All About Amazon Captioning Services

Before, the business of Amazon revolves around book selling. As it grows worldwide, Amazon became the biggest e-commerce industry over the globe. One of the services that Amazon offers is its film distribution field which permits publishers to deliver content within their website. The Prime Video Direct of Amazon contains around 100 million members globally.

For Amazon to give a constant viewing, the company demands for Amazon closed captioning service for videos submitted to them. Some of the Amazon viewers have hearing impairment, deaf, or non-native English speakers. That’s why Amazon captioning services are very essential to accommodate Amazon users. Contents submitted to Amazon should comply to Amazon video captioning services specifications for it to be accepted.

Amazon Captioning Services Language Requirements

One of the requirements for the prime video captioning services is the required language for a video. For Amazon captioning services the file of language of a certain video must match the location’s promoted languages. But, not all captions are supported in all countries. Remember that English captions are not supported in Japanese.

Amazon Captioning Services Established Closed Caption

In the translation industry, the Amazon captioning services entail broad coverage of closed caption data which creators can have options. Below are the accepted formats of video file for Prime Video Direct.

• SMPTE-TT (RP-2052) – file extension:.xml
• STL (EBU standard) – file extension:.stl
• DFXP Full/TTML (Timed Text Markup Language) – file extension:.dfxp
• iTT (iTunes Timed Text) – file extension:.iTT
• SCC (Scenarist Closed Caption) – file extension:.scc
• SRT (SubRip text file format) – file extension:.srt

In Amazon captioning services, the SRT or SubRip text file formats are the commonly used caption files. This is usually submitted under Prime Video Direct. For Amazon captioning services, prevent committing the SRT file errors in order to be approved by Amazon.

Common SRT File Errors:

• The Amazon captioning services usually work by reviewing every caption file forwarded to Prime Video Direct in a careful manner. In case, the caption files under the Amazon captioning services do not comply with the standards of Amazon, filmmakers will commit publishing error.
• The time it takes to process the files under the Prime Video Direct is around two weeks. Also, during this time, the files are also created live.
• One of the most challenging processes under the Amazon captioning services is the creation of closed captions. However, it primarily depends on the content. Ensure to look for captioning services that cater excellent quality and precise output.

Four Repeating Elements of SRT File

1. Counter number in sequencing format
2. The beginning and ending time duration of on-screen display
3. The text content of the subtitle (2-liner)
4. Blank line with no text of Amazon’s format for time code

Moreover, as recommended by Amazon itself, pop-on captions are more acceptable rather than the roll-up captions. Roll-up captions submitted to them are usually converted by Amazon to pop-on captions. This conversion process opens more room for errors. In which, this can be prevented by simple submission of the correct file.

Executive @ vanancaptioning Being an active novelist and a translator, David C Mullett is one of the few experts to have written books about controversial subjects such as politics, religion, stereotypes, etc.