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New to producing subtitles
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2022 10:52 am
by greekislandlover
Hi, I have a YouTube channel with a few local history videos. I posted a new one the other day, and a guy emailed me asking about subtitles.
I assumed that YouTube automatically added them and they were wonderful. Not the case, so I'm adding subs to my films.
I'd like to know what people find easiest to read. For example, a longer sentence split logically into 2 lines and on the screen for a decent length of time, or shorter sentences split into lines but on the screen for slightly less time?
Plus what do people feel about describing sounds? I've added a couple of comments where I think it's appropriate, but I don't want to overdo it.
Also, should I add sound descriptions, what is the common format please?
I should have known better as I'm deaf in one ear since birth and use subs occasionally!!
Re: New to producing subtitles
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 12:32 am
by urkexia
Youtube has automatic subtitles depending on the video (English language only). You might want to start with the automatic subtitles and go from there, might save time. Ideally you'd want a sentence per subtitle. Try to have subtitles at least a minimum of 1.5 seconds, as its not just flashing on the screen in an instant.. If its two people speaking at once you can have it together with <br> breaks.
Describing sounds is up to you, if your audience is hearing impaired, go for it. Otherwise its just more work. Common format is (screeching).
Youtube used to have a community caption feature for people voluntarily submitting subtitles but that was abused and underused apparently.
Re: New to producing subtitles
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 2:48 pm
by Funchalense
Reading speed: allow 2 seconds per line of text (an irregular estimate). The text should be reduced as much as necessary for reading to be possible in the stipulated time. Don't let the subtitles stay on the screen after the speech/dialogue has ended.
When the dialogue is continuous, the subtitles must not overlap each other. Even though it's a very fast dialogue, leave at least a millisecond between each subtitle. (HH:MM:SS,xxx -> End of Dialogue 1: HH:MM:SS,xx1 – Start of Dialogue 1.1: HH:MM:SS,xx2)
In case the subtitles consist of two lines, the first will be, as far as possible, shorter than the second.
The maximum number of characters must not exceed 40. (maximum 42).
Re: New to producing subtitles
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:03 pm
by DatDudeCee
F THAT!!! WRITE IT....HOW THEY SPEAK IT. And YES....describe sounds, Texts, Signs of Places, and any other important Screen Info to draw in the reader of your subs TO THE MOVIE/TV SHOW. Ok..general guidelines are cool....
No more than 42 characters per sub...
No sub LONGER than 7-8 seconds,
A line break (AND DASH) when two voices speak during one subtitle
A description of who or what a voice or noise is, IN PARENTHESES, if that voice or noise is in the background of the main speaker(s)
....etc.
BTW...Adding those Sounds helps the Hearing Impaired which will bring more traffic and legitimacy to the website.
Re: New to producing subtitles
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 9:37 am
by hector
The rules are really simple and if they are followed they really make a difference. As already said, no long lines, and keep the subs showing as long as possible (enough to be read). Every rule has a clear purpose and this is make subtitles easy to read. The longer the line, the longer the distance the eye has to travel, so keep them as short as possible. Of course you can make exceptions. I sometimes exceed 45 chars per line. And sometimes even use 3 lines but make them exceptional.
There is still another rule aiming at readability, that automatic subs don't follow (at least what I've seen so far): try not to break grammatical units. E.g. don't write
He's a good
person.
Don't separate the
article and the noun.
Try to keep together grammatical constructs like "verb + object" or "adjective + noun". I couldn't formally enuntiate them but the rule is "don't brteak the line just anywhere, watch where you do it"
About sound information, I don't think there is a convention. Some people use "( )", some use "[ ]" but it's a good thing you can differentiate from normal speech.
Re: New to producing subtitles
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:36 pm
by MaryC
The rules are really simple and if they are followed they really make a difference. As already said, no long lines, and keep the subs showing as long as possible (enough to be read). Every rule has a clear purpose and this is make subtitles easy to read. The longer the line, the longer the distance the eye has to travel, so keep them as short as possible. Of course you can make exceptions. I sometimes exceed 45 chars per line. And sometimes even use 3 lines but make them exceptional.
There is still another rule aiming at readability, that automatic subs don't follow (at least what I've seen so far): try not to break grammatical units. E.g. don't write
He's a good
person.
Don't separate the
article and the noun.
Try to keep together grammatical constructs like "verb + object" or "adjective + noun". I couldn't formally enuntiate them but the rule is "don't brteak the line just anywhere, watch where you do it"
About sound information, I don't think there is a convention. Some people use "( )", some use "[ ]" but it's a good thing you can differentiate from normal speech.
Thank you so much for sharing the useful tips for adding subtitles.
It's a good way of expressing a sound by "[ ]" and yes it is a good way to diffrentiating it from normal speach.