Why preparation pays off
Subtitlers work with whatever they are given. A clear video, a correct script and a few notes let them spend their time on wording and timing. A confusing file with no context makes them spend it on guessing. Most of the useful preparation is simple and takes little time.
Lock the picture first
The most valuable thing you can provide is a final cut. Subtitles are timed to the picture, so any later edit that moves or removes scenes will break the timing. If the video is still changing, wait, or make clear which parts are final. When changes happen anyway, the process for handling a re-edited video becomes important, but it is far cheaper to avoid it.
Provide the file at a normal viewing quality. It does not need to be the largest master, but it must play smoothly and match the final version in every frame. A timecode burned into the picture, if you have one, can make questions and corrections easier to refer to.
Mention the video’s frame rate if you know it. A mismatch between the video and the subtitle timing can produce sync drift that gets worse as the video plays.
Provide the best audio you have
Everything depends on being able to hear the words. If you have separate audio tracks, such as dialogue apart from music, the dialogue-only track is very useful. Clean sound improves the first draft whether it comes from a person or from speech recognition. Heavy music or noise under speech makes both humans and software slower and less accurate, so audio quality is worth a thought at recording time as well.
If some passages are hard to hear, flag them and say what is being said, if you know.
Supply a script, with caveats
A script saves transcription time and helps with spellings. But scripts often differ from what was actually said: lines are ad-libbed, cut or reordered during recording. Tell the subtitler whether the script is the final shooting script or an early draft, and whether the spoken version should win when they differ. The pros and cons of working from a script or from the audio are covered under source material.
If there is no script, a rough transcript is still useful.
List names, terms and spellings
Give a short list of:
- people’s names and titles, with correct spellings
- place names
- product, company and department names as they should be written
- technical or specialist terms
- abbreviations and what they stand for
- words that should stay in the original language
This is the seed of a term glossary, and it prevents the most common and most visible mistakes. Checking names and terms is far quicker when a reference list exists.
Describe on-screen text
Text in the picture, such as titles, captions, signs, slides and chat windows, may need translating, or may collide with the subtitles. Note where it appears and what it should do. Should it be translated in the subtitles, left alone or replaced? Do not assume the subtitler will guess.
Also point out where the bottom of the screen is already used, for example by a lower-third graphic, so subtitles can be positioned or timed to avoid covering it.
Note speakers and context
Tell the subtitler who is speaking, especially when voices are off-screen or several people talk at once. A short cast list with names and roles helps with speaker identification. If there are tone and register questions, such as whether a speaker is formal or casual, say so. This helps in languages where forms of address change the wording.
Mention anything unusual: songs, foreign phrases, wordplay, strong language or sensitive subjects. These cause the most questions and the most judgment calls.
State the purpose and audience
A line or two about who will watch and where makes a real difference. Subtitles for viewers who cannot hear need non-speech information such as sound effects; subtitles for a language-learning course or a quick social video may need a different approach. Say whether you want captions or subtitles, for the same language or a translation.
Give clear technical instructions
Say which format you need and how the files will be used. Mention any rules you must follow, such as a house style or a limit on line length. If the subtitles will be burned into the picture rather than supplied as separate files, say so before work begins, because that changes the delivery and the checking.
Agree the process
Finally, agree who to contact with questions, who approves the result and how corrections will be sent. A named contact and a deadline for answering queries keep the job moving. For sensitive or confidential material, also agree where files may be stored and who can see them.
A short checklist
- Final, locked picture
- Best available audio
- Script or transcript, marked as draft or final
- Names, terms and spellings list
- Notes on on-screen text, speakers and special cases
- Purpose, audience and format
- A contact person and a schedule