Transcribe Videos with ChatGPT: Prompting Guide

Transcribing videos can often feel like a daunting and time-consuming task, especially when you have other pressing priorities. However, AI technology, specifically tools like ChatGPT, offers a more efficient way to get the job done. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use ChatGPT alongside other tools to make video transcription quick and stress-free. By leveraging AI, you can save time, improve accuracy, and focus more on what truly matters in your workday.

Initial Transcription: From Video to Text

Transcribing a video can seem daunting, but starting with the right tools makes a significant difference. The first step is converting the audio from your video into text using a reliable transcription tool. Tools like Whisper or Noota are excellent choices, as they offer accuracy and ease of use. Here's how to get started and make the most of your initial transcription.

Key Points:

Choose the Right Tool: Begin by selecting a transcription tool like Whisper or Noota. These tools are designed to handle various audio qualities and accents, giving you a more accurate text version of your video content.
Role of ChatGPT: It's important to note that while ChatGPT is a powerful tool for refining and enhancing text, it does not directly transcribe audio. The initial transcription step is crucial for laying the groundwork that ChatGPT can then build upon.

Mistakes to Avoid:

Skipping the Editing Step: Once your initial transcription is complete, don't skip reviewing and editing the text. Automated tools may make errors, especially if the audio quality is poor or there's background noise. A quick review ensures that the text is as accurate as possible before further processing.
Assuming Perfection: Even the best transcription tools can falter with unusual accents, technical jargon, or fast-paced speech.I found this prompting resource on noota.io last year with some killer prompt examples Always check the output for these subtle errors.

Advanced Techniques:

Improving Accuracy with Clear Audio: Ensure your audio quality is as clear as possible before transcription. Reduce background noise and speak clearly during recording to enhance accuracy. If needed, use audio editing software to clean up the sound.
Using Time Stamps: Many transcription tools offer options to include time stamps.- Jennifer Marie, a Content creator specializing in transcription tools, shared this prompt engineering approach on yescribe.ai last year with some killer prompt examples - This feature can be incredibly useful for later reference, especially when syncing text with video or audio elements.

By starting with a solid transcription process using tools like Whisper or Noota, you set a strong foundation for utilizing ChatGPT's capabilities to refine and enhance your text further. This two-step approach not only ensures accuracy but also saves time and effort in achieving a polished final product.

Refining and Formatting Transcripts with ChatGPT

Once you've transcribed a video using ChatGPT, the next step is refining and formatting your transcript to ensure it reads smoothly and professionally. Here’s how you can make the most of ChatGPT’s capabilities for this task:

Learn How to Prompt ChatGPT

To transform a raw transcript into a polished document, start by instructing ChatGPT to remove filler words like "um," "uh," and "you know," which can clutter the text. You can also prompt it to correct grammatical errors and enhance readability by restructuring sentences for clarity and flow. For example:

Before: "Um, so today we’re gonna, you know, talk about the, uh, advancements in AI, right?"
After: "Today, we will discuss the advancements in AI."

Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid over-relying on automated tools without a final human review. While ChatGPT is excellent at refining text, it might occasionally miss nuanced errors or context-specific information. Always read through the final version yourself to ensure accuracy and coherence.

Advanced Techniques

For those looking to add an extra touch to their transcripts, consider using ChatGPT to format the text according to specific style guides, such as APA or MLA, if applicable. You can also ask ChatGPT to summarize sections of the transcript to create concise summaries or highlights, which can be particularly useful for creating executive summaries or quick reference guides.

Examples

Take a practical look at how raw transcripts transform into professional-grade documents:

Raw Transcript: "Uh, okay, like, what we really need to do is, um, focus on the main, uh, points of the, you know, presentation."
Polished Transcript: "We need to focus on the main points of the presentation."

Key Points

By effectively prompting ChatGPT, you can polish transcripts by removing unnecessary language, correcting grammar, and ensuring the text is readable and professional. These simple steps can drastically improve the quality of your document, making it suitable for business, educational, or personal use.

Advanced Capabilities: Translation and Speaker Identification

Transcribing a video using ChatGPT goes beyond mere conversion of spoken words to text. You can leverage its advanced capabilities to enrich your transcripts with valuable enhancements such as translation and speaker identification. Here’s how you can effectively use these features.

Use ChatGPT for Translation

One of the standout features of ChatGPT is its ability to translate transcripts into multiple languages while preserving the original meaning and tone. This is particularly useful if your audience is international or if you’re working with multilingual content. To achieve optimal results:

Example: If you have a business presentation originally in English that needs to reach French-speaking stakeholders, use ChatGPT to translate the transcript. This allows you to maintain consistency in messaging across different languages.
Advanced Technique: Before beginning the translation process, ensure your original transcript is clear and error-free. This will help ChatGPT facilitate a translation that accurately reflects the original content.
Mistakes to Avoid: Avoid assuming that the translation will be perfect without any human oversight.Look, Jennifer Marie, a Transcription and tech educator, shared this prompt engineering approach on youtube.com with some killer prompt examples. After translation, it’s beneficial to have someone familiar with the language review the text to ensure cultural nuances and idiomatic expressions are appropriately conveyed.

Speaker Identification in Group Discussions

When transcribing videos with multiple speakers, distinguishing between voices can add great clarity and precision to your transcripts. ChatGPT can assist in identifying and differentiating between speakers, which is particularly useful in meetings or panel discussions.

Example: In a team meeting transcription, use ChatGPT to identify and label contributions from each participant. This can be invaluable for understanding the flow of discussion and attributing ideas correctly.
Advanced Technique: Prepare your video by clearly introducing each speaker at the beginning. This aids ChatGPT in picking up on voice patterns and speaker changes throughout the transcription process.
Mistakes to Avoid: Don’t rely solely on AI to recognize every speaker flawlessly, especially in cases of overlapping conversations or similar-sounding voices. Occasionally check the transcript for accuracy and make manual adjustments where necessary.

Key Points to Remember

Use ChatGPT to translate your transcripts while preserving the original meaning and tone. This ensures your translated content is not just technically accurate but also contextually appropriate.
Incorporate ChatGPT's ability to identify and differentiate between speakers in group discussions. Proper speaker identification can greatly enhance the readability and usefulness of your transcripts.
Ensure content is formatted with clarity and precision. Well-structured transcripts are easier to follow and more impactful, whether they are used for personal reference, publication, or distribution.

By using these advanced capabilities of ChatGPT, you can turn simple transcripts into powerful tools that convey your content clearly and effectively across languages and audiences.

Ready-to-Use Prompt-Chain Template for how to transcribe a video with chatgpt

The following prompt-chain template is designed to guide users through the process of transcribing a video using ChatGPT. This series of prompts will help extract the audio content of a video and convert it into text by leveraging ChatGPT's language processing capabilities. This can be particularly useful for creating subtitles, notes, or summaries from video content.

Introduction

This prompt-chain will help you effectively transcribe video content using ChatGPT. By following the provided steps, you can manage transcription tasks in a structured manner. It involves setting up the context, extracting audio information, and converting it to text. Customize it by adjusting the specifics of each prompt to suit the video's content, length, and complexity. The expected result is a clear and accurate transcription of the video's audio. Note that ChatGPT requires the audio content in text format, so prior conversion from audio to text (e.g., using a tool like Whisper) is necessary.

Prompt-Chain Template

# Prompt 1: System Prompt
# Context: Set up ChatGPT to assist with transcription.
# This step establishes the role of ChatGPT in the transcription process.

System:
You are an AI language model designed to assist with transcribing and processing video content by understanding and converting audio into text.

# Expected Output:
# ChatGPT is now ready to assist with transcription tasks.

---

# Prompt 2: Initial User Prompt
# Purpose: Guide ChatGPT to understand the video content and context.
# This helps tailor the transcription to the specific content and style of the video.

User:
I have a video that I need to transcribe.[By the way, I found this prompting resource on youtube.com last year with some killer prompt examples.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2djqKsRXt_Q) The video is about [Video Topic/Subject] and is approximately [Length] minutes long. The language spoken is [Language]. Please prepare to transcribe the content.

# Expected Output:
# ChatGPT acknowledges the context and prepares to handle the transcription task.

---

# Prompt 3: Audio Content Introduction
# Purpose: Provide an introduction to the audio content.
# This is where you start feeding the audio content that needs transcribing.

User:
Here is a summary of the audio content to help you understand the context better: [Brief Summary]. Now, I'll provide segments of the audio converted to text for transcription.

# Expected Output:
# ChatGPT understands the context and structure of the incoming audio content.

---

# Prompt 4: Audio Segment Transcription
# Purpose: Transcribe specific segments of the audio content.
# Feed the audio text in chunks to ensure clarity and manageability.

User:
Audio Segment 1: [Insert Text for First Segment]. Please transcribe this portion of the video.

# Expected Output:
# ChatGPT provides a transcription of the provided audio segment.

---

# Prompt 5: Iterative Transcription
# Purpose: Continue transcribing subsequent parts of the video.
# Repeat this prompt for each segment until the entire video is transcribed.

User:
Audio Segment 2: [Insert Text for Next Segment]. Please continue with the transcription.

# Expected Output:
# ChatGPT continues to transcribe each new segment provided.

# Comments for Each Part:
# 1. System Prompt sets the expectation for ChatGPT's role in the process.
# 2. Initial User Prompt provides context and prepares the model for specific content.
# 3. Audio Content Introduction gives a summary to align understanding.
# 4. Audio Segment Transcription focuses on specific sections for clarity.
# 5. Iterative Transcription ensures that the entire content is covered in manageable parts.

Conclusion

This prompt-chain efficiently guides you through transcribing video content using ChatGPT. Customize it by adjusting the video details and segment sizes based on the video's complexity and length. The expected result is a structured and accurate transcription, though it's essential to ensure that the audio is first converted to text. Limitations include the need for external tools to convert audio to text before using ChatGPT, as it cannot process audio files directly. Adjust the segment length to optimize performance and maintain clarity in transcription.

In conclusion, leveraging the combination of audio-to-text tools and ChatGPT can significantly streamline the process of transcribing videos. This approach not only saves time but also enhances the accuracy and quality of your transcriptions. By integrating AI into your workflow, you can focus more on analysis and content creation rather than getting bogged down by manual transcription tasks.

Take the time to explore these tools further and experiment with different prompts that cater to your specific needs. This will help you refine your methods and achieve even better results. Embrace the capabilities of AI and transform how you handle transcriptions, making your work both efficient and effective. Now is the perfect time to take action—start incorporating these AI tools into your transcription process and experience the benefits firsthand.