Is it impossible to learn to make caption video online? CABAR.asia Media School proves it is possible!

The first online marathon on creation of caption video was held on April 15 to 29 by the team of trainers: Azat Ruziev and Tilek Beishenaliev from Kyrgyzstan and Takhmina Khokimova from Tajikistan.

Trainers taught 59 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for two weeks to make video material in the caption video format, what it is made of, how to add audio and video, how to make captions, and, finally, to edit videos on smartphone or a PC.

All participants were given topics for their videos, and at the final stage of training, each had to submit one final video in this format: to write a story, to create a video, to add a protagonist, and to edit it for publication. 

29 participants coped with the final task. The most interesting caption video are available here.

In two weeks, finalists learned to choose an idea and present it to trainers and to make and edit videos on their smartphones – trainers provided support to every participant during the training. 

The training was held online via the platform of CABAR.asia Media School. The new online course on creation of caption video is available to all, but its first students were participants of the first marathon. Participants had access to home tasks, feedback from trainers, and a chat with other participants.

Trainers held three webinars for all participants for better preparation of homework: a webinar on making and recording audio, a webinar on editing on phone, and a webinar on editing on a PC. 

Participants made and edited their videos on their smartphones. For example, one of the winners of the marathon is Adinai Kerimova:

Also, they used PCs with fully-featured editing software, which many participants learned about during the marathon for the first time:

Quote of the training participant:

I liked the marathon very much. Despite the online training, I had a feeling I attended it offline. I liked the fact that trainers explained everything to us and also responded quickly and treated us with respect.

Not only professional journalists, but also housewives who were spending the lockdown time effectively took part in the marathon:

The best works were posted on social accounts of popular online outlets Kloop.kg, Anhor.uz, Factcheck.kg and Office of civil freedoms. 

Earlier, trainers Azat Ruziev and Tilek Beishenaliev had held a similar offline training for students of the Zh. Balasagyn Kyrgyz Nation University. The video of this training is available here. 

All those who want to take an online course on how to create caption video can take it. It is available here. 

This project is implemented by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) with the financial support of the British government. The opinions expressed during project events and/or project publications do not represent the official opinion of the British government and IWPR.