I once had a summer job transcribing raw footage for a documentary so the producers could read it and make editorial decisions. But I had to do it the old-fashioned way, with a VHS deck and AppleWorks. And I liked it! Well, not really. In fact, life would have been much simpler with LoopyLoopX, which is essentially a simple but effective transcription tool for OS X.

While it's still in beta, LoopyLoopX boasts some nice features. Support for almost every video format (including Windows Media), A-B looping, video full screen on a second monitor, and support for a little device called the Vpedal. It's a foot switch so you can start and stop the video or audio while typing. Oh those modern conveniences. Although I'm still trying to figure out the slogan for LoopyLoopX: "when typing clears your throat." Ahem. Seems a little pricey at $25 though, so make sure you put this in your documentary's budget.