If you plan to add subtitles to your videos, it is important to be aware and educated enough about the overall subtitling process and how it goes.
Subtitling is a process that has become quite common among production companies, ad agencies, and individuals to make their video content comprehensible for most people. Subtitling is an intricate and detailed process. It is complex and sensitive as well. Therefore, content creators often prefer to work with vendors who offer specialized Multilingual Video Subtitling Services, animations, and podcasts.
If you plan to add subtitles to your videos, it is important to be aware and educated enough about the overall subtitling process and how it goes. Because there are a lot of factors that can pose challenges and might ask for detailed attention. Knowing them in advance might help you avoid potential pitfalls down the road and ensure your subtitles are accurate.
Font and size
We all understand how precise and compact a subtitle needs to be. It requires adjustments in a very limited space and appears for a certain time. Therefore, while working on the subtitles for your videos, select a clear font that is also legible. Doing experiments with fonts can make it tough for people to read and eventually make them revert with a backlash and anger. So make sure that the selected font is clear and appropriate for easy reading. These guidelines are important to be taken care of to make the process smooth and for viewers to facilitate a pleasant experience.
Speed and character limit
This factor is particularly important to be considered for perfect subtitling. This process comes with certain limitations and constraints. The standard length defined by the experts tells that a single line of your subtitle should not cross 40 characters and it also includes spaces. This can also be taken another way, which says not more than 20 characters per second. Moreover, this length may differ with the languages. The Asian languages that come with more characters need more space to expand and be readable and should stay on the screen for not less than six seconds. Be sure that you are mindful of these facts while indulging in the subtitles and translation process.
Color contrast
The color contrast is another significant factor that can help you to ensure a balanced subtitle. Make sure that you select the color of the text according to the color scheme of the video. You can not change the color of the video every time, however, you can make the selection of the subtitle color in a way that complements most of the backgrounds in the video. You should be opting for the right strategy to maintain a good balance between subtitle text and video background.
Placement
The placement of the subtitle matters a lot. If you do not position your subtitles in the video appropriately, there is no point in the whole practice. So make sure that you position the subtitle strategically so that there is no obstruction to the visual elements. The subtitles are mostly placed downwards where the frame ends. It is important to decide a single place and ensure that the important graphics and visual elements do not get covered or clash with textual elements.
Timing
The timing is the backbone of the subtitling. A subtitle that is placed randomly without checking the frame or video is of no use. It can rather infuriate the viewer so it is extremely important to focus on the synchronization between a subtitle and the audio. This can come up as a tricky and challenging part. However, working with professionals and a competent best video translation services can help you navigate through such challenges swiftly.
File format
Subtitles come in different types of formats. Certain formats are most common in the industry such as SRT and VTT. These are compatible with the video files for the convenience of the viewer when they open the file with the video and these get synchronized perfectly. Even if you opt for a different format, make sure that it is part of the industry standard subtitle formats.
A few of the subtitle formats include
- SRT
- VTT
- SSA
- TTML
Accessibility
Subtitles are meant to be added for some strong reasons. Subtitles help viewers from all across the globe to watch your video while understanding its intent and content in their language. So, make sure you have a competent translation company onboard to work on the subtitles, and also the translation meets all the standards and criteria of accessibility. It should have inclusive content and should be easily understandable for people who have hearing issues and for deaf persons. Moreover, it also goes well with people who prefer watching video content without sound due to a noisy background or other reasons.
Conclusion

Subtitling translation is important to widen the reach and make the video content accessible to global viewers. It is a challenging process, however working on certain factors in advance can make the process easy to execute. Make sure that you consider font size, speed, and character limit as well as color contrast while carrying out the process. The placement of the subtitle with timing and file format is also important to consider for a seamless subtitling process. Moreover, make sure you opt for a professional video translation company to collaborate with.



