Subtitling and captioning services
Translated subtitles and same-language captions for films, courses, marketing videos and foreign footage. Each file is timed to the speech, checked by a native speaker against the video, and delivered as SRT, VTT or burned into the picture.
The next bus leaves
in five minutes.
12
00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,800
The next bus leaves
in five minutes.
One subtitle in five languages. Each line breaks where that language's grammar allows.
- You send
- Video files or a link, plus any script or transcript
- You get back
- SRT, VTT, TTML or SCC files, or video with subtitles burned in
- Checked by
- A native speaker, watching the video with subtitles on
- Priced by
- Running time and number of languages
Subtitles and captions
Subtitles translate the dialogue for viewers who don't speak the language. Captions are in the same language as the audio and are written for viewers who can't hear it, so they also describe sounds such as [door slams] or [music].
We make both, starting from your video or from a transcript you already have. If you need the transcript on its own, see transcription.
Subtitling work we do
For film and TV, training, marketing and research footage.
Translated subtitles
Dialogue translated and condensed to a comfortable reading speed, for films, series, courses and corporate video.
Same-language captions
Accurate captions in the original language, for accessibility and for viewers watching with the sound off.
Captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers
SDH captions with speaker IDs and sound descriptions, following your platform's style guide.
Foreign footage
Interviews and footage in other languages transcribed, translated and subtitled for documentaries, news and research.
Burned-in subtitles
Subtitles rendered into the picture as open captions, in the font and position you choose. Useful for social video and screens in public places.
Translation of your subtitle files
Send an English SRT or template file and we translate it, keeping your timing or re-timing where a language needs more time on screen.
What makes subtitles readable
We follow your style guide. Without one, we use these rules, which match what most streaming platforms ask for.
- Line lengthTwo lines at most, and about 42 characters per line for most Latin-script languages.
- Reading speedCharacters per second capped, so viewers can finish each subtitle before it leaves the screen.
- TimingSubtitles start and end with the speech, avoid crossing shot changes, and leave a short gap between consecutive subtitles.
- Line breaksLines split at natural phrase boundaries, so an article stays with its noun and a verb stays with its subject.
- ScriptsArabic and Hebrew set right to left. Chinese, Japanese and Korean limited by character count.
How a subtitling project runs
Every language is checked in context, with the video playing, before delivery.
Send the video
Send a file or a link, the target languages and any style guide or glossary.
Transcript and timing
We transcribe the audio and set the timing in the source language. If you have a script, we work from it.
Translation
Native speakers translate from the timed file, condensing where the speech is too fast to read in full.
Review on video
A second linguist watches the video with subtitles on and checks meaning, timing and line breaks.
Second check QADelivery
Subtitle files for each language, or burned-in video at the resolution you need.
Formats
- Subtitle files
- SRT, WebVTT, TTML (DFXP), SCC and EBU STL
- Video you can send
- MP4, MOV and most other formats, or a link from Vimeo, YouTube or cloud storage
- Burned-in video
- MP4 (H.264) at your resolution, with the font, size and placement you choose
- Style guides
- Your own, or a streaming or broadcast platform's published guide
What you get back
Files ready to upload to your video platform, LMS or player.
- Subtitle files. One file per language, in the format your player needs.
- Burned-in video, if you order it. A new video file per language.
- The source transcript. Useful for search, show notes or a captions file in the original language.
- An on-screen text list. Signs, titles and captions in the picture, with translations you can add as subtitles.
Related services
Questions about subtitling
What's the difference between subtitles and captions?
Subtitles translate the dialogue into another language for viewers who can hear the audio but don't understand it. Captions are in the same language as the audio, for viewers who can't hear it, so they also include speaker names and sound descriptions.
Which subtitle formats do you deliver?
SRT and WebVTT cover most video platforms and players. We also deliver TTML (DFXP), SCC and EBU STL for broadcast and specific players, or burn the subtitles into the video.
Do you do same-language captions?
Yes. We caption videos in their original language for accessibility and for viewers watching without sound, including captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers with speaker IDs and sound descriptions.
Can you add the subtitles to the video for us?
Yes. We can deliver subtitle files for you to upload to your platform, or burn the subtitles into the picture and send you a new video file for each language.
How do you price subtitling?
By running time and number of languages. Videos with many speakers, poor audio or technical content take longer, and the quote reflects that. You get a fixed price and a delivery date before we start.
Can you translate an existing SRT file?
Yes. Send the SRT or template file and the video. We translate the subtitles, check them against the video, and adjust the timing where a language needs more time on screen.
Send us a video to subtitle
Send a file or a link with the languages you need. We reply with a fixed price and a delivery date.
- Phone
- +44 20 3290 0116
- Phone hours
- Weekdays 9:30 to 16:00, weekends 9:30 to 12:00, UK time