Captions and subtitles need their own review path. Automatic speech recognition can create a first draft, but names, jargon, timing, speaker changes, and non-speech sounds still need attention. Publication should associate a reviewed text track with the exact video version it describes.
Capture the source of truth
Keep the original transcript or script, generated draft, edited track, language code, and reviewer. If the cut changes, invalidate the old timing and review the track again. A caption file that belongs to a previous cut can mislead viewers even when every word is spelled correctly.
Check more than text
Review synchronization at the beginning, middle, and end. Include meaningful sounds and speaker identification where needed. Keep lines readable rather than packing a paragraph into one cue. Test captions in the actual player at mobile size and against both light and dark scenes.
Separate translation from transcription
Subtitles in another language are not a mechanical rename of an English caption file. Translation needs context, timing review, and a clear language label. Store one track per language and keep its approval status independent, because one locale may be ready before another.
Make missing tracks visible
If a required caption track fails validation, hold that publication path and show the reason. Do not silently publish a video with a broken track URL. Recheck tracks when the video master or player implementation changes.
A concrete example
A revised cut removes seven seconds from the middle of a training video. The old caption file still loads, but every later cue is late. The workflow ties tracks to the exact cut ID, flags them for retiming, and holds that version from publication until the edited captions are reviewed.
Related reading
- Media Workflow Automation: A Practical Starting Guide
- Generate Video Thumbnails That Represent the Clip
- Connect a Headless CMS to a Media Workflow
Primary reference
The W3C WebVTT specification provides the underlying technical reference for this workflow.