List of 10 Remote Closed Captioning Jobs (updated!)

Considering a Closed Captioning Jobs for Income?

Getting paid to watch TV is actually the basis of closed captioning. For a captioner, the gist is, watch a show or video, and then transcribe what it said. And a lot companies offer closed captioning work that can be done from the convenience of your own home.

Here’s the rundown for  what you need to know about this intriguing field of work.

What is Closed Captioning

In it's simplest definition, it's simply adding text to video. Though the majority of closed captioning is done to aid for those with hearing impairments, it's not the only reason for using closed captioning. It can be used for those watching something muted or with hard to understand accents.

Closed captioning to allow for a larger audience. This is obvious by how many bigger YouTubers have their videos closed captioned. This obviously helps anyone with hearing difficulties enjoy the YouTubers content as well — but some with perfect hearing, simply prefer closed captions. It's also been said that closed captions on video help with ranking and SEO by having keywords in the video text.

Being a closed captioner or doing work as one, means you'll be watching the video, and adding the text that correlates with it. There are guidelines for captioning, but once learned and practiced, you'll find there are a lot of closed captioning jobs out there to be had.

Closed Captioning Jobs: Qualifications

While there is no shortage of available jobs out there writing captions for TV and video, you’ll need more than a high school diploma and a winning attitude to get hired.

Of course, requirements vary by company, but for the most part you’ll be expected to:

• Possess Stenographic Skills. Steno typing is done on those little machines you see court reporters using on all the lawyer shows you could be captioning. It differs from a traditional keyboard in that it uses codes or different buttons to signify turns of phrase. Captions are written in stenographic shorthand, which is a coded language all its own. 

The vast majority of captioning jobs require specialized training in the form of captioning courses. Most court reporting schools offer certifications and even degrees in CC. Specific requirements vary by employer.

• Purchase Your own Steno Writer. These little babies, when purchased new, can run you anywhere from $1,200-$6,000 depending on the model and features. However, there are used and refurbished options that can run from $700 to less than $100. 
• Be a Fast Typer. You’ll need a very high WPM to snag most CC jobs. An expert-level steno-typer can rock a pace upwards of 200 words per minute. 

Two Types of Closed Captioning Jobs

Offline Captions: When you're not captioning live television, it leaves you a little more leeway in terms of time to perfect or edit your captions. The client sends you the program and gives you a deadline to meet. However, you’ll need to keep track of time codes, such as frame numbers, time of recording, and exposure-length.

Some offline captioning jobs already have the script prepared, and just need you to time the caption-release to the program for optimal viewing. Other positions will require you to write your own script before timing its release.

Live or Real-Time Captions: Live events, such as sporting events, televised concerts, or news broadcasts require top speed, accuracy, and precision. As you may guess, live gigs tend to pay (a lot) more. Live captioners can make more than $100K per year!

list of 10 closed Captioning remote jobs:

1. Rev
   Rev is a popular remote closed captioning service that offers competitive pay and flexible hours. They have a wide range of projects available, including TV shows, movies, webinars, and podcasts. Rev also provides training and support to help you become an experienced closed captioner. Learn more about Rev here.
2. 3PlayMedia
   3PlayMedia is a great choice for those who want to work as a remote closed captioner. They offer competitive pay and provide extensive training and support to help you become an experienced professional in this field. Additionally, they have a variety of projects available, including TV shows, movies, webinars, and podcasts. Learn more about 3PlayMedia here.
3. Verbit
   Verbit is a leading provider of remote closed captioning services that offers competitive pay and flexible hours so you can work when it’s convenient for you. They also provide comprehensive training to make sure that all of their workers are knowledgeable about the process of creating accurate captions for various types of media content. Learn more about Verbit here.
4. VITAC Corporation
   VITAC Corporation is a leader in providing quality remote closed captioning services at competitive prices with flexible hours so you can work when it’s convenient for you! Plus, they provide extensive training materials so you can become an expert at creating accurate captions quickly without any prior experience or knowledge necessary! Learn more about VITAC Corporation here.
5. Speechpad Incorporated
   Speechpad Incorporated is another great option if you’re looking for reliable remote closed captioning jobs with competitive pay rates and flexible hours so that you can work whenever it’s convenient for your schedule! They also offer comprehensive training materials so that even beginners can learn how to accurately transcribe audio into text in no time! Learn more about Speechpad here.
6. Go Transcript
   Go Transcript provides quality remote closed captioning services at affordable prices with flexible hours so that you can work when it’s convenient for your schedule! Plus, they offer comprehensive training materials as well as automated speech recognition technology (ASR) which helps speed up the process of transcribing audio into text significantly! Learn more about Go Transcript here.
7. Crowdsurf
   Crowdsurf offers quality remote closed captioning services at competitive prices with flexible hours so that anyone can join their team regardless of prior experience or knowledge necessary! Additionally, they provide extensive training materials which makes learning how to accurately transcribe audio into text much easier than ever before! Learn more about Crowdsurf here.
8. Amara
   Amara is an online platform that allows volunteers from around the world to contribute subtitles and captions in multiple languages for videos on its website. It has become increasingly popular among those looking to break into the field of remote closed captioning due to its flexibility – volunteers are free to set their own hours and work at their own pace without having to worry about deadlines or quotas set by employers. Learn more about Amara here.
9. Caption Hub
   Caption Hub is yet another leading provider of closed captions services in North America , offering both real-time solutions as well as offline ones depending on what best suits your needs . They offer competitive pay rates along with flexible hours so that you can work from home or wherever else with an internet connection when it suits you best ! Learn more about Caption Hub here.
10. GMR Transcription Services LLC
    GMR Transcription Services LLC is another company that offers remote closed captioning jobs to individuals who are experienced with transcription technology such as Avid Media Composer or Adobe Premiere Pro CC . The company provides flexible hours, competitive pay rates ,as well as the ability to work from anywhere in the world via their online platform or mobile app . GMR Transcription Services LLC also has an excellent reputation for providing quality services quickly while meeting deadlines set by clients. Learn more about GMR Transcription Services LLC here.

Is Closed Captioning a Career for You?

Consider captioning more of a long-term career move rather than an immediate cash side-gig. Can it be done supplementally or on the side? Of course! But it requires commitment.

While the time and monetary investment typically required to get into this field might not be feasible for everyone, it does provide a lucrative option for stay-at-home moms or anyone else wanting to make a lasting and sustainable remote-work change.

Those interested in more traditional transcription, might want to take a look at my great interview with Janet Shaughnessy. She not only worked at home full-time as a transcriptionist for years, but also created a free, no-obligation mini-course to help those interested get more information about a career in transcription.

You can also check out current transcription jobs on the job board here at MoneyMakingMommy.com.

Want to Get Started with Closed Captioning NOW?

If you’re looking to take Stenographer classes or get certified, your best bet is to visit the official NCRA (National Court Reporting Association) site. Its the trusted authority on finding authentic  captioning and transcribing classes and programs near you as well as legitimate employment opportunities.

Happy Captioning!