Subtitles play an important role in films for several reasons. Here are a few reasons why movies need subtitles:
Widening the audience: Subtitles allow people who do not speak the original language of the film to still enjoy its plot and dialogue. This opens up the possibility to attract a wide audience from different countries and cultures.
Improve comprehension: Even for those who know the language of the film, subtitles can be helpful. They help to better understand some obscure phrases or accents, especially if the dialogue is fast or noisy.
Translation of humor and cultural references: Films often contain humor and references that may be difficult to understand in another culture. Subtitles allow these jokes and references to be translated so that viewers from different countries can enjoy the full meaning of the film.
Helping people with hearing impairments: Subtitling is an integral part of the film industry for people with hearing impairments. They allow them to fully perceive the dialogue and sound effects of the film.
Improve language learning: For those who are learning a foreign language, subtitles can be a great tool to practice and improve skills. They allow you to see the written word in context and hear its pronunciation at the same time.
How to add subtitles to a video
1. Text subtitles:
- Create a text file with subtitles. Commonly used formats are .srt, .vtt, or .sbv.
- In this file, each line contains a timestamp and the corresponding subtitle text.
- Make sure the timestamps match the points in the video when the subtitles should be displayed.
- Open the encoding of the subtitle file (usually UTF-8) and check if it is correct.
2. Adding subtitles to YouTube:
- Upload the video to your YouTube channel.
- Go to YouTube Studio (https://studio.youtube.com) and select the video you want to add subtitles to.
- Click on the "Subtitles" tab in the side menu.
- Select the subtitle language and click on the "Add Subtitle" button.
- Options: You can create subtitles manually, make changes to created subtitles, or upload a pre-created subtitle file.
- If you are creating subtitles manually, follow the on-screen instructions to enter the appropriate subtitle text for each timestamp.
- As you create or edit subtitles, use the player's functions to check that the subtitles are correctly synced with the video.
- After completing the edits, click "Finish" and save the changes.
3. Making changes and adjustments:
- If you need to make changes or corrections to the subtitles after adding them, go to YouTube Studio and select the appropriate video.
- Click on the "Subtitles" tab and select the subtitle language.
- Make the necessary changes to the subtitles, save them and make sure that the changes are reflected in the video.
Please note that YouTube supports a variety of subtitle formats and some advanced features such as automatic subtitles, timing, and subtitle styling. The selection and customization of these features are available during the process of adding subtitles to YouTube.
In general, subtitles play an important role in the film industry, helping to broaden the audience of films, improve comprehension, and translate cultural references. They are also a necessary tool for people with hearing impairments and help to learn foreign languages.