Pricing Captions and Subtitles for Event Video

In short

Captions, subtitles and translation are three different pieces of work. Ask for each one by name.
A quote should state the languages, who checks accuracy and which files you receive.
Automatic captions are a starting point. Someone still has to read and correct them.
Scope comes before price: languages and output files are agreed first.

Captions, subtitles and translation are priced by what you ask for: which languages, how carefully the text is checked, and which files you receive. Write those three things into your brief and the quotes you get back become easy to compare.

What are you actually asking for?

People use the words loosely, so a quote can hide a big difference. Here is how we use the words.

Item	What it is	What changes the work
Captions	The spoken words, written in the same language	Length of speech, clarity of audio, names and terms
Subtitles	The speech shown in another language	Each extra language is a separate piece of work
Translation	Writing the meaning in the other language	Whether a person fluent in both languages checks it
Transcript	The words as a text document, not on screen	Useful for minutes, reports and search

Our captions and subtitles service explains the offer. This page is about how to ask for it so the price is clear.

What decides the price?

Four things matter most, in this order:

Number of languages. Captions in one language and subtitles in two more are three jobs, not one.
Amount of speech. A two-hour forum with many speakers has far more to write than a short opening ceremony.
Accuracy review. Automatic captions are quick, but they need correcting. The W3C guidance notes that automatic captions need accuracy checks. A quote should say who checks, and how.
Files you receive. Text burned into the picture, a separate caption file, or both. Burned-in text cannot be edited later.

Mixed speech adds work. In Malaysia, a speaker may move between Malay and English in one sentence, or use a dialect or a term only the industry knows. Tell us this early.

An example awards night

For example, picture a one-hour awards night where the host speaks Malay and English, and the organiser wants English captions for the website and Chinese subtitles for guests who could not attend. A clear request would list:

Captions: English, from the full recording, checked by a person.
Subtitles: Chinese, reviewed by someone fluent in both languages.
Names of award winners and sponsors supplied by the organiser.
Delivery: one video with captions burned in for social media, plus separate caption files.

This is only an illustration. It shows how four short lines make a quote easy to answer.

Who is responsible for what?

You are usually best placed to supply spellings of names, titles and company terms, and to say which speeches need captions. We handle the text work and the files. If a translation will be published under your name, decide who signs it off. We suggest that you or a trusted colleague does the final read for meaning.

Accessibility is easier when it is decided early. The W3C advises that access needs are specified during planning and procurement, not added at the end.

What we confirm for your event

Which languages are included, and that each is quoted on its own line.
Whether captions are made automatically, by a person or both, and who corrects them.
Whether you receive the caption file, the video with text on it, or both.
How a mistake found after delivery is handled.
Whether speaker names and on-screen titles are part of the quote.

The caption and language planner turns these into a language-by-output table you can send us. The quote comparison worksheet helps you line up the answers, and our guide on comparing two quotations fairly covers the rest of the quote.

Tell us your languages

Caption and translation work is available on request, confirmed for each event and language. Tell us the languages and where the video will be shown, and we will list each item in your quote on its own line. For the wider picture of cost, see what changes the cost of event videography.

Tell us the languages your audience speaks and where the video will be shown. We will write captions and subtitles into the quote as separate lines, so you can see what each one covers.

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Sources

W3C WAI, Planning audio and video media, checked 2026-10-06
W3C WAI, Captions/Subtitles, checked 2026-10-06

Checked on the date shown. Rules and venue requirements change, so confirm them for your own event.

Useful next steps

Understanding and controlling event video costs

Understand what drives event videography costs in Malaysia and how to compare quotes, plan a budget and avoid surprise charges. Start with the right guide.

Your Malaysian event, filmed the way you planned

Event videography across Malaysia for corporate, family, school, sports, faith and community events. Choose coverage and films that fit your programme, then ask for a quote.

Caption and language specification planner

Plan captions, translated subtitles and transcripts for an event video. Get a language and output matrix and an acceptance checklist before you brief an editor.

Budget live feed, recording and streaming separately

Live feed to venue screens, recording and livestream are three different jobs. See what each needs so your event video quote lists them as separate lines.

Compare two videography quotes fairly

Two event videography quotes with different totals? Line up hours, crew, finished videos and extras first, price the gaps, then compare the totals.

What changes the cost of event videography?

Event videography cost follows scope: hours, crew, area, finished videos, speed and extras. See which factors move a quote and what to tell us.

Budgeting a recurring event series

Filming the same event monthly or yearly? Separate what can be prepared once from what is paid for every event, and agree how a series is quoted.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between captions and subtitles?

Captions show the words spoken in the video, in the same language, so people who cannot hear the audio can follow. Subtitles show the speech in another language. Translation is the work of writing that other language. They are quoted as separate items because the effort is different.

Can automatic captions be used as they are?

Usually not. Automatic captions often miss names, Malay and English mixed in one sentence, and technical terms. They need a person to check and correct them. Ask the quote to say who does that check.

Do I get the caption file or only video with words burned in?

Ask for both if you can. Burned-in text is part of the picture and cannot be turned off or edited. A separate caption file can be reused on other platforms and fixed later. Your quote should say which you receive.

Why does the same speech cost more in two languages?

Because each language needs its own writing and its own check. A second language is not a copy of the first. If someone must also review the translation for meaning, that is another step. This is why the quote should list languages one by one.

Is caption and translation work always available?

Tell us the languages and the date early, and we check what is possible before you commit. Names, mixed-language speech and the audio quality all affect the plan.

Planning an event? Let’s talk it through.