Creating Transcripts For TrialDirector

If you get a nice, clean transcript from the court reporter to import into TrialDirector that’s pretty sweet and easy but what about if you have to create one yourself?  Here are the steps you would take to format a transcript to use in the TimeCoder function of TrialDirector to create your own transcript.

1. Create the transcript in Microsoft Word
• The transcript MUST be final. Do all of your edits in Word.  You will not be able to edit or redact the transcript in TrialDirector.
• To properly format each speaker, insert Make a hard return between speakers
• Double-space the entire transcript
• Save as Plain Text (.txt) file
2. Open Trial Director
3. Go to TOOLS – TIMECODER
4. Click Cancel
5. Go to TOOLS – APPLY WORD FORMATTING
6. Open the text (.txt) file you created.
7. Word Wrap Lines over 65 characters
8. Check remove leading whitespace over 8 characters
9. Save the file
10. Go to TOOLS – APPLY PAGE/LINE FORMATTING
11. Browse to the text (.txt) file you saved in step 9.
12. Take the defaults.
13. Re-save the file overwriting the previous version.
14. Go to FILE – CREATE A NEW DIGITAL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
15. Browse for your formatted transcript
16. Go to MULTIMEDIA – MULTIMEDIA MANAGER
17. Add the media file that you will link with the transcript.
18. Synchronize the transcript – press record button, then play
19. Press SPACEBAR to enter the timecode. (See the shortcut key box in the upper left corner in TimeCoder)
20. Press Record button again when you have completed
21. Export the DVT to TrialDirector Case file (*.cms)
22. Import into TrialDirector
23. Click on TRANSCRIPT MANAGER tab
24. Go to TRANSCRIPTS – Import Transcript(s) from – Synchronized Transcript
25. Your synchronized transcript should now be in your Case Library. Expand the TRANSCRIPTS folder.
26. To add a trial exhibit number
27. Go to TRANSCRIPT MANAGER
28. Right click on VIRTUAL CLIP – PROPERTIES – EXTENDED
29. Set preferences on how you want to scroll the synchronized transcript in presentation preferences

You won’t find these instructions or how to do this in any of the TrialDirector manuals.  Hopefully this will help you in creating your transcripts.  Good luck.