Hello and welcome to my 3Play Media Transcription Review.
While traditional jobs surely have their benefits, they may not be for you. If you have health issues or need to stay at home for any reason, you may be considering an online job to earn money. Something you can do from the comfort of your own home.
Could 3Play Media be the solution you're looking for?
I have some health issues myself which is one of the reasons I work from home. Aside from that, I just love the flexibility and independence of doing my own thing on my own terms.
It's not always easy finding the right opportunity though. You’re probably looking for a 3Play Media review that tells you what you want to hear. I'll do my best. I'll also tell you what you need to hear 🙂
In this review I'll help you understand what 3Play Media is all about – from their history to what they do, the application process, requirements and of course, the types of jobs they’re offering.
So, just hang in there while I go over in detail the following topics:
- What is 3Play Media Transcription?
- Are 3Play Media Transcription Jobs a Scam?
- How Does 3Play Media Transcription Work?
- 3Play Media Transcription Reviews and Complaints
- What I Like About 3Play Media Transcription
- What I Don’t Like About It
- Where Do You Go From Here?
Disclaimer:Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for 3Play Media TranscriptionThis review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info
What Is 3Play Media Transcription?
Founded in 2007 by 4 MIT graduates (Chris Antunes, CJ Johnson, Jeremy Barron, and Josh Miller), 3Play Media now has headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.
The founders’ main goal was to find an affordable means to make video files accessible to everyone. Through innovative thinking and technology, they came up with a system which uses captioning and transcriptions to achieve the results they were hoping for.
The entire system of 3Play Media Transcription involves 3 steps…
- The initial transcription process using automatic speech recognition.
- Human editing to clean up the initial transcriptions, and…
- Human quality review for higher accuracy.
It’s actually those 3 steps that led to branding their company “3Play Media.”
3Play Media’s customers include companies, educational institutions, government agencies, media outlets, entertainment entities, and more. Their clients include Procter and Gamble, University of Wisconsin, and the IRS, just to name a few.
As expected, 3Play Media Transcription services benefit their customers by adding value to their video marketing strategies. Captions and transcriptions on these online files not only make them accessible to more people, they provide more searchable content and cues for search engines.
Here are just some of the people who would find video files with captions and transcriptions useful:
- Hearing impaired.
- Visual learners (some of us learn better through reading and writing, rather than listening to audio). Captions also make it easier to locate specific talking points in a video that would otherwise require re-listening.
- People who are in sound-sensitive environments.
Today, 3Play Media employs more than 50 employees in their offices and have captioned and transcribed more than 3 million video files. Their customers have also grown to more than 2,500 business entities. And of course, people from all over the world benefit from their services.
Are 3Play Media Transcription Jobs a Scam?
3Play Media is as legit as it gets and there is no evidence of it being a scam. In fact, I haven't seen any complaints about them being a scam.
Having said that, when it comes to any online job it's important to do your research first. There are lot of scams that “look” just as legit as 3Play Media, but are not.
And there are a lot scammers who are impersonating companies like 3Play Media.
3Play Media's record speaks for itself though. They’ve been in business for more than 10 years now and they’ve maintained a good reputation throughout the years. They’re also known for their competitive pay and professional (yet fun) working environment.
Unlike a lot of these work-at-home companies, 3Play Media also has a strong social media presence.
They have an active Facebook page (established in 2009) which currently has 1,200+ followers and a Twitter account with more than 13,000 tweets to date (and 3,200+ followers).
Their LinkedIn Profile is also followed by 1,600+ people.
3Play Media transcription is definitely NOT a scam!
Nor are they waste of time. Just the opposite. Working for 3Play Media is a great opportunity for the right person.
Perhaps the biggest issue you'll run into is common with most work-at-home gigs. Not having enough work and/or competition for jobs.
As a freelancer it's a good idea to be flexible and diversify your uproach (unless of course you have a long-term and stable client)
In your downtime you may find work on other platforms as well.
Or , if you're not ready to commit to anything serious, you can make a little extra money online with online survey and get-paid-to sites, like surveyjunkie.com and inboxdollars.com
They won't make you rich, but they're an easy way to get started online and can also be a stepping stone to something more serious like an online business.
You may be at home because of difficulties with your health for example, or young ones to look after.
If that’s the case and a full-time income online is what you want, knowing how and where to get started is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
How Does 3Play Media Transcription Work?
You’ll meet Bo (3PlayMedia’s online recruitment staff and company dog) when you search for jobs on their official website. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite. He’s actually a very friendly dog (just look at him!) 😊
When searching for a job, you have 2 choices – 3Play Media Jobs in Boston (their office) or the ones you're probably interested in, the Transcript Editor Jobs (also called 3Play Media Transcription Jobs).
3Play Media Jobs in Boston
If there are openings in their Boston office, you’ll find a list of the available jobs on their page. Job positions can include the following:
- Account Executives
- Engineers
- Business Development Representatives
Just so you know how wonderful it is to work for 3Play Media, here are some of their benefits and perks (for employees only):
- Competitive salaries
- Medical and Dental insurance
- Disability and life insurance
- 401K
- Vacation/Sick Pays
- Company outings
- Free snacks plus coffee and beer
I can already imagine their working environment… nice people, nice pay, free food, and a friendly dog as a part of their team. It sounds really amazing!
Of course, that's IF you live in Boston…
If not, it'll be 3Play Media's Transcript Editor jobs that interest you.
What is a 3Play Media Transcription Job?
Unlike their jobs in Boston, 3Play Media is continuously hiring what are called Transcript Editors. These are different than typical transcription jobs you'd find with companies like Allegis and Babbletype for example, or Literably where you are scoring audio read by students with written text.
Rather than transcribing audio, you are editing a file that has already been transcribed… hence the name, Transcript Editor.
They actually have 2 options for this – as an English Transcript Editor or a Spanish one.
Working at 3Play Media
3Play Transcription editing is a contractual job, and that makes it different from regular employee jobs (especially in terms of benefits). Since this is a remote-type of job, you can be anywhere in the US for this (as long as there’s an internet connection). And of course, you’ll get ALL the other perks of working from home such as:
- Choosing which projects to take
- Flexible working hours
- Work anywhere (even outside your home)
- Stay at home with your loved ones while working (and earning money)
I know, it sounds just as amazing as working in an office with free food and drinks, right?
Just know that each captioning and transcription project comes with a deadline (and you must meet those deadlines to remain in good standing with the company).
Also, 3Play Media provides expert transcribing services to their customers so you must be accurate and provide quality work.
It works like this…
Unlike most transcription companies where you're working from an audio or video file, you’ll get video files that are already transcribed (by their speech recognition software). However, these computer-generated results are not 100% correct, which is why human editing is required (that’s where you come in).
What you need to do then, is to go through the transcribed video files and correct any errors on the words, formatting, and punctuation marks.
As you can see, the job is not simply one of transcribing. It’s actually an editing job (which requires more attention to detail). It’s also for this reason you’ll be required to pass a series of tests before getting accepted as a transcript editor. The work requires more than just transcribing, as you can see.
Anyway, once you pass their screening procedures and tests, you’ll be able to access their dashboard and find jobs immediately. But this is on a first-come/first-serve basis, so those who are online often will catch those jobs as soon as they’re posted and have an advantage.
Qualifications (3Play Media Transcription Work From Home Jobs)
Here are the qualifications for 3Play Media's Work From Home Jobs:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You must be a US resident, and have a working permit.
- You must have a US address and a US bank account (for payments).
- You must have excellent English written communication skills.
- You must have an excellent command of English in general.
- You must have computer word processing experience.
- You must have a typing speed of at least 75 wpm.
- You must be proficient in internet research.
- You must have the ability to work independently and manage projects efficiently.
Having the following qualifications are also considered a plus:
- Knowledge in MS Excel or any spreadsheet apps.
- Technical knowledge in computer apps.
With that said… if you don't meet one or more of their qualifications (you're not in the US for example, or unable to type 75 wpm), you can also earn some extra money with online survey sites.
Market research companies like Survey Junkie are a simple way to get paid for sharing your opinion. Inbox Dollars is another site that pays for doing things you may be doing online anyway, like searching the web, watching videos and visiting websites.
Of course, they don't pay as much as a Transcript Editor job pays, but if you've never made money online before, they can be a good place to start.
For something more significant, an online business may be what you're looking for.
Making money from home might be something you need because of medical issues, children to look after, or maybe you're just tired of working for a boss.
If that’s the case, knowing how (and where) to get started is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
Computer Requirements for 3Play Media Transcription Jobs
As an independent contractor, you should have your own computer (and internet access). Here are the basic requirements:
- PC or Mac computer
- 2.0 GHz processor
- 4GB RAM
- 5GB disk space (available)
- 10Mbps download speed internet connection
- Email access
3Play Media Work From Home Jobs Application Process
Should you decide to apply for the transcription editor position, these are steps you should follow:
1. Complete their online application form. They will need to verify this first before contacting you for the next steps.
2. Make sure you fill in all required information (e.g. name, address, email, phone number).
3. Answer the following questions honestly:
- Your typing speed
- Description of your computer (year, model, operating system)
- Transcription experience (if any)
4. Transcribe the sample video on the application page.
Note that you will need to pass their initial requirements to be considered for the job. They’ll also evaluate the quality of your transcription (of the video) to see if you meet their standard.
At this point, I should give you some specific requirements as well as a heads up as to how high their standards are. Below is a list of some of their guidelines when transcribing a video:
- Words/names that are difficult to understand are to be put in [square brackets].
- Rules on acronyms and abbreviations (e.g. US instead of U.S.).
- Rules on website address (e.g. only put www when the speaker mentions it).
- Clean read transcription instructions – Your transcription should not include filler words like um, ah, and like.
- Speaker identification – Names should be in all capital letters. Or use SPEAKER 1, SPEAKER 2, and so on.
- Money standards – This includes the use of a dollar sign and how the amounts of money are to be written (e.g. $9.00… NOT $9, $10 and not $10.00, $100 and not $100.00). Also, millions and billions should be written as $10 Million and $10 Billion instead of $10,000,000 and $10,000,000,000.
Those are just some of the basic formatting requirements you should be aware of before transcribing videos for 3Play Media, and apply when transcribing their test video (in order to pass it).
Actually, I suggest reading the guidelines on their site to make sure you understand everything before submitting your application form. This way, you’ll have a better chance of passing the tests and meeting their expectations (and getting accepted for the job).
For the video transcription test, make sure you type your answer in the transcription box provided (not in Word or Notepad). Copy/paste is not allowed here and will affect your overall score.
Sources on the internet say it will take about 3 weeks for 3Play Media to evaluate your test results (including other written tests). Here are some other important things to remember:
- You will need to take and pass around 5 more tests (after your application is accepted).
- Note that some people report these tests to be quite difficult.
- You’ll need to pass each test to be able to access the next ones.
- Should you fail one of their tests, your job application might be rejected right then and there.
- Aside from the tests, you will be trained first before being allowed access to transcription jobs.
- After passing all the tests and training, you can start applying for transcription jobs immediately.
3Play Media's requirements are not the toughest out there, but they're not the easiest either. Some transcription companies like GoTranscript are a little more simple and depending on your experience level, may be a quicker way to get started.
Of course that doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't apply to 3 Play Media as well 🙂
How Much Does 3Play Media Pay?
According to their site, you can earn $10 to $30 per hour as a transcript editor. In general, your earnings will depend on certain factors such as the price per project (long and difficult tasks get paid more) and your typing speed.
Needless to say, accomplishing more projects in an hour will also mean higher pay (overall).
However, keep in mind that you’re also being graded for the quality of your work. If you’re not careful, you might commit errors that can cause you to lose your 3Play Media job.
I’ve also read in some reviews that getting paid $30 per hour can be quite difficult (and unrealistic), considering the company’s high standards. According to some of 3Play Media's transcriptionists, a more realistic pay (to expect) would be around $15 to $20 per hour when you get the hang of it (which is still a good payday, especially working from home).
As for their payment method, this is done monthly through bank deposits. Payment by checks are also possible.
Again, just a reminder, you are an independent contractor and won’t be getting benefits like your 3Play Media employee counterparts. Instead, you’ll be getting fair pay and a flexible schedule (something they don’t have).
3Play Media Transcription Reviews and Complaints
I found good reviews and not-so-good reviews about 3Play Media.
On the Glassdoor.com site, 3Play Media Transcription got an overall rating of 3.3 out of 5. This is an above-average rating but it's fair to say most of us have come to expect 4 or greater as an acceptable standard. Reviews are subjective though and there are a lot of things to consider (disgruntled employees for example).
In the reviews I found on Glassdoor, it seems to me that 3Play transcriptionists/editors were happier with the company (and their jobs) in the past (around 2014-2015) than they have been recently. From 2016 up to the present, their satisfactory rating seems to slide down.
In the image below (2014-2015), you’ll see comments such as the following:
- Jobs are interesting.
- Tasks are available throughout the year.
- Pay is high compared to other transcribing companies.
Come 2016, however, I found a lot of unhappy ratings/feedback (2-3 stars). While some of the reviews didn’t particularly say their reasons for the low ratings, I found one common complaint: the unavailability of more work.
This is understandable. Not only has 3Play Media become more popular for people looking for legit work they can do at home, but there are also more people in general looking for work from home.
Again, I think the reason there are fewer available 3Play Media transcription jobs these days (and why more people expressed their dissatisfaction with the company) is that there are more workers now than projects.
It's no secret that more and more people are looking for work from home these days, unlike in the past. So, it’s only natural that the competition for getting projects is at its all-time high.
By the way, I also found some reviews on Indeed.com. While 3Play Media’s overall rating is better here (4.1 out of 5), the feedback is more or less the same as those I found on Glassdoor.com.
Here are some of the reviews from 3Play Media transcriptionists:
- Some days are slow (when there’s shortage of projects).
- Pay is good (up to $20/hour).
- There can be a learning curve (especially when you’re just starting out).
- Good support from the customer service team.
- Online tests are extensive, but worth it when you pass them all.
- 3Play Media transcription makes for a great filler job as it comes with no quotas and you can work anytime you want. However, there are deadlines to be met.
Overall, there isn't really anything unexpected or uncommon here. Reviews and complaints from other work-at-home jobs are similar (at least those that are legit).
What I Like About 3Play Media Transcription
- 3Play Media work from home jobs can be a legit source of income.
- You can work at home – meaning you’ll have a flexible schedule and can work literally anywhere (as long as there’s internet, of course).
- Great customer service – 3Play Media is known for this.
- Good quality of video files to transcribe (listening to them is not difficult).
- Guidelines are provided to help you out (you’ll find these on their site).
- Interesting files to transcribe – You’ll find projects on college lectures, advertisements, sports-related content, and more).
- Competitive pay – A majority of 3Play independent contractors are satisfied with their pay.
- On-time payments – You can expect to receive your pay once a month.
What I Don't Like
- Shortage of projects – The latest reviews about 3Play Media transcription jobs reveal the intensity of competition when grabbing jobs from their platform is greater today than it used to be.
- Meeting deadlines can be tough (although they are understandably necessary) – Transcription jobs have deadlines, but you’ll see project deadlines on their descriptions (so you can decide beforehand if you can meet them).
- Steep learning curve – 3Play Media’s standards are high and you’ll need to follow their rules and guidelines to succeed.
- Grueling tests – From the looks of it (and as reported from others who have reviewed 3PlayMedia on the internet), their tests are not easy peasy 🙂
- Strict rules – They’re very strict with punctuation and according to some transcriptionists, a single error from comma placement can get you fired.
Where Do You Go From Here?
I think working at 3Play Media can be fun and productive, especially if you’re a stay at home parent who wants to spend more time with family, or someone who prefers the comfort of their own surroundings over a stressful office or workplace.
If you want to be in charge of your time (at least your working time), 3Play Media transcription jobs are definitely worth checking out.
A majority of the reviews I found (from 3Play Media transcriptionists/editors) say the pay is good, especially when they compare it to other transcribing jobs. And since we’ve already established 3Play Media is legit and they pay on time, this is a good opportunity if you're qualified.
If you already have some experience with transcription jobs, you have an edge over your competitors when you apply for jobs at 3Play Media. Having said that, it doesn’t necessarily mean that 3Play Media transcription jobs are easy.
In fact, I’ve seen people talking about how hard it can be to get accepted as a 3Play Media transcriptionist/editor.
And of course, their qualifications are relatively strict.
The good news is, even if you don't meet one of their qualifications, you can still make money online.
You might be a student in school or a single parent at home. You may have health challenges that make regular work difficult, or maybe you just hate your job and you’re desperate for a way out.
If that's the case, an online business is what you want.
With all the scams and schemes out there though, knowing how and where to get started the right way is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
If you're just looking for a simple way to make some extra spending money, online survey and get-paid-to sites are good way to get started.
Sites like Survey Junkie will pay you for your opinion and Inbox Dollars offers rewards for doing things like watching videos, visiting websites and searching the web.
Of course they won't make you rich, but if you've never made money online before, they can be a good first step.
I hope my 3Play Media Transcription review has been helpful and if you have any comments, questions, or experience with 3Play Media Transcription, please share in the comments section below.
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