Rob Lehr is an awesome guy. He’s the one and only person behind Hambone Productions–which does all the videography for Skepticon.
But here’s the thing about videos–they don’t work for the hearing impaired. Transcripts do. They’re also useful for people who want to quote excerpts, people who don’t have lots of spare time, people who use screen-readers, and on and on and on. Accessibility is important and the skepto-atheist community can do something. Making these available to those who can’t do audio-only is the minimum standard of access.
So, here’s what’s happening. Transcripts–crowdsourced transcripts (with permission from Rob). Comment below with the one you want to take. And check the comments to make sure there aren’t duplicates! I’m doing Rebecca Watson’s, Miriam has JT’s, and I’ll keep updating this list with links as they go up, since not every video has been uploaded yet.
Rules of thumb I use:
- Brackets for non-verbal activites [mumble] [audience laughs]
- em-dashes to show interrupting (“and then she said–)
- removing filler words (um, uhhh) unless they involve really big pauses or seem conversationally significant.
- Bolding each speaker’s name.
The List:
Bolded talks have been taken, but check the comments too because I’m going to be away from my computer today.
Greta Christina
JT Eberhard
George Hrab
Phil Ferguson
Julia Galef
Panel Discussion – How should Rationalists approach Relationships and Marriage
Sean Carroll – The Higgs Boson and the Fundamental Nature of Reality
Jessica Ahlquist
Jennifer Oulette
Hemant Mehta – The Rise of Young Atheists
PZ Myers – Evolution, I Do The Kinky Stuff
Rebecca Watson
Keith Lowell Jensen
James Croft – God is Dead. So What?
Matt Dillahunty
Deborah Hyde – The Natural History of the European Werewolf
Richard Carrier
Darrel Ray – The Shame of it All, or Why Do We Act Like Christians
Amanda Knief – Caution: Atheists at Work. How to Avoid Employment Discrimination
Teresa MacBain – Shift Happens
Tony Pinn - Racial Diversity and/in Our Fight Against Theism
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julian
November 24, 2012 at 3:35 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’d be happy to help. Lots of time to waste but I’ve a few quick questions. How are we submitting these transcripts? Are there any deadlines?
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 3:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
So right now, no. Basically I’m setting this up via this blog post. Send the transcripts to me as of now (donovanable[at]gmail[dot]com). I’ll get them to Rob or the Skepticon team or find a place to host them.
If this changes, I’ll edit this comment and the blog post itself to reflect that.
Also, no deadlines as of yet, especially as the videos aren’t all available now.
Avery Thompson
November 24, 2012 at 4:24 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ll do Sean Carroll’s talk. Should be fun!
Also, have you talked to the people at A+ Scribe about this? It seems like this would be right up their alley. It would at least be a good place to host the transcripts.
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 4:27 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I did start this separately because of the permissions it takes to be a transcriber on A+ Scribe, and because I know they’re backlogged. However, I have reached out
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 4:28 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Also, I’ll not you down as doing his talk! It isn’t up yet, but I’ll include the link when it is
Kaoru Negisa
November 24, 2012 at 4:51 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Put me down for Julia Galef’s talk when it’s up.
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 4:53 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Done!
Kate Donovan
November 30, 2012 at 4:53 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Julia’s talk is now up
Kaoru Negisa
November 30, 2012 at 5:19 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you. This might take me a day or two since I’m dealing with getting my unemployment stuff in order, but I’ll get it out to you asap.
ischemgeek
November 24, 2012 at 5:03 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You might be interested in A+ Scribe, a crowdsourced transcript project started by trinioler on the A+ forums. It’s basically what you have in mind here.
It’d be great if you’d give trinioler permission to host transcripts you gather.
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 5:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I know trinoiler! I’ve actually already contacted A+Scribe, though I am going to look into Skepticon/Hambone for hosting first.
sylva
November 24, 2012 at 6:09 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ll do Greta Christina’s. She’s such a clear speaker, as well as an excellent one with great phrasing, that this should be fun.
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 6:10 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ve put that one down as claimed! Email me at the email above when you’re done.
sylva
November 24, 2012 at 6:12 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Also a question – I’m assuming that the Q&A part should be included. Since Greta Christina’s is via Skype, should all the interplay as part of the questioning be included, or just the questions and the answers?
Kate Donovan
November 24, 2012 at 6:14 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’d suggest making a note that there was interplay and tech difficulties, but that you cut it. I sometimes use the [tech difficulties] tag to signify that.
Amanda
November 26, 2012 at 11:08 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ll take Jennifer Oulette.
Do you have a preference for what file format you’d like them in?
Kate Donovan
November 26, 2012 at 12:02 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Done!
If you email me a word document, or share a googledoc, that would be perfect.
Kate Donovan
December 10, 2012 at 2:21 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Just linked to Jennifer’s talk! Happy transcribing!
MikeA
November 26, 2012 at 11:19 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’d be glad to help with the Matt Dillahunty bit.
Kate Donovan
November 26, 2012 at 12:03 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Done! I’ll add a link as soon as the video is up
MikeA
November 26, 2012 at 8:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you!
Kate Donovan
December 10, 2012 at 2:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Matt’s is up!
Peter N
November 26, 2012 at 11:53 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I tell you what — in a few days, after this thread has died down, if you have any talks left over, I’ll be happy to cover one. You can contact me through my website.
Strewth
November 26, 2012 at 12:25 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Can you put me down for Amanda Kneif? I think hers in particular is an important talk that should be more widely accessible.
Kate Donovan
November 26, 2012 at 12:27 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ve just listed it as claimed for you now. Transcribe away!
tubi
November 26, 2012 at 12:31 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ll do Richard Carrier. So to speak.
Kate Donovan
November 26, 2012 at 12:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Excellent! I just added the link to his video, actually, and now I’ve marked it as claimed for you
tubi
November 26, 2012 at 1:25 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I just started watching it a little at work, but I, you know, have to work…so I’ll take a closer look tonight.
:>
Aunolin
November 26, 2012 at 10:35 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hey Kate! I’m down for Darrel Ray’s talk; I’ll start right now. Can you text me to confirm? Thanks, friend!
Kaoru Negisa
November 26, 2012 at 10:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m actually a little more than half way through with that one. Sorry, I should have mentioned something here, but I emailed Kate about it already. %)
Aunolin
November 27, 2012 at 2:03 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
S’alright! I only got about 7% of the way through, anyway.
Also, I can’t be mad at anyone who uses Dr. Strange in their Gravatar :^D
Kaoru Negisa
November 27, 2012 at 9:07 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Glad I caught you before you got too far in. %) And thank you for knowing who my Gravitar is. Closest guess I’ve heard so far was “Tony Stark”, I suppose because they both have goatees.
Aunolin
November 27, 2012 at 6:23 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Also shiny circles on their chests, I guess? Our floor theme sophomore year of college was Marvel vs. DC, and my door dec was Doctor Strange. I have that poster on my wall now, so essentially, your Gravatar is about two feet from my head at night 0_o.
Kate Donovan
November 26, 2012 at 10:55 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Sorry! It’s true, and I’ve updated the log to reflect that.
Aunolin
November 27, 2012 at 2:06 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Is there anything I can work on starting tomorrow? I’ve got a goodly amount of time that’s going to dry up as soon as I hit Friday.
Kate Donovan
November 27, 2012 at 3:00 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Tony Pinn! The video link is already up.
Aunolin
November 27, 2012 at 6:34 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks, Kate!
sylva
November 28, 2012 at 8:29 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Since I have some time this weekend (if not sooner), I’ll take Jessica Ahlquist’s speech.
Kate Donovan
November 28, 2012 at 9:45 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
And now the record shows that
Chris Looye
November 30, 2012 at 12:34 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ll do PZ’s if no one has claimed him yet.
Finally, being unemployed and on the internet too much has paid off!
Kate Donovan
November 30, 2012 at 12:39 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You’ve got it! Happy transcribing, and thanks
sylva
December 6, 2012 at 7:53 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It’s me again. Looking at another weekend coming up, and some time to work on Deborah Hyde’s speech.
julie
December 31, 2012 at 5:14 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hi! If there are unclaimed talks still, I could do one or two or even three (I don’t care whose) during the week. Let me know.
Also, I’m a language translator so should you ever need a volunteer Slovak/English translator and/or interpreter, I can help with that too.
julie
December 31, 2012 at 5:18 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
On second thought, if I can choose, I’d love to do Deborah Hyde’s and Darren Day’s if that’s okay.
julie
December 31, 2012 at 5:20 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Looks like I’m having a conversation with myself, sorry, but FtB seriously needs an ‘edit’ button in the comments. I see both talks are taken already.
Aunolin
December 31, 2012 at 4:07 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I was a derp and ended up not being able to do Tony Pinn. Would you like to take his talk?
julie
December 31, 2012 at 4:28 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Absolutely. It will be done in a couple of days.
n3m0
March 12, 2013 at 3:03 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Does anybody know how to contact Rob Lehr? I can’t seem to reach him neither through gmail nor youtube messages…
Help Rob Lehr with transcriptions
November 26, 2012 at 10:12 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[...] has an automatic captioner, but its results are more lulzy than laudable.Here is where you come in. Kate Donovan is organizing volunteers to get these videos transcribed so that Rob can help get these videos to a wider audience.But [...]
A Different Wedge | Almost Diamonds
November 27, 2012 at 2:54 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[...] transcribe these talks to make them accessible to the deaf and people without an hour to spare, Kate is looking for volunteers. No one has claimed this talk yet. Share this:DiggEmailPrint Posted in Conferences, Difference [...]