Oral Culture Transcription Toolkit/Audio-Video Recording

How can you create videos and audio files of high quality that can be uploaded on digital platforms? There are certain aspects of audio-visual recording such as consent, audio-visual recording, metadata collection and publication, and accessibility that a volunteer must be familiar with. The following instructions and tips are based on the OpenSpeaks toolkit.

A few quick instructions:

1. Invest in the best available recording equipment within your budget, or borrow it from someone. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with your equipment, whether it's audio or video, and ensure it is in proper working condition prior to the interview.
2. Test the equipemnt on-site with both yourself and the interviewee speaking into the recording to ensure clear audio from both parties. If your equipment relies on batteries, carry spares. If it is rechargeable, ensure it is fully charged.
3. Keep the recording device horizontal, not vertical.
4. Record at the highest quality level and avoid compressing the files during recording. It's essential to have sufficient memory on your recorder to accommodate your needs.
5. Set the recording device in a manner that no part of the interviewee's face is cut. It is advised to keep the head to waist portion within the frame of the video.
6. Record in a well-lit place.
7. Test the video on site. You want to be sure the image is well lit, and the audio is clear. Set the camera so that if the interviewee leans or changes position, he/she won't be cut off or out of frame.
8. Don't make any cuts, and don't mix different videos together. Do not add any external music or vocals other than the recorded voice.
9. Stop the video only when the song or activity to be recorded is over, even if it is repeating. Because repeating or lengthening can also be a part of folk song / literature.
10. Use a tripod for recording.
11. Test the tripod at home before using it on the field.
12. Don't edit the video, except for cropping.

General Tips

A few things to keep in mind before recording:

• Age: the interviewee should be an adult. In case they are a minor, obtaining the consent of the parents would be required. Keeping the specific cultural context in mind, ensure that the interviewee is feeling comfortable and also that their private space is not being breached.
• Let the interviewee speak without interruption, even if you do not personally agree with their views.
• Asking open ended and follow up questions is advised.
• General instructions for Ensuring good quality of the videos: include name, date, and location in the recording. Avoid noisy background, avoid visually crowded background, keep the camera/phone steady-using a tripod would be helpful.
• Languages and interview questions for oral history videos: in case the interviewer is going to record a person who speaks a language that they do not understand, a point of contact/translator would be required. Alternatively, they can ask the questions in language that they both understand, but the answers can be in the speaker’s language. Correspondence between the interviewer and interviewee would be required in such a case. The responses can later be translated/subtitled into a language that the interviewee understands.
• Language for transcription: it is suggested that the transcription is done in at least two languages-1 in the native language, 1 in a widely used language. Prioritise the native language.

Consent, Content Rights and Licensing

Consent

It is essential to obtain explicit consent from the person being recorded, in the written form or orally. If it is in the oral form, it is suggested that the consent is recorded along with the video/audio being recorded. The interviewer should make two printed copies of the form, one for the interviewee and one for themselves.

Written Consent

Written consent is preferred over verbal as it is more direct and can be produced in case it is needed.

This OpenSpeaks example can be used as the consent form.

Oral Consent

There are certain circumstances in which written consent can’t/shouldn’t be obtained, a verbal consent is the preferred method in such cases. Learn more.

Oral Consent script

Script:

“Is it okay if I record you/the group and upload the video on Wikimedia Commons?”

(Ensure that the subject replies in words. The meaning of gestures can vary and can be tough to interpret.)

Tips:

• Record the consent from beginning to the end, the video should not appear as if it is cut or cropped.
• If anyone is not comfortable with being recorded in a video, the audio can be recorded/separated from the video for public usage.
• Create the consent video separately and store it safely in your device or cloud storage. It can be used later upon request.
• Note the name of the subject, area, and language as metadata.

Content Rights

Content rights or copyrights give clarity about who owns the content and how the content can be used. There are different types and levels of rights, it is essential for a documentary maker to be familiar with them as accessibility is a major concern in works around language and culture.

There are seven regularly used licenses (inspired by Wikipedia as mentioned in the OpenSpeaks toolkit). Have a look at the three simplest types of copyrights given below.

1. CC-Zero or CC0- Anything with this marked as the copyright is open for others to use, distribute, remix, use it to create other works. It can be redistributed for free and used to make money. The original owner does not need to be credited.
2. CC Attribution or CC-BY- The same things as under CC0 are allowed under this license except that it is necessary to credit the original copyright owner for any of the mentioned usages.
3. CC Attribution-Sharealike or CC-BY-SA- Anything with this marked as the copyright is open for others to use, distribute, remix, use it to create other works. It can be redistributed for free and used to make money. The same things as CC-BY are allowed and limited under this copyright with the exception that the user must credit the Owner and release the new creations under the licence the Owner used. It is the most preferred copyright in the context of Wikimedia.

*It is vital to be ethical in one's data collection methodology. For more information on consent, ownership, and transparency visit these guidelines.

Audio-visual Recording

Planning for recording

Before you begin recording, you have to keep a few things in consideration. Having a ready questionnaire that is adaptable, suitable devices and other such planning is helpful.

Recording devices

• The recording devices must be fully charged, the screen optimally bright. It is advised to keep the data backed up and carry an additional SD card. Use the best setting for audio and video and carry a charging cable. Knowing the settings of the device will be helpful. Also, take a break of 5-20 minutes every hour to keep your device from malfunctioning.
• Other details you can keep in mind are framing model questions, keeping the distractions minimal, taking notes and being well-prepared.

See helpful tips on creating the best recordings and more detailed instructions.

During recording

• Begin by asking for consent, it should be recorded either in audio or video or in written form. For a format on asking for consent verbally, click this link.
• Use a marker of some type, e.g. a clap, to distinguish one recording from another.
• Try to relate to the interviewee and ensure that they feel comfortable with you.
• In order to get the interview out of their shell you can use some warm-up questions.
• Ensure that you are using your body-language to communicate well with the interviewee.
• Shooting a b-roll with small videos also helps to capture things that cannot be communicated orally, e.g. daily life of the interviewee.

Audio Recording

• Choose a microphone that suits your purpose, based on whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors.
• You can choose additional equipment on the basis of your requirements. Some commonly used equipment are: tripod, shotgun microphone, and boom microphone. Check out more about them.

Scenarios

• Home studio: In case you are recording from inside the home, keep the setup minimal.
• Field recording with a microphone or phone: Carry an audio recorder or a smartphone with a recorder installed and earphones if you are outside. You can attach fur to the recorder to save it from dust and noise, however, you will need to handle it with care to ensure that your touch does not distort the audio.
• Recording using phone: earphones that are used with phones can be used to record good quality videos. Ensure that the earphones are close to the interviewee.
• Audio editing software: you can use free, open-source software like Audacity to edit audio files. It ideally allows one to record audio without compromising quality. You can change the format of the audio as per your requirement.

Video Recording

• Choose between a camera or a phone based on your requirement. If you purchase a camera, choose one that can record in HD (most phones these days record in HD)
• Learn about the settings of the device, e.g. if using a phone it might have added unnecessary features. Check and remove unnecessary features and keep the camera quality optimum.

Metadata Collection and Publication

What are metadata?

Data that are collected to provide more information about collected information.

Metadata are "data that provides information about other data", but not the content of the data, such as the text of a message or the image itself.

Some of the metadata you can provide with your documented  video/audio are following:

• Language: the language being documented, different names of the language, writing system/script used for the language, communities/tribes that use the script.
• Speaker/interviewee: the name, age, and gender of the interviewee. The factors that might have influenced the interviewee's language (e.g. migration)
• Technical: the technical details of audio and video files can be found by clicking on the three dots It is called a kebab menu and looks like three dots arranged horizontally.

Oral Culture Transcription Toolkit [translate]

Documentation of oral culture ensures the preservation of culture as well as language. This toolkit gives detailed instructions on how to record oral culture, how to upload them on Wikimedia Commons, to create a transcription and upload it on Wikisource. A list of interview questions for successful elicitation of the language and culture of the community has also been included.

Interview Questions [translate]

Effectiveness in language documentation is successful with preparedness, it is useful to have a list of questions that help in thorough elicitation of vocabulary.

Wiki Workflow [translate]

Learn how to upload recorded videos on Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia's media repository. Also learn how to transcribe the videos and upload them on Wikisource, Wikimedia's digital library.