Lost in Transcription

Lost in Transcription
Having to get a script of my shark documentary for the distribution company presented a bit of a problem. Either I was going to have to write it out myself or I’d have to pay someone to do it.

I found a company on the Internet who would do the transcription for just $0.60 per minute – and who I could use completely automatically – uploading a mp3 file and paying by paypal.

The company (http://www.e24tech.com/) claims not to use computer software to transcribe, but I got back paragraphs like:

The secondary occupation of the sea spy mammals in the form of whales particularly seals. Meant a certain amount of competition for food, but also a food source in them selves in order to process them a whale caucus do enough damage to disable it and it requires very efficient biting mechanism and very efficient teeth.

…so judge for yourself.

Even though I’m now going to have to go through and correct the script, I still think the service is well worthwhile – and so cheap I don’t mind doing corrections. I think I’ll get all my interviews transcribed so I can do a paper edit – something I couldn’t have thought of before.