SUBTITLING

Clear captions, broader reach

Subtitling: what is it, exactly?

Subtitling is the process of displaying text on a screen to convey spoken dialogue, sound effects, and other relevant audio information from a video. This text is typically shown at the bottom of the screen and is synchronized with the audio. l

Think of your favorite streaming platform. Hundreds of movies and shows at the tap of a button, and odds are many of them are not originally in English. Thus, subtitles are a very simple and affordable, yet effective, way of making your context understood. Millions of words are translated every day in order to help you have the best viewing experience.

But subtitles are not only made from one language to another. Thanks to closed captioning, or subtitles for hard of hearing, content can be rendered accessible to individuals with diverse needs.

The function of the subtitles and their different target audiences will influence the characteristics of said subtitles. Therefore, it is important to understand the different types of subtitles and their requirements.

The most common types of subtitles

Interlingual subtitles

By far the most common, interlingual subtitles are for the benefit of viewers who do not speak the language of the video. Often this implies the adaptation of wordplay or other elements which do not translate directly. However, character limitations are applied in order to avoid disturbing the viewing experience. A professional translation will strive to find the perfect balance.

Subtitles for hard of hearing

Closed captioning, or subtitles for hard of hearing, allow individuals with special needs to view and understand audiovisual media. They may include annotations to indicate intonation or other non-verbal cues, as well as different colors to distinguish speakers.

Closed captioning is addressed to diverse individuals with different degrees of disability and life experiences.

Inserts

Perhaps you don't want subtitles. Perhaps you prefer dubbing, but you still want all on-screen information to be relied to your audience. Inserts in subtitling refer to brief on-screen text translations of signs, text messages, or other visual elements within a video. These translations ensure that viewers understand important written content that appears in the original language, maintaining the context and enhancing the overall viewing experience.

Why you need a human touch

Professional subtitling may not be cheap, especially on an independendt studio's budget, so you may be thinking of skipping that step or cutting down expenses with machine translation. However, let me give you some reasons why saving some of the budget for professional subtitles will be beneficial for your project:

Contextual Accuracy: Human subtitlers can grasp the full context of a scene, understanding the emotions, tone, and subtleties behind the dialogue. This allows them to craft subtitles that accurately reflect the intended meaning, ensuring viewers receive the complete message as it was meant to be understood.
Characterization: Characters often have unique speech patterns, slang, or regional accents. A skilled localizer can adapt these nuances to maintain character integrity and ensure they sound natural and authentic in Spanish.
Cultural Sensitivity: Subtitling is not just about translating words—it's about conveying meaning in a way that resonates with the target audience. Human translators have the cultural insight needed to adapt idioms, jokes, and references so they make sense to viewers from different backgrounds, avoiding potential misunderstandings or offensive content.
Handling Complex Content: Complex content such as fast-paced dialogue, overlapping speech, or specialized terminology requires a skilled human touch. Experienced subtitlers can navigate these challenges, making quick, informed decisions to ensure the subtitles are clear, concise, and accurate.
Quality Control and Adaptation: Subtitling is an art that requires constant quality control. Human subtitlers can review and adjust subtitles to fit the unique needs of the content, whether it's adjusting for reading speed, handling on-screen text inserts, or ensuring that subtitles are not just a translation, but an adaptation that enhances the viewing experience.

By choosing human expertise for your subtitling needs, you're ensuring that your content is not only accurately translated but also thoughtfully adapted to create a richer, more immersive experience for your audience. At Press Play Translations, our team of skilled subtitlers brings both linguistic and cultural knowledge to every project, delivering subtitles that truly connect with viewers.

What Press Play has to offer

Expert subtitling and localization

Press Play delivers professional subtitling services that go beyond simple translation. We specialize in crafting subtitles that are not only linguistically accurate but also culturally adapted, ensuring your content connects with Spanish-speaking audiences while maintaining the integrity of the original material.

Knowledge of industry standards

Our subtitling services adhere to the highest industry standards. We ensure that subtitles are timed perfectly, easily readable, and formatted according to the specific requirements of each platform. Whether it's for streaming services, DVDs, or broadcast television, we guarantee that your subtitles meet all technical and quality benchmarks.

Precision and quality control

Quality is our top priority. At Press Play, we meticulously review and fine-tune every subtitle to ensure clarity, accuracy, and synchronization. Our thorough quality control process ensures that your content is accessible and engaging, providing viewers with a seamless and enjoyable experience.

The subtitling process

Time coding

Ideally, the translator works with a subtitle file in the source language with time codes that will make the subtitles appear in sync with the spoken word, leaving them to worry only about linguistic issues. However, for an extra charge, at Press Play we also offer time coding compliant with the standards of the most common streaming platforms.

Translation

Due to the wide range of topics and formats, subtitle translation requires a multidisciplinary approach. At Press Play we look at every video with a unique lense in order to recognize the challenges they present and tream them accordingly.

Translate your video

Quality control

So now your video has subtitles in Spanish. The job is done. Right? The CQ step reviews the implementation of the subtitles in order to correct any linguistic or readability issues.

We utilize state-of-the-art software to detect any technical issues in subtitles.

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