![]() ![]() Now it’s time to look for subtitling jobs. is a platform where you’ll be able to choose among different subtitling courses according to your entry level and in a few weeks you’ll have all the skills you need to start working as a subtitler. I know it seems daunting, and you’re probably thinking you don’t have the money for a degree or a master’s in subtitling, but don’t worry: you can learn all the skills you need with an online course such as the ones you’ll find on GoSub. You’ll need to learn how to use the software to subtitle, how to condense a long conversation into a few words that still convey the meaning to the viewer, how to time the subtitles properly and much more. How to acquire the right skills? Where do you start finding subtitling jobs? What things can you do to boost your new career? If you stick to your goal and follow the tips in this article, you could be subtitling in no time. If it’s a documentary about astrophysics, and you don’t know anything about physics, it’s better to leave it to someone who is more qualified than you are.Subtitling is a fascinating career option to pursue, but if you decided to start working as a subtitler with no skills and no plans, then you may find yourself at a loss. Sometimes it’s best to turn down some work in order to ensure quality. Just because you’re a professional subtitler, it doesn’t mean that you are qualified to translate every movie/series out there. Sometimes this might entail knowing which information is more important in the dialogue. ![]() In most cases, there’s a way to improve reading speed and keep the sentence grammatically correct. A professional subtitler should be able to condense the translation without compromising the quality. Reading speed and character/line limitations can be challenging, but it’s essential to make sure the viewer can read the entire subtitle before it disappears. Working With the Limitations of Subtitling Even with the templates becoming more and more common, a good subtitler should still make sure the spotting makes the subtitles flow in their own language.ĥ. Spotting that works for an Indo-European language won't work for an Ural-Altaic language. Time-cuing for the Target Language, Using IntuitionĪ professional subtitler knows and implements best practices when it comes to spotting, but intuition often plays an important role. Basic understanding of these is a must in order to know when to in-cue/out-cue when there’s a pan or a focus pull, a sudden sound effect, or with fast/slow paced editing.Ĥ. A good subtitler should be able to understand that purpose, and instead of literally translating everything, they should try to carry out the meaning and the purpose.Ī good subtitler knows cinematography, editing, and sound mixing affect spotting as well, just like shot changes do. How the sentence is formed, the structure, and the tone, all play an important role. And every sentence is written with the purpose of creating a certain effect, giving new information, or unravelling something about the character. Before it's even shot, a script is read by dozens of people: readers, agents, script doctors, producers, the director, actors, etc. Creativity is key, that's true, but adding jokes when there are none just for the sake of it is just as bad as completely ignoring the existence of one.Įvery single sentence in a script has a purpose. However, there's a thin line between creative localisation and turning the subtitles into subtitler's commentary. Clinging to the word by word translation style is not going to help with that. You should be able to localise puns and cultural references in a creative way, making sure the viewer is going to enjoy the film/series just the same, reading your subtitles. If a bad line break or an ambiguous translation confuses the person who's watching the production for even one second, they are going to miss the next scene. I'm not talking about "I'm a native speaker in the target language." I'm talking about understanding semantics, paying attention to nuances in order to carry the tone properly, being able to express yourself much better than most people in that language, having an extensive vocabulary, and using the language idiomatically.Ī good subtitler knows their language enough to break the lines in a way that works with their own language, and makes it as easy as it can be for the viewer to follow the subs. Subtitling is a highly skilled profession, but is it enough to be a language enthusiast or even a professional translator or a linguist, or do you need an additional skill set to become a professional subtitler?Īfter assessing hundreds of subtitler applications for multiple companies and QC'ing thousands of titles for over a decade, I’ve put down a small list of things I've noticed that make the difference between translating words and producing high quality subtitles.
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