Thursday 26 August 2010

Typing of Audio Digital Transcription Video Footage


Yesterday evening I transcribed a series of short financial videos for a client. I was given plenty of notice for the job but knew that I would not be receiving the digital files until early evening which then needed to be turned around very quickly. Sometimes burning the midnight oil is part and parcel of my job!

It never ceases to amaze me how much has changed in the transcription industry since I first set up shop back in 1993. In those days I was struggling to hear the inferior quality of analogue cassettes and tapes, not to mention the dreadful earphones. I now use state of the art headphones which cut out all external noises and the recorded dialogue arrives in my home office via digital recordings, either as email attachments or uploaded via my website.

I expect that one day when voice activated software is sophisticated enough, folk like me will be redundant, but for the time being I remain gratefully and gainfully employed!

Tuesday 9 March 2010

University Transcription Project


Today I had the pleasure of receiving 22 sheets of A4 paper in the daily post, printed both sides, comprising 2 contracts for 2 small university transcription projects, despatched to me in a large envelope with associated postage costs. Said papers requiring my signature and return to the originator before I could be paid for the tasks which had already been completed, on time and to specification as required.

One of life's conundrums methinks. Whilst it makes good sense to keep the good folk in the Post Office gainfully employed, not to mention boosting paper, printer and toner sales, providing administrative tasks for university staff and generally keeping the economy in good working order - the whole exercise is not exactly 'green'.

I wonder how many trees were used, and how big my carbon footprint was in terms of the transmission of said papers from A to B then back to A?

We do live in a funny old world don't we?   I wonder if we'll ever get it right.

Wednesday 10 February 2010

University Transcription and Snoring Cats


Today more university transcription is on the menu and there is something so therapeutic when the ancient pussy cat joins me in my office, settles down (after much 'paddling') on his fluggy thing in the cubby hole, and purrs contentedly. Well, that would be nice but actually as of writing this, he is SNORING very loudly! Still, he IS 18 and still going strong despite a heart murmur. Long live Harry.


Back to work then.

Saturday 16 January 2010

Legal Transcription


Today finds me working on legal transcription.

I have been transcribing immigration determinations for an Immigration Judge since 2001.  As it turned out, this line of work was a very lucky break for me; for once I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, knew the right person and had the skills which they were looking for.

For the most part, typing assignments and transcription projects arrive via word of mouth and repeat business, although I do continue to work hard canvassing, networking and advertising.  As a self-employed transcriptionist I can never rely on work simply materialising out of the blue - even though sometimes it does!  But despite the occasional period of uncertainty, as far as I'm concerned the advantages of autonomy and independence far outweigh any disadvantages.

As well as legal immigration work, transcription of legal documents for solicitors and barristers is now an important part of my portfolio and over the years I have carefully built a valuable list of referees along with the reputation for being trustworthy, reliable, completely confidential and of course efficient.

Life is so much easier now that most of my clients dictate and record on to digital media.  Gone are the times when bundles of tapes arrived at my door in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  These days virtually all my work arrives electronically, either as an email attachment or a digital file, securely uploaded via the internet.

Once I've finished my current legal obligations I shall be typing out research material for a UK academic.  Well, as the old saying goes - variety is the spice of life and I can't argue with that!


Sunday 3 January 2010

Transcription Services for University Research


It is the 3rd day of the New Year and all is well.  Today is a beautiful sunny day with wall to wall blue sky but crisp and cold.  Although it is a Sunday, the year has started on a busy note and today finds me transcribing university research material for a PhD student.  The quality of the dialogue on the recordings is not so good and I have some foreign dialects to grapple with, but after years of experience I seem to have found the knack of making sense of the haze of words.  Concentration cap on then and down to work!