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How Subtitle Timing Works
A plain overview of when subtitles appear, how long they stay on screen, and why good timing matters as much as good wording for the people reading them.
Making Subtitles
Timing and Sync
How subtitles are timed to speech and picture.
Fixing Subtitles That Drift Out of Sync
Subtitles that start right but fall out of step usually have a cause you can identify. Learn the common reasons for drift and general ways people correct it.
Frame Rates and Subtitle Timing
Video frame rate can change how subtitle timecodes line up with speech. See why 24, 25 and 30 frames per second matter and how conversion mistakes cause drift.
Gaps Between Subtitles and Why They Matter
A very short blank interval between two subtitles helps the eye notice that the text has changed. See how gaps work, how big they tend to be and when to skip them.
How Long Should a Subtitle Stay on Screen
Minimum and maximum display durations for subtitles, why guides differ, and the trade-offs between reading time, speech timing and the picture.
Spotting a Video for Subtitles
Spotting is the step where a subtitler decides where each subtitle starts and ends. See how the process works, what it weighs and why it comes before translation.
Syncing Subtitles to Shot Changes
Many subtitle guides ask that cues respect cuts in the picture. Learn why shot changes matter to the eye, what editors do about them and when exceptions are made.
Timecodes in Subtitle Files
Timecodes tie each line of subtitle text to a position in the video. Learn how they are written, how they differ between formats, and how they can go wrong.
What Is a Subtitle Cue
A subtitle cue is a block of text with a start time and an end time. Learn what a cue contains, how cues differ in length, and why they are the basic unit.
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