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SmallBrother
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Everything about credits

Tue Oct 04, 2016 10:30 am

Credits are a very important issue on OpenSubtitles.org. Although most is generally known and clear, still once in a while some trouble around credits appear. Therefore some things clarified.

- Starting point

Making subtitles is a difficult and time consuming task. Making a good translation easily takes ten hours of work. If also synchronisation is made thoroughly and from scratch, an additional ten hours can be added to that. Often this is just unpaid voluntary work, and the subtitles are shared freely, without any benefits. The only 'reward' is including credits within the subtitles. Thorough corrections of language, translation or technical aspects can take quite some time as well.

Therefore:

1. Existing credits for translation or editing within the subtitles should remain unchanged.

Always. Also if you changed or corrected things. Also if those were a lot. Also if that took a lot of time. The same goes for professional retail subtitles. The subtitler may have been paid for his work, it is still a creation deserving respect and appreciation.

2. Respect the translation team as well.

Sometimes the translator is member of a translation team. Please, respect this. If in the source file not only the actual translator but also the translation team is being mentioned, then these are just as much "original credits" - so please, leave this untouched as well. For example:
Translation: Johnny
BlaBlaBla Translations


3. Subtitling community web sites may be mentioned.

Mentioning other web sites as credits is only allowed if that web site is a subtitle creating community of translators/subtitlers and the source of that subtitle, but this is not mandatory like with 'normal' credits. However, in some cases the language specific admin can decide to make it mandatory for specific web sites. Mentioning web sites which are only a gathering resource is not allowed. Since this could be a fine line, the final word in this is to the admin. For example:
Translation: The Game of Thrones Team
www.the-global-subtitling-community.com


4. Adding credits for your own work is okay and preferred.

Correcting or resynchronising existing subtitles is fine, please do. If you changed things in an existing subtitle, you may ADD credits for that. This is even preferred, because like this a user will know for example that Subtitles by Translator A, usually a bit mediocre, may now very well be a lot better. But once again: Leave the original credits unchanged.

5. If subtitles are adapted to a 'brother-language', the initial credits for translation must remain untouched.

If subtitles are adapted from one language to a very similar 'brother-language' (like Portuguese/Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch/Flemish, Spanish/Latin-American Spanish, etc.) the original credits for translation must remain and not be deleted, but credits for adapting may be added. For example:
Translation: Portugal Guy A
Adapted to Brazilian Portuguese: Brazil Girl B


6. Make sure the credits are clear and correct.

Avoid vague descriptions like "Subtitles by Johnny". Like this it is not clear whether Johnny ripped a DVD or made a translation himself. Better make it something like "Translated by Johnny" or "Resync by Johnny".

The same goes for corrections. Preferably use "Correction OCR-errors", "Revised translation" or "Fine-tuning synchronisation" rather than just "Corrections". And please, use some common sense. If you removed one unnecessary space, then "corrected version" is a bit exaggerated. If necessary, you can describe what you have done a bit more extensive on the subtitle page, in the field "additional info".

Make sure the credits reflect reality. For example, even if you have spent many hours on correcting a really bad translation and you rewrote half of all lines, this still does NOT make you the translator.

7. The input field "Translator" is NOT a replacement for the credits within the subtitle file itself.

Additionally, it is possible to state the name of the translator in a dedicated field in the upload form. This is a little 'bonus' which can be used while searching for subtitles and it is visible on the subtitle page. But this is NOT a substitute for the credits within the subtitle file. After all, as soon as the subtitle is being downloaded and stored, this info is gone.

Please note that (for the time being) this input field can only be filled out manually (through the web site). Many subtitles are uploaded automatically by software. So, if this field is empty, this is not a matter of disrespect of the uploader, but just a technical limitation. That's also the reason why this field is not mandatory.

8. Use the input field "Translator" only for the name of the translator or translation team.

This seems obvious, but unfortunately very often it is used differently. If you only corrected, resynched, or ripped a DVD, you may NOT state your own name in this field.

9. Mentioning credits otherwise than within the subtitle itself is allowed, but not mandatory.

You may mention credits in other ways too, such as in the upload field "Translator", as additional info, or as comment on the subtitle page. However, this info is gone after downloading and anyway not or less visible for API downloaders. That's why this is not mandatory.

Such additional mentioning of credits is nice and kind, but this cannot be turned around - absence of it doesn't mean the uploader was 'unkind'.

10. Not respecting credits may lead to the subtitle being deleted, an official warning, or even a ban.

Subtitles with missing credits may be deleted and the uploader may get an official warning. Repeating to do so, may result in a ban. Things depend a bit on the situation and the admin in charge.

Deliberately falsifying credits may result in an immediate, irreversible and permanent ban without prior warning.
Last edited by SmallBrother on Sat Jul 21, 2018 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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