Audio-Video File Difficulties and the Whole Process: Behind the Scenes
Introduction: What Happens Behind an Audio-Video Transcription and Translation?
When we think about audio-video transcription and translation, the process can sound simple: listen to a recording, write down what is being said, and translate it into another language.
In reality, a professional audio-video transcription and translation can be a much more complex process. And we learned this recently.
Audio and video files can contain background noise, unclear speech, technical terminology, different accents, interruptions, overlapping voices and incomplete sentences. When the recording is being prepared for a legal or court-related purpose, accuracy becomes even more important.
At DGB Romanian Translation Services, we recently worked on a particularly challenging project involving audio-video files for a court case. The recordings contained multiple speakers talking at the same time, making some sections difficult to understand.
This project gave us a valuable reminder: behind every accurate transcript and translation, there is a detailed process of listening, checking, reviewing and understanding context.
So, what does that process actually look like?
1. Why Can Audio and Video Transcription Be Difficult?
Not every recording is easy to transcribe.
A professional transcriptionist may encounter several difficulties, including multiple people speaking simultaneously, background noises,poor-quality recordings, speakers talking very quietly or quickly, different accents or pronunciation, incomplete sentences, people interrupting one another, names, places and organisations that need to be identified correctly, unclear sections where the words cannot immediately be distinguished.
One of the biggest challenges is overlapping speech.
When two or three people speak at the same time, it may be difficult to determine exactly what each person is saying. In such situations, simply listening once is not enough.
Let’s go through the process:
Step 1: Receiving and Assessing the Audio-Video Files
The first stage begins when the client sends the recordings.
Before transcription starts, it is important to check the following things: what type of files have been provided and their duration, how many recordings there are and what language or languages are being spoken.
For legal cases, the context is particularly important.
A transcriptionist needs to understand what type of material they are working with and what information may require additional verification.
For larger projects, recordings may also need to be organised and divided into manageable sections before the transcription begins.
Step 2: Cutting the Recordings into Segments
For our recent court-related project, one of the first practical steps was to cut the audio-video files into smaller segments.Why?
Working with shorter sections makes it easier to locate specific passages,replay difficult sections, compare different parts of the conversation, identify speakers, check names and terminology and review sections with overlapping speech. Instead of treating a long recording as one continuous piece of content, dividing it into manageable segments allows the transcription process to be much more controlled. This can be particularly useful when a recording contains several speakers or when certain sections require repeated listening.
Step 3: Transcribing the Audio into Written Text
Once the recordings were divided into segments, we began the transcription. The objective was not simply to create a general summary of the recording. We needed to accurately reproduce what was actually being said. This meant listening carefully and paying attention to every relevant detail.
In our court-case project, one of the most difficult parts was that several voices could be heard speaking at the same time. Some sections had to be listened to repeatedly — not once, but three-four times — to establish as accurately as possible what was being said.
The transcript was then reviewed and edited multiple times, specifically to make sure that what appeared in writing corresponded to what could actually be heard in the recording.
This distinction matters. A transcript should not fill in gaps simply because something seems logical from the context. Where audio is unclear, the task is to investigate and verify rather than guess.
Step 4: Checking Names, Information and Context with the Client
Some details cannot always be confirmed from the recording alone.
Names are a good example. A person's name may be difficult to hear, especially when several people are talking or when the recording quality is poor. The same applies to company names, locations, technical terms or other specific information.
For this project, we therefore checked names and relevant information with the client.
This is an important part of the process because accuracy is not only about hearing individual words. It is also about making sure that important factual details are correctly identified. The client can sometimes provide essential contextual information that helps distinguish between two possible interpretations.
Step 5: Translating the Verified Transcript
Only after the transcription had been carefully reviewed did we move on to the translation stage. This is where transcription and translation become two distinct but connected processes. The translator must first understand the source text before transferring it accurately into another language.
For a legal or court-related recording, the translation needs to preserve the original meaning, the context, the tone, the relationship between speakers, the structure and meaning of the conversation.
A literal, word-for-word translation is not necessarily the most accurate translation.The translator needs to understand what the speaker means and reproduce that meaning appropriately in the target language, while avoiding unnecessary interpretation or alteration.
Step 6: Final Review and Preparation
After translation, the work does not simply end.The final stage involves reviewing the document and checking that the translation corresponds to the verified transcript, names have been written consistently, terminology is consistent, no sections have been accidentally omitted and the tone and meaning have been preserved. Now the final document is clear and ready for delivery.
Behind the Scenes: Our Recent Court Case Project
To summarise, our recent project followed this path:
🎧 Audio-video files received
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✂️ Files divided into manageable segments
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📝 Audio transcribed into written text
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🔎 Transcript checked and edited three times
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👥 Difficult overlapping voices reviewed repeatedly
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📋 Names and information checked with the client
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🌍 Verified transcript translated into English
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🔎 Translation reviewed for accuracy, terminology and tone
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📄 Final document prepared according to the client's requirements
What may look like a simple transcription from the outside can therefore involve many hours of detailed linguistic work behind the scenes.
Jahel’s Experience: One of My Most Challenging Projects
“This was my first experience working on a project of this kind, and honestly, it was one of the most challenging projects I have worked on so far. ”
The biggest difficulty was the fact that multiple people were speaking at the same time. Some parts of the recording were extremely difficult to understand, so I had to listen to the same sections repeatedly — sometimes what felt like 100 times — to make sure that every word I transcribed was actually what had been said.
Another challenge was the language itself. The recording contained a considerable amount of licentious language and confidential personal information, which I am not particularly used to working with. However, when preparing a transcription for a legal case, personal preferences cannot influence the work. If a word was spoken, it had to be represented accurately in the transcript.
This experience taught me that transcription is not simply about listening and typing. It requires patience, concentration, attention to detail and the ability to remain objective, even when the content is difficult or unfamiliar.
It was definitely a demanding project, but it was also a valuable learning experience. It showed me how much work can happen behind the scenes before a client receives what may look like a simple, finished document. Daniela and I managed to finish this project together on time.”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between transcription and translation?
Transcription converts spoken language into written text, usually in the original language. Translation transfers that written content into another language while preserving its meaning and context.
2. Can you transcribe recordings with multiple speakers?
Yes. However, recordings with multiple or overlapping speakers can require significantly more time and repeated listening, particularly when voices cannot easily be distinguished.
3. What happens if part of the recording is unclear?
An unclear section should not simply be guessed. It may need to be replayed several times, compared with the surrounding context or discussed with the client where appropriate.
4. Can you work with legal or court-related recordings?
Yes. Legal audio and video files require particular attention to terminology, names, context and accuracy. Clients should also confirm any specific requirements with their solicitor, court or relevant institution.
5. How long does audio-video transcription and translation take?
The timeframe depends on the length and quality of the recording, number of speakers, language pair, terminology, amount of overlapping speech and required level of review. Our latest project lasted more than a week.
6. Can WhatsApp voice messages be transcribed and translated?
Yes. WhatsApp voice messages and other digital audio files can be assessed for transcription and translation.
Conclusion: Every Recording Has a Story Behind It
An audio or video file may only be a few minutes long, but the work required to accurately transcribe and translate it can be much more extensive.
From cutting recordings into segments and listening to difficult passages repeatedly, to checking names with the client and carefully translating the final transcript, every stage contributes to the accuracy of the finished document.
Our recent court-case project was a good example of why professional audio video transcription and translation requires patience, attention to detail and linguistic expertise — especially when several people are speaking at the same time.
We listen. We check. We review. We clarify. And only then do we translate.
At DGB Romanian Translation Services, we approach audio-video projects as complete linguistic assignments rather than simply converting speech into text.
📩 Have an audio or video file that needs transcription or translation? Contact our team to discuss your project and receive a personalised quote.
DGB Romanian Translation Services — turning spoken words into clear, accurate content.
