Can you help transcribe a section of audio?
Why?
The Gabriola Fire Protection District Trustees have regular public meetings. These are filmed, and the video recording of each meeting is posted on the Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department website.
We publish transcripts of these meetings. Sometimes we transcribe only one section of the meeting, other times we transcribe the whole meeting.
Generating transcripts takes a lot of time, but videos are not accessible to everyone, and they aren't searchable. We believe that there's a value in having written text that can be skimmed and searched. If you agree, we'd love to have your help.
How?
To make transcripts, we watch the video of the meeting, and use transcription software to get started with our transcription. That gives us a first draft, but it is riddled with gaps and errors. Next, we watch the video closely, re-winding again and again, while correcting the transcript. We check every word, correct every error, and do our best to identify speakers.
Can you help, by transcribing a section of a meeting?
If you volunteer, we will assign a 15 to 30 minute section of the video to you. We may be able to send you a first draft, generated by transcription software, but it will be bad, and maybe useless (though sometimes amusing). You'll do your best to transcribe your section, then you will send us the work you have done.
Then what?
Once we are sure that the sections are accurately transcribed, we will publish them here on GFPID Chronicles. We do not publish names of our volunteers. Your reward is the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping the Gabriola community by providing a record of what was said at a public meeting.
Can you help?
If you would like to volunteer as a transcriber, please fill out this form.