If you edit in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, adding good captions usually means leaving your timeline: you export audio, make captions somewhere else, then bring the result back and style it by hand. It is slow, and it is easy to lose the timing.
CapsField has plugins for both programs, so the captions are made and styled in one place and then placed onto your timeline. The plugins are in beta, so expect some rough edges while we improve them.
What the plugin does
- It works on the video in your project.
- It makes the transcript in the language you choose, including Urdu, Hindi, Hinglish and English.
- It lets you pick a caption style and change the font, size, colour and position.
- It places the captions on your timeline at the right times, so they stay in sync with your edit.
You do not have to leave your editor, and you keep full control over the rest of your project.
Before you begin
- A CapsField account. There is a free plan to try it. Create one here.
- The plugin for your editor, from the Plugins page in your dashboard. Each plugin has its own key, so a Premiere Pro key will not work in DaVinci Resolve.
- A project with the clip you want to caption on the timeline.
Steps
- Install the plugin for your editor and restart it if it was open.
- Open the plugin: in Premiere Pro, from the Extensions menu. In DaVinci Resolve, from the Workspace > Scripts menu.
- Paste your plugin key the first time. It is kept on your computer.
- Choose the clip and the spoken language, then start the transcription.
- Check the words and the timing in the caption list and fix anything wrong.
- Choose a caption style and adjust it until it looks right.
- Place the captions on the timeline.
A note on DaVinci Resolve versions
Blackmagic changed how scripting works in newer versions of DaVinci Resolve, and some features are limited on the free edition. Check the Plugins page for current notes on which versions work.
Tips for editors
- Fix the captions before you place them. It is faster than editing them on the timeline afterwards.
- Place captions on their own track so they are easy to move or turn off.
- Keep the style the same across a series of videos so your channel looks consistent.
- Check the text against the safe zone for the platform you publish on.
Not an editor user?
You do not need Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve. The CapsField web editor does the same thing in your browser, with no install. Try it on your own video and export when you are happy.
