to work for in terms of pay, work quality, and issues like that. That's why I tell people to get their experience in and start digging for other clients, because literally everyone else I've worked for out there has been a breeze compared to that poo poo. Everybody else, when they have "OMG THIS HAS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW LIKE NOW NOW NOW" work, is willing to pay you properly for the turnaround.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 20:42
|
|
|
Spacewolf posted:So basically they passed the buck to "upper management", either at the client or LiveOps, and there's no way to appeal to said people to reconsider. Ugh that sucks and I'm sorry. You'd think LiveOps would be fine rehiring someone who knows the system instead of training up someone new. As for not hiring from NJ, I suspect that has more to do with wanting neutral Midwestern type accents for customer service stuff. I'd definitely give out your future Florida address and phone number if you can get away with it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 19, 2018 23:07
|
|
|
Shima Honnou posted:
Speaking of our favorite murder I think there is a 7 hour transcript of his in the pipeline his public defender is requesting. At very least I don't think it's a car ride interview. Message you when I hear details.
|
|
#
?
Apr 20, 2018 01:11
|
|
|
The thing I miss least about DT is the new QA folks. I WAS one of them and it's super hard because the guy that runs the company has NO loving CLUE, and the training is essentially non existent, and I've literally sent a file in for adjustment one person INSISTED ON, had someone else look at it and get a thanks for fixing this thing that was fine in the first place, sorry, she's new.
|
|
#
?
Apr 20, 2018 04:16
|
|
|
DangerZoneDelux posted:Speaking of our favorite murder I think there is a 7 hour transcript of his in the pipeline his public defender is requesting. At very least I don't think it's a car ride interview. Message you when I hear details. Man, they got a second big one out of him? I know that ride-along was like almost 8 hours. counterfeitsaint posted:This seems to just be a pet peeve of mine that doesn't bother other people nearly as much, but it drives me nuts so I'm gonna talk about it. This isn't really true. You sign up for DT you're essentially their on call bitch. If some QA person has a problem with your file, whether it's legitimate or not, you're on the hook to fix it, like now. I've been emailed at 5:30am and at like 8pm on a Sunday and any time in between being told to review a file and also it's past due to the client so you better do it ASAP. I mean technically they can't tell you that you have to do it right now, but as contract employee number 45 out of 93, if you don't you're really gambling with your job and they know it. That's DT in a nutshell, they suck rear end but it's still better pay than Rev or, god forbid, transcribing for loving MTURK at like 10 cents a minute rate.
|
|
#
?
Apr 20, 2018 04:57
|
|
|
AuntBuck posted:Ugh that sucks and I'm sorry. You'd think LiveOps would be fine rehiring someone who knows the system instead of training up someone new. As for not hiring from NJ, I suspect that has more to do with wanting neutral Midwestern type accents for customer service stuff. I'd definitely give out your future Florida address and phone number if you can get away with it. That's kind of what I'm wondering - would I be able to get away with it? I know future FL address, but not FL phone number (Phone number, internet, etc, naturally won't be hooked up until after the condo is closed on - currently it's under contract but closing will take a bit for reasons not under my control), and I also know that the absolute earliest I could even theoretically move in is sometime in July, but more probably fall or December. (The backstory is that I'm disabled IRL, as I've described I believe in a few threads, and this will literally be my first experience living on my own since being in college dorms, an experience that didn't go well. So we'll be taking it slowly, to say the least, because we are (me in particular) trying really hard to not screw things up.) If I give out FL address but NJ phone numbers (because I'll be in NJ until December more or less), will they say "NOPE!"?
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2018 15:49
|
|
|
Spacewolf posted:That's kind of what I'm wondering - would I be able to get away with it? I know future FL address, but not FL phone number (Phone number, internet, etc, naturally won't be hooked up until after the condo is closed on - currently it's under contract but closing will take a bit for reasons not under my control), and I also know that the absolute earliest I could even theoretically move in is sometime in July, but more probably fall or December. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2018 18:18
|
|
|
I doubt it. Most people I know have area codes from everywhere besides where they are living. It shouldn't be a problem.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2018 19:29
|
|
|
That's for cellphones. I'm talking about landlines.  (No, seriously, I get what people are saying. Makes me wonder why people specify states in their hiring announcements then...)
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2018 20:56
|
|
|
DT at least doesn't give a gently caress as long as you're in the US or Canada. I'm pretty sure they don't even care about where you live on file they just ship your check to wherever the gently caress you got it listed on the invoice. Fun fact, they also don't double-check invoices, I've gotten paid more than they owed me a few times over the years by forgetting to clear out the old stuff from the last invoice I sent in, effectively getting paid twice for poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2018 01:47
|
|
|
Shima Honnou posted:DT at least doesn't give a gently caress as long as you're in the US or Canada. I'm pretty sure they don't even care about where you live on file they just ship your check to wherever the gently caress you got it listed on the invoice. So you put the same files in two different invoices and they just paid you twice for it? Interesting.
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2018 19:16
|
|
|
I copy-paste invoices so I don't have to reformat and I've outright forgotten to remove stuff from the new one before, yes.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2018 14:14
|
|
|
This is totally off topic, but Alton Brown was on Hot Ones and he's so articulate! I think the problem comes when he has to remember lines!
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2018 16:05
|
|
|
Slightly Used Cake posted:This is totally off topic, but Alton Brown was on Hot Ones and he's so articulate! I think the problem comes when he has to remember lines! Honestly, I think he’s gotten a lot better. I think the test audio is from years and years ago. I’ve done more current stuff and he’s not any more or less articulate than anyone else.
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2018 02:01
|
|
|
It's from the episode Winter Ice Battle which aired in 2013 and was probably recorded sometime early-mid 2013 if I had to guess based on the lead time most shows have.
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2018 05:20
|
|
|
I did a full episode of him, I don't know, narrating or whatever it is he does for Iron Chef. It was pretty bad, but it wasn't really his fault, it was the format where he had to fill 45 minutes with his voice. It wouldn't have been great with anyone.
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2018 06:53
|
|
|
Oh that reminds me! He's bringing back Good Eats so keep an eye out.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2018 00:40
|
|
|
Looks like Keystrokes is gearing up for some big projects, because they asked me if I had any more transcribers I could send their way. So if you've been doing this for a bit and want to work for a place that actually pays you for the amount of work you have to put in on a tape, shoot me a PM or email at my username at gmail.com.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2018 17:30
|
|
|
It's a shame Keystrokes doesn't tend to have enough work sitting around to really work as a full-time on its own. Ever since Captionmax got hosed up by that change in management last year I haven't been able to fill all my time with transcription, working at a warehouse part-time now as my main thing, which is paying more reliably than the combo of DT, Syncwords, and Keystrokes was. Honestly, moving boxes onto pallets for Amazon is easier than transcription, pays better, and it's better for my back and body than sitting around typing is, but the way all that walking treats my feet definitely ain't great and it's kinda pathetic that unskilled labor is a better job overall than performing what is essentially professional dictation services. Plus I know going in that the day will probably only be 4 hours and I'll get $50 for my time, no working throughout the night for $50.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2018 22:49
|
|
|
Yeah, mine was going a lot better last year at this time. I mean thankfully they re-started the B season up but the volume seems way down. Guy said he might send me some ABS also and he makes $50 an hour doing it but I haven't seen it yet. Thinking about getting a phone jockey job. Glad I got a degree .
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2018 23:30
|
|
|
Is copywriting still a thing? It seems like this thread is 90% transcription. Is copywriting actually different from regular textbroker style writing? I applied to textbroker ages ago, got in at 4 star level, and did exactly zero articles. I've got a decent paying day job but I was thinking of trying to swing some extra cash to pay down my credit cards. I don't think I could handle transcription to be honest.
|
|
#
?
May 4, 2018 21:14
|
|
|
I still do writing, but I do it for a private client rather than through any of the content mills. A lot of the old content mills have been dropping off or losing volume or closing public applications or whatnot. I have no idea how effective Textbroker is these days since I haven't bothered to check in for a while.
|
|
#
?
May 4, 2018 22:01
|
|
|
I still get emails from them saying they have a BIG BIG client that has lots of work so I guess it's still a thing.
|
|
#
?
May 4, 2018 23:46
|
|
|
It seems almost all in their managed teams now instead of the open pool, though I have no idea how hard those are to get into.
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2018 00:30
|
|
|
kazmeyer posted:Looks like Keystrokes is gearing up for some big projects, because they asked me if I had any more transcribers I could send their way. So if you've been doing this for a bit and want to work for a place that actually pays you for the amount of work you have to put in on a tape, shoot me a PM or email at my username at gmail.com. PM sent. I've been dealing with Rev. They suck at best.
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2018 00:52
|
|
|
Update re me: Contingent job offer and background check paperwork signed with these people or at least their work-at-home division. 9 bucks an hour, 40 hours a week (so I risk really screwing myself benefits wise), but it's a job and it's a W2 and they supply phone and headset. Woohoo. Amusing: They want a drug screen. For a work-from-home position. I don't get it either.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2018 21:56
|
|
|
I just spoke to a guy in Colorado in a call centre...I might have some ideas as to why they might have that policy.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2018 03:37
|
|
|
If you can write product descriptions, try out for Crowd Content. They're starting to get some more regular work going. Pretty mind numbing but can be $10-$15 an hour if it clicks for you. Make sure to apply for the teams. I'm guessing they'll be looking for some good people soon, apparently the last batch of rookies wasn't doing too well on one of their big projects. The only bad thing is that the managed projects come in waves, and stuff on the marketplace is gone really quickly. You basically have to opt-in to browser notifications and refresh the marketplace page within about 15-30 seconds of the notification popping to catch anything...but the pay can be decent. Just not too consistent. Good as a side gig though.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2018 04:08
|
|
|
Just found this thread, and am wondering if any of y'all have applied to the non-CaptionMax home entertainment/streaming captioning companies for independent contractor work. If I'm understanding correctly, the transcripts you're generating contain timecodes, correct? I mean, if you're doing that for transcripts, you're well on the way to doing the job of a CC editor. I'm just marveling at the >$1-per-runtime-minute rates. When I first started in the industry, studios were paying captioning houses $18.50/minute for scratch CC. Don't know what the going rate is today (beyond "much, much less"), but I'd hope it's enough to pay ICs more than a buck a minute.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2018 14:06
|
|
|
It’s not. Transcription is pretty near dead as a viable job now because of the double whammy of automation (if the audio quality is decent you no longer need a human to transcribe it in most cases, just a rock bottom low paid proofreader to give the computer generated text a once-over, if even that) and globalization (US $1 goes a lot further in India than in North America and there are three times more people there). This has been a recent and amazingly fast moving development, I think mostly because of advances in voice recognition technology. Seems like just in the past 1-2 years pro transcription has gone from reasonably lucrative to minimum wageish to scarcely viable. The small and shrinking amount of worthwhile work that still exists is increasingly the property of longtime veterans.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2018 14:14
|
|
|
Hell just last year Captionmax reduced their pay down to 0.70/min, even less than DT's basic rate, on top of doing poo poo like just deciding they won't give you work for a few months. Every other captioning house I've seen requires an in to get started with. I mean gently caress, Syncwords, the automatic timing place that Captionmax uses, pays 0.85/min. So literally CM is worse than their nearest competitor to work for now. As I understand it that's the result of a corporate raider type taking over the company, though. Now I move boxes from a conveyor belt to a pallet for Amazon which I'm sure will be automated soon enough but in the time being it's more reliable and paying better than transcription has been. Still pick up the odd transcript now and then, especially on days where I pick up a voluntary day off and wanna give my feet a rest. Shima Honnou fucked around with this message at 14:30 on May 12, 2018 |
|
#
?
May 12, 2018 14:18
|
|
|
Yeah even individuals who own their own prerecorded captioning software like Swift or EZTitles or CaptionMaker/MacCaption likely aren’t making more than $4/media minute these days. That’s for professional broadcast work.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2018 14:58
|
|
|
Eric the Mauve posted:(US $1 goes a lot further in India than in North America and there are three times more people there). Word. quote:Seems like just in the past 1-2 years pro transcription has gone from reasonably lucrative to minimum wageish to scarcely viable. CC/subtitling work has been in a tailspin for at least the last five years, and that's ignoring the slower drop in standard prices which took place in the decade previous to that. Studios want that North American polish on those Bangalore-cheap files. quote:So literally CM is worse than their nearest competitor to work for now. It's just so strange to hear anyone describe CaptionMax as being anything more than a last resort. My former company does a lot of reformatting of existing files, but we wouldn't generally work on anything based on a CaptionMax source, as they were invariably poo poo. It was easier for us (and therefore cheaper for the studio) if we did the whole thing over from scratch.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2018 15:04
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 12:34 |
|
|
Honestly that’s SOP at CMax too. It’s almost always not worth reformatting some other CC firm’s file.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2018 15:21
|
|