Welcome to The Crazy Craft of Subtitling
you never know what you might learn
About The Blog/Site
So what about this site? What is it supposed to be? A course in subtitling, a manual in subtitling? That’s easily answered: no and no. At this moment this is not meant to be more than me talking about the profession of subtitling for the media. It’s a job I have been doing for some 30 odd years now. I just want to share my knowledge and experience, with beginners as well as experienced subtitlers. Above all I realize ours is a profession of exceptions to the rules. So don't go overboard if you disagree. It's allowed, and you're allowed to voice it. I like to think that I am tolerant. The only intolerance I allow myself is with the intolerant. I will be posting more and more articles/chapters as I go along. So if you are interested, just keep following...
Preface:
This will be getting bigger and bigger as I move forward, and it will probably not go in a direct line from A to B to eventually Z. Soit, so be it. In time I will try to turn this into a comprehensible alphabet of rambling on about subtitling. So bear with me, please. Or was it beer with me?
Keep in mind that all that I will be publishing/posting is ‘open copyright’. Dunno if that term really exists - I couldn’t find it - but the way I interpret it is: You can use it as long as you show where you got it from and don’t make any money with it. So: non-commercial and with acknowledgment of source.
Don’t worry if your source language or your target language isn’t English. What I am about to tell you should (broadly) be applicable to any language you are dealing with. Should you have suggestions or questions or whatever, just fire away. But again, be civil and constructive about it. Nowadays the internet/social media mindset seems to be laden with negativity, intolerance, prejudice and above all trigger-happiness. Yuck. Put that away, or go away. This is about teaching, not preaching. This is about trying, not lying. Well, you get the point. Somewhere a great poet was lost in me... You see, I will even allow you to disagree with me.
My Face:
First something about myself. My name is Diederik Eekhout. Like I said I have been subtitling for the media for some 30 years now. For cinema, tv, software, computer games, you name it. I have done thousands (yes, no miscalculation) of documentaries, movies, tv shows, porn movies (yes, they need subtitles too, okay, every now and then), for all major subtitling companies, in a country that mainly uses subtitling for localizing visual media. Furthermore I have done many lip syncs, voice-overs and straightforward translations. But we won’t get into that any further now. Enough irrelevant info, here goes.
Rule(s) of thumb:
Remember, whatever I tell you about subtitling from now on, it’s all bollocks if the client has a different view on it. As you may know by now, the client is king, queen and prophet all in one in our business. Even if that client is totally ignorant and totally wrong. Even if that client is totally ignorant and totally wrong, but is still totally convinced he/she knows it all. Even in such totally ridiculous situations like that the client is still right. Like it or not, it’s simply (almost always) the way it works in the market. So you need to take that to heart really fast and accept it, otherwise you will get very frustrated very soon and you will be out of this business before you can say ‘straightjacket’.
To complicate matters even more: subtitling is a profession of many exceptions - hey, didn’t I already say that? So everything I try to get across as tricks of the trade could go out the window if this... or if that... and certainly if this and that... and most certainly if… Well, you get the picture. Flexibility, ingenuity, creativity, for this profession you need to get those characteristics really sharpened. Yes, like it says up top, it’s indeed a crazy craft.
Now having said that, some subtitlers seem to think that subtitling is an art form. Well, let me wake you up: it isn’t. A subtitler works for a client and is supposed to serve the viewers and the client, not necessarily in that order. No art form can exist if it has to serve. Art is free. Subtitling isn’t. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand what they are trying to say. Sometimes there are instances where subtitling can be somewhat of an art. True. It can range from a crafty craft to an artful craft. For instance if you have to subtitle poetry or literature, then it can certainly be a craft that borders on creative art. But to achieve that level you will have to have a lot of professional hours under your belt. Remember what they say: if you want to get really, really well at any profession you must first put in around 10.000 hours. Yes, that goes for any profession. That doesn’t mean you are a nincompoop before you reach that 10.000 hours. Of course not. You will learn and get better as you go along. And quite some time before you reach that 10.000 hours you will be an accomplished professional, but that 10.000 hour mark is just a target where you can say: I truly am the captain of this subtitling ship, whatever client storm may rock my boat, I can master it. So start working and starting counting. Or continue working and start counting back. For f-sake, hoooow long have I been doing this f-ing crazy craft?
The start of the beginning:
When you start in subtitling you first need to understand what a subtitle is. Well, often it’s defined as something like this: a piece of timed text that is added to visual media to make viewers better understand what they are hearing or seeing on the screen. I don’t want to get into a discussion about the absolute correct way to define what a subtitle is. There are undoubtedly many 'definitions' around for what a subtitle is, but they will all more or less come down to the same thing. But however you choose to exactly define or formulate it, it will still be a formal explanation. What is crucial to remember is that a subtitle is essentially a disturbing/interfering element. Hardly ever will a visual product have been made with subtitles in mind. Like they say: subtitlers are like ninja's, if you notice them they are no good. So subtitlers are adding something that doesn't really belong there. That takes time to read and therefore takes away the viewers attention from what is really happening on screen. Normally, if it’s your native language that is being spoken, you use your ears to listen and your eyes to watch the action. This combo works fine, we do it all the time in real life. But with subtitles you need to read the subs and watch the action at the same time. A ‘trick’ that requires some practice.
Of course you need to have decent hardware and software to do this job. Don’t go all out on a speed monster computer. That’s a waste of money. Leave that to the gamers. On a scale from 1 to 10: go for a 7. That should do it. A pretty fast processor and a pretty fast video card, enough internal memory, etc. Use your common sense. However, what is crucial, is that you run your video files from a non-mechanical drive. So use an SSD or a thumb drive/usb stick, don’t use something like a hard drive. Standard hard drives are mechanical and produce heat. And heat is a killer for an hd. Spotting and subtitling can be quite demanding on an hd. A thumb drive can become a bit hot, but won’t really suffer from it. Believe me, you don’t want an hd crash during deadline stress. Do also make sure you have a good back-up routine. If your software crashes and you have a tight deadline, you will be forever grateful that you were able to be up and running again in a (relative) jiffy. The last tip, if you can afford it, get yourself a big USB disk or NAS of some 2 to 4 TB. Yes, simply for backing up your system, but also to save all your subtitle files, forever and a day. You may have signed your right away, but you know what the future might bring. Furthermore, save all your video clips for 1 to 2 years. In spite of what the clients or subtitle companies may want you to sign, promise or swear to. I once got a complaint from a viewer, through a subtitling company, about a program I subbed, more than a year earlier. He claimed I had done all sorts of miscalculations. The subtitling company didn’t have the video clip anymore. Luckily I did. The viewer heard talking about wind speed in miles per hour and expected it to be translated in km’s per hour. But I recalculated it in meters per second, which was quite normal once. He just hadn’t spotted that. Grrrrrrrr, you… Of course I send him a polite note back… In spite of this, I wish more people would complain if they think subs are below par. It can only improve the all-around level. Needless to say that you should of course keep the video files in a safe place. You are in theory infringing on one of the zillion rights that you have signed away. Yes, a sour little small smile is warranted now.
As far as software goes: You can’t really go at it professionally with the freebee software available on the web. But just don’t expect me to be advising you on what software you should buy. Search the web, talk to experienced subbers, ask around at possible employers, join relevant Facebook groups. But don’t invest a shitload of money too fast. Because subtitling programs are pretty pricey if you are at the beginning of your career. You could, however choose to use freebee software just to learn, for the first couple of jobs. It works cumbersome, but hey, it’s free. Beggars can’t be choosers. Furthermore, some professional software makers let you get acquainted through trial software, or they let you lease the software, pay per month. You could do that for half a year or so, then decide if you want to stay in this marvelous shitty crazy profession. Also, some subtitling companies provide you with their own software. But for that you will first have to get a foot in the door of course.
A thing to remember perhaps, is the fact that more and more translation is done by computer hardware and software. Although I can’t for the life of me see how software would be taking over all the work of subtitlers any time soon. Yes, clearly spoken, clearly audible, uninterrupted text that has more than enough time to be presented to the viewer can already be handled by software, but I am yet to see any software that is able to handle something like a Woody Allen movie (machine-gun speed dialogue and double meaning everywhere), or an interview with ambient noise all around, or a science program that needs a shitload of interpretation, condensing and synthesizing. So I will not worry you with any dark views of the future. I remember the early nineties all too well, when I first heard ‘professional opinions’ about translation software that would be taking over our jobs real real soon. 'Yes, realtime translation, yes, it’s coming, it’s almost here!' Well, I got quite depressed over that. For a relatively short while. Because real soon it became clear that they were totally overestimating the capabilities of software and hardware. Every now and then I visit translation sites on the internet (like Google Translate) and just fill in something like: It’s raining cats and dogs. Well, that eases my mind instantaneously. Just try it. Fill in something like that in your native speak and then watch… and sigh relieved. The future is coming, yes inevitably, but when exactly?
A little pause in the beginning.
Before I go any further I want us to agree upon a couple of terms. Okay, we won’t agree upon them. I tell you what I mean by them and you simply accept that. Because I am writing this down and you have no voice to speak out with. But that doesn’t sound like such a nice thing to say, so I won’t say that. Just forget you read these last couple of sentences. That will work too.
Okay, somewhat of a short and simple glossary:
(The) Spotting. It’s derived from the verb to spot (to place/to situate). In our profession that means creating the timing for the subtitles. You determine when they ‘drop in’ and when they ‘jump out’. You place the so-called in-cues and out-cues. But ‘the spotting’ also refers to the actual file that contains those timings. The spotting can also contain the source text/language, it can be empty as far as text goes, or it can contain foreign language text, so already translated source text. Often the spotting is also called: the template.
A first: If you have to do a first then there is no spotting available. You have to do the spotting and the translation. Hence the term: first.
A second: Creating the subs, on the basis of a spotting/template.
Shot cut: The place in the visual material where there is a changeover from one shot/take to the next. In motion pictures this will be done in the editing room. In tv shows this is done in the direction room, where they decide to switch over from one tv camera to another.
Clarification: We see a bad guy walking out the shadows - SHOT CUT - Close-up of mean face of bad guy, grinning at you. (Duck, he's going to shoot at you!)
Scene cut: A changeover from one scene to the next. Now that of course requires a definition of a scene. So here goes:
Scene: I always keep it simple. A scene occurs in one location and deals with one action, so: unity of place and time.
Clarification: We see a couple arguing in the living room. Man walks into the adjacent kitchen - SCENE CUT - In the kitchen he pulls a beer from the fridge and opens it while keeping the argument going. He walks back - SCENE CUT - He is back in the living room.
Sequence: A series of related scenes that together form ‘a cinematic chapter’.
Clarification: We see the couple mentioned above going on arguing, all through the house. Following each other from one room to the next. Splitting up, shouting at each other from different rooms. Slamming doors, opening them, cursing. These scenes all belong together, thus forming a sequence.
The trigger: What? Yes, sorry, don’t get uptight. It’s just a word I want to use in this exposé for the thing that triggers a subtitle. So the spoken word or the graphic text. The trigger is simply the moment a (new) subtitle is required.
Okay, another slight sidestep again, before we really, really begin with the beginning: I am of course aware of the fact that nowadays the job of subtitling very often comes with a spotting, or template. The big subtitling companies supply their subbers with these spottings simply because of financial reasons. It’s cheaper for them to have a spotting made once and then supply that to all the different languages. Thus making countless firsts unnecessary. That makes (financial) sense. It could even, in theory, guarantee them a certain basic quality. If if if the first spotting/timed file was made be a real professional. Unfortunately very often that’s not the case. Too often the templates are pretty lousy, made by (hardly trained) people who are fighting the clock to make a decent hourly wage. The templates are simply filled with all the text that is spoken or that appears on screen and is then seemingly randomly divided up between subtitles. This happens quite, quite often. Or, the other just lovely possibility: the makers of the spotting have so been wrongly impregnated with the idea that the subtitle is to follow the shot cuts AND/OR the length of the spoken text so blindly that it becomes a real pain in the professional ass to subtitle and somewhat of a marathon sprint for viewers to watch.
Don’t get me wrong: Yes, I will voice many objections about the way our profession manifests itself nowadays - and yes, Fletnix is one of my favorite bad guys - but I don’t get off on bashing left and right, and I am not gunning for template makers, colleagues or subtitle companies. I know about the squeeze we are all in. The race to the bottom has got us all by the nuts and it’s the silverback big companies that suck up the big money. Companies that don’t give a fxxk about our profession, or any profession for that matter. They are into making money. Yes, it makes the world go round. And they have the right to do so, as I have the right to speak out against them.
The actual beginning (at last, you thought I would never get there):
Okay, let’s get to work. You have got your software - freeware, trial, or professional- and you have your video file that needs subtitling and spotting. Yes, I am aware of the fact that modern subtitling software is able to find shot cuts in a video file and create/adapt a spotting file on the basis of that. Yes, I know that modern software lets you work with generated audio waveforms. Again - I can’t stress this enough - learn to work well with your software. Read the manual and the help functions, watch the tutorials. It will save you a lot of time. Maybe later I will dig deeper into these functions, but for the moment I won’t. Simply because I haven’t got a clue with what software you are working, and because I don’t know the ins and outs of all subtitling software. Although they will all work fundamentally the same, no doubt. But here and now I want to talk about the essence of ‘correct’ spotting. Notice the quotation marks? Like I said above: if your client states that the fastest way of going from A to B is by walking on one leg, hey, then you will have to oblige. Happy limping! But that won’t stop me from trying to teach you the correct ins and outs.
Okay, the spotting of a video file. Now back in the Jurassic days of subtitling pros sometimes chose to watch the whole video file (film, tv show, whatever) first, before they started spotting the file. Yes, of course most of those people held permanent subtitling jobs or got paid very very nicely per broadcast minute/subtitle. Confession: I once got paid the current equivalent of some 1,20 euro per subtitle. Now stop laughing, stop rolling your eyes. It really happened. Now, there were also those who started to make the template by letting the video play the whole length, in the meanwhile creating the timecodes by tapping (for instance) the space bar, that generated an in-cue and then, on the next tap, the out-cue… So on and so forth… I have always started spotting and subbing right after each other, so per subtitle, straight from the beginning. But whatever the way you chose to spot, old skool or new skool, you need to understand the essence of spotting to do it right, to be able to see if it has been done correctly. Automated or by hand.
Okay, I already defined a couple of professional terms. One of those was ‘trigger’. Now, whatever they may have told you about spotting, it’s the trigger that causes the subtitle to appear. And the trigger is ALWAYS the sound of a voice starting (human, artificial, whatever), OR the pause/break in a voice/sentence, OR the showing up of text on screen. A shot change or a scene change NEVER EVER triggers a subtitle. Yes, yes, you read that correctly. The choice to pull or push the beginning or ending of a sub towards a shot/scene cut is quite tenable. Not necessary, but understandable and tenable. But it’s not what triggers the sub... I put so much emphasis on this because more and more you get the feeling that it is the shot change that triggers the subtitle. Well, like I said it isn't, and there is a simple reason for that. The viewer's attention is NEVER drawn to the subtitle area because of a shot change. However, the viewer's eye is drawn to the subtitle area when the sound of a voice is heard, or when a text appears on the screen. Therefore I call that the trigger. The trigger comes first, then you judge whether a shot change is near enough to force the in-cue or out-cue towards that sho change.
Of course, of course, you can also do it the other way around. Spot/time on the shot cuts and then see if there's a trigger nearby. That's exactly what you see more and more, with all the annoying mistakes that come with it. Subtitles starting way too early, or staying in way too long. That's also due to the fact that the software is used more and more to spot the shot changes. Software is much better at spotting 'relevant' changes in visual material than in audio material. And that can save time and money. And that's what counts. Well, at least for them. And that is, unfortunately for us, yet another dent in what once was something of quality.
Cliffhanger, be back soon. with some pics and clips. Need to provide you with visual sugar, right?
With an average attention span of 2 ms, it's a wonder you got this far.
More to come (written 31-10-2019, respond/react: email address up top, right corner)