Exporting Closed Captions that work with Amazon Video Direct

[Scott Link]

I’m having trouble getting my caption file approved for Amazon Video Direct. I’ve created some nice 708 captions in Adobe CC. They look great, timed correctly, etc…

When I export the file, it does not matter what format I choose, AVD says it can’t process the file.

Has anyone found a workflow that works for this? Any hitches I might be missing?

I have previously succeeded in using an existing 608 .scc file that I imported and edited… and then uploaded without issues. But the 708 captions I created don’t seem to be working… Or at least none of the file types AVD says they accept work- .xml or srt.

[Scott Link]

So, an update. I still have not been able to get a 708 caption file to work.

But I did convert my video to 29.97, and re do all the captions in 608 and upload the new version and an .scc file, which seems to have been accepted.

I don’t know if it;s just a problem with 708 captions coming out of Adobe CC, or anything other than a .scc file. I have another film to upload. I will create captions as 608, but export and upload a different format to test it.

The reply I got from AVD support was that they are looking into my issue and will get back to me.

[Scott Link]

Update 2-

Just uploaded a 24p video with an .xml 608 caption file, which AVD says it can take. Same error message as with the 708 files. So far, only the 29.97 fps content with the .scc 608 captions have been accepted. I will try a few more formats, just to see. (.srt, .mcc, etc…)

[Scott Link]

Update 3- Using the caption preset for .srt, I was able to export a sidecar caption 608 file for a 24p video. So far it has not been rejected by AVD.

So, to sum up so far- What has worked with Amazon Video Direct Caption requirements exported from Premiere CC.

608 caption files only. Sidecar (of course).
29.97 fps content- .scc
24p content- .srt

Since they are 608, these are basic pop on captions, but the should meet the requirements for content. These are the only file types I could get to work, at this point. I am still waiting hear back from AVD support on why 708 captions/file types are being rejected.

[Heather Dominguez]

Just for clarification, I can’t seem to export only the sidecar file. Every time I export, I have to export the entire hd video. When uploading to Amazon do I have to upload the most recent mp4 video that was created when I created the sidecar file?

[Scott Link]

I’m not sure about having to alway export the video file, but if the time code is the same, you don;t have to re upload the video file with the new caption file. I was able to upload the the caption file several times as I was testing formats.

[Brian DiLorenzo]

Hi Scott,

For posting this…THANK YOU. I’ve been searching the internet for days for a clear answer on this…The Amazon support page never mentions 608 or 708. I ordered my captions from Rev.com, which their team told me defaults to 608 captions. I’ve been fixing / going through hurdles for days and days…I thought since 708 is the more “modern” coding system, it would be the preferred standard but appears that’s not the case…

Just had one followup question: I read on one of the forums that the little music symbols that appear on-screen whenever a song is playing were considered illegal..I can’t find any other article that supports that claim…In your experience, did you have music lyrics in your captions with the little music symbol and was it a problem at all?

Thanks again for your help,
Brian