Why Live Captioning Still Needs Humans: A TIFF Story

When the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) lights up the city, it's not just the films that take centre stage, it's also the conversations, Q&As, and panels that make the festival a vibrant cultural hub. This year, ScribeWire was proud to be a live captioning provider for many TIFF events—ensuring that every attendee, whether hard of hearing or simply a fan of captions, could fully engage in the experience.

A particularly memorable moment happened during one of these sessions featuring none other than Ryan Reynolds. As he spoke on stage, Reynolds noticed our captioner diligently transcribing every word, joking: "You're just writing everything I'm ***ing saying, aren't you?" To which our captioner promptly replied, "Yes, I am." From there, Reynolds playfully tested our captioner with phrases like "Is the bouillabaisse ready yet?" and even threw in a "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". While no one expects flawless spelling of whimsical words on the fly, the moment underscored how live captioning makes events more inclusive and interactive.

But this isn't just about a charming exchange with a Hollywood star: it is a demonstration of exactly why live events – from film festivals and corporate presentations to educational talks – benefit immensely from live captioning. Human captioners bring a level of engagement and adaptability that automated speech recognition simply can't replicate, showcasing the value of having a live captioner for a live event. Statistics show that around 51% of viewers watch content with subtitles most of the time, and among Millennials and Gen Z, that number skyrockets to 64 and 80 percent respectively—numbers which far exceed the percentage who are Deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing.

Captions aren't just about accessibility, they're about universal usability—making content clearer for everyone in the room.

ScribeWire operates with a human-in-the-loop philosophy. While we embrace AI and ASR where it fits, we can offer a gold-standard level of service by ensuring that we never lose the human touch. In a live event scenario, having a skilled human captioner ensures not just accuracy, but also the ability to handle the unexpected, the humorous, and the unique dynamics of a live audience.

So whether it's Ryan Reynolds cracking jokes or a CEO delivering a keynote, live captioning ensures that everyone is part of the moment. It's a smart business decision and a meaningful step toward inclusivity. And at ScribeWire, our human-in-the-loop philosophy means you get the best of both worlds: technology enhanced by human expertise.

Last updated: September 11, 2025