Narrative Video Caption Writer

About OpenTrain

OpenTrain AI is the hiring and contracting organization for this role and the #1 platform for finding and building careers in AI training and data labeling. OpenTrain helps people discover meaningful projects, build an AI-work profile, and apply in minutes.

• Free account creation
• Remote contract work in a fast-growing AI industry
• Opportunities to build experience shaping how AI systems understand content

About AI Training Work

AI training is the human side of building artificial intelligence. Contributors prepare and review examples, including written descriptions of video, so AI systems can better interpret scenes, language, actions, and emotions. This work offers flexible ways to contribute to cutting-edge technology from anywhere with a reliable internet connection.

• Part-time work that can fit around other commitments
• Meaningful projects supporting the development of modern AI systems
• Human judgment and careful writing are central to the work

The Role

As a Narrative Video Caption Writer, you will create one 50 to 250-word caption for each short video clip. Captions should support scene understanding by combining concise narrative writing with accurate observation of setting, background audio, dialogue, characters, actions, interactions, and overall emotion.

The role includes an initial calibration phase before ongoing production. Captioner work is listed at $25.75 per hour, while the Senior QC track is listed at $33.00 per hour. The structured role information also identifies a $25 hourly rate, so confirm the applicable rate during the contracting process.

• Contractor, part-time engagement
• 20+ hours per week
• USA-based role for native English speakers
• English-language video captioning and text generation
• Reliable internet suitable for streaming is required

What You'll Do

You will watch short clips and produce polished captions that are grounded in what appears or can be clearly heard on screen. Your writing must be factual, focused, and consistent with detailed style guidance.

• Establish the setting and relevant background audio
• Describe key characters, actions, interactions, and overall emotions
• Include pertinent dialogue
• Identify clearly recognizable public figures and brands when visible
• Keep each caption between 50 and 250 words
• Avoid naming shows or movies
• Do not speculate beyond the content of the clip
• Do not over-describe irrelevant background characters
• Follow style guides and maintain strict factual discipline
• Write without AI assistance or machine translation

Qualifications

You should have hands-on experience in at least one relevant discipline and be able to produce clean, native English prose. Experience may come from accessibility, entertainment, editorial, journalism, or narrative writing work.

• Native English speaker
• USA-based
• Experience in audio description or DVS for film or television
• Experience in closed captioning or subtitling, including SDH
• Narrative or creative writing experience, such as published fiction, nonfiction, essays, or branded storytelling
• Journalism or editorial writing experience, including features, culture, or reviews
• Script coverage or story analysis experience for film or television
• Ability to follow detailed style guides
• Strong factual accuracy and attention to detail
• Reliable internet for streaming video

Helpful Background

The following experience is welcome but not required. It may help you work efficiently across varied scenes and maintain consistency in a production environment.

• Entertainment metadata writing, including loglines, synopses, or scene summaries
• Post-production, localization, or accessibility team experience
• Accurate identification of public figures or brands from on-screen context
• Experience in news, sports, advertising, or other high-volume content pipelines
• Familiarity with captioning, audio description, and accessibility best practices
• Comfort using editorial review tools, commenting, or change tracking

Senior QC Track

Senior QC applicants will review caption quality, enforce the applicable rubric, and provide precise, constructive written feedback. This track is intended for experienced editors and quality reviewers who can resolve edge cases and maintain style consistency across teams.

• At least 2 years of editorial QA, copyediting, or caption QA experience
• Demonstrated style-guide and rubric enforcement
• Ability to give constructive writer feedback
• Experience resolving edge cases
• Ability to maintain consistent standards across teams
• Senior QC rate listed at $33.00 per hour

How to Apply Through OpenTrain

Create a free OpenTrain account, build your profile around your writing, captioning, accessibility, or editorial experience, and apply to the role in minutes. If selected, you will complete the calibration phase before moving into ongoing production work.

• Highlight relevant captioning, audio description, writing, or editorial experience
• Indicate whether you are applying for the Captioner or Senior QC track
• Confirm your availability for 20+ hours per week
• Apply as a USA-based native English speaker