Writing Captions for Off-Screen Speech
Writing Captions for Off-Screen Speech records a distinct W3C-supported caption-writing task while keeping implementation mechanics and unsupported house-style rules outside the guidance.
W3C WAI documents italics as a common captioning practice for speech from an off-screen speaker.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
W3C presents this as a common practice rather than a universal file-format requirement, so preserve platform or house-style conventions when they differ.
Further guidance
Content
When the speaker is off-screen, you can distinguish the speech typographically, such as with italics, while retaining any speaker identification needed for understanding.
Practical Application
Keep the spoken words and use the platform or house convention for off-screen speech, such as italics, while adding speaker identification when the identity is needed for understanding.
Purpose
The cue helps users understand that the voice is not coming from a visible speaker in the scene.
Reader Check
Can the viewer tell that the voice comes from outside the visible shot and, when necessary, who is speaking?
Worked Example
If Maya speaks from the hallway while another person is on screen, retain the line “Maya: Keys are on the table” and apply the caption system’s off-screen treatment rather than presenting it as the visible person’s speech.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Transcribing Audio to Text — W3C WAI (opens in a new tab)World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative · W3C WAI guidance for identifying speakers and representing relevant audio information in transcripts and captions.