Revised August 30, 2023
Captioning is required for all university-created public-facing videos and live-stream content. The Department of Dance will follow all university policies regarding captioning.
Please review the university’s policies and use the guide available on the university’s brand manual website to learn more about the importance of captions and how to implement them.
University video captioning policies and information
Videos used with Concert Program Information
If a dance maker is planning to use any video content as part of their program information, we ask that they create a caption timeline to be used in aiding the captioning of the video(s). The department will handle the actual captioning of the video using the timeline that is created.
Captioning of Livestreamed Performances
The department is required to live caption all livestreamed events. In advance of the livestream, we ask that dance makers provide as much detail as possible in a caption timeline format. We understand it may not be exact, as it is a live performance, but this information will be shared with the live captioning service to improve the quality of the live captions accompanying the performance.
Best Practices for Creating Caption Timelines
Captioning best practices that will help you create your timeline are included below. Additional information is also available at the video captioning policies and information link above.
- Think about what an audience member would miss if they watched the video/performance on mute. How can you make the experience for some who is unable to hear the sound similar to that of someone who is able to hear it? What is essential for the viewer to be best able to understand/experience your piece?
- Any sound, including but not limited to music, lyrics, text, sound effects, ambient sounds (wind blowing), and moments of silence, must be captioned.
- Use proper punctuation at all times.
- Take care to match what the speaker says exactly. This also includes the synchronization of lyrics in your music.
Sample Caption Timelines
Below are some sample caption timelines that you may find helpful as you're creating a caption timeline for your video or for a livestreamed production.
Music without lyrics
If there is only instrumental music playing throughout your entire work, there is no need to provide time stamps. Sample caption timelines are as follows:
• [Music playing – no lyrics]
• [Quiet music playing in the background]
If you know what kind of music is playing, indicate it:
• [Pop music playing]
• [Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony playing]
Music without lyrics + periods of silence
If your video includes sections of silence, please include the specific time stamps for the sections with silence as follows:
| Time stamps | Caption |
|---|---|
| 0:00-1:04 | [music playing – no lyrics] |
| 1:05-2:15 | [silence] |
| 2:16-3:15 | [music playing – no lyrics] |
| 3:16-4:25 | [silence] |
Videos with lyrics, text, sound effects, ambient sounds, or moments of silence
If your video includes lyrics, text, sound effects, ambient sounds, and moments of silence, provide a timeline of these using time stamps. The time stamps for anything spoken or for music with lyrics must match the speaker/singer exactly. For example:
| Time stamps | Caption |
|---|---|
| 0:00-0:15 | [forest sounds] |
| 0:16-0:19 | [song lyrics] "Row, row, row your boat" |
| 0:20-0:23 | [song lyrics] "gently down the stream." |
| 0:24-1:15 | [silence] |
| 1:16-3:20 | [music playing – no lyrics] |
Caption timeline from work in fall 2020 concert
The caption timeline below is from Alexsandria Wahl's Echo Movement that was part of the End of Semester Event in fall 2020. Below the caption timeline sample, you will find a link to the video so that you are able to see how the captions align with the video.
| Time Stamps | Caption |
|---|---|
| 0:00-0:03 | [soft tone] |
| 0:04-0:07 | [Sherry] That's what, a, got to the point where |
| 0:08-0:10 | when you guys got bigger that's what I taught you; |
| 0:11-0:13 | is what I knew when I was little. |
| 0:14-0:16 | And I'm glad you guys got a part of that |
| 0:17-0:19 | instead of growing up, like, in Washington. |
| 0:20-0:22 | You guys got the hometown, you know? |
| 0:23-1:11 | [steady, upbeat music, no lyrics] |
| 1:12-1:15 | [Eleanor] Mother was born out there at the winery. |
| 1:16-1:19 | That was the Zerfoss home place when I was a kid growing up. |
| 1:20-1:22 | And they used to have the, a, Superior used to have |
| 1:23-1:25 | a big picnic in the summertime. |
| 1:26-1:27 | And they always had it out at Swan Lake, |
| 1:28-1:30 | so you'd have to go through their yard out into their pasture, |
| 1:31-1:35 | out in there, and that's where the picnics were held. |
| 1:36-1:43 | [soft, tonal music; no lyrics] |
| 1:44-1:47 | [music fades; then changes] |
| 1:48-1:57 | [piano music and ambient rustling; no lyrics] |
| 1:58-2:38 | [upbeat piano music; no lyrics] |
| 2:39-3:04 | [strings join; piano builds] |
| 3:04-3:05 | [Sherry] You guys grew up there, [yeah] |
| 3:06-3:09 | it's like it all kinda came back [yeah] together, huh? |
| 3:10-3:16 | That's, I think, why I like Spirit Lake. I used to explore every part of it. |
| 3:17-3:19 | To me, it is a peaceful place. |
| 3:20-3:25 | A happier time, simpler. It was a simpler time. |
| 3:26-4:13 | [lighter piano music with strings; no lyrics] |
| 4:14-4:34 | [strings fade; light piano remains] |
| 4:36-4:39 | [music fades] |
| 4:40-4:43 | [ambient rustling] |