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subtitling - the basic concept; subtitling a script
Topic Started: Jul 5 2009, 10:42 PM (604 Views)
JinK

FOR THOSE THAT KNOW BETTER: feel free to edit or add to this thread.
As we are not just another fansub group, but also a part of fansub.tv, I'd like to give a little help whether you are just curious, want to try this out yourself, or teach other groups out there. We are a part of the Fansub.tv group, so we'd like to give our welcome to all those groups out there, our thanks to them, and give support for all those that allow you and I to enjoy this imported goodness.

There are many jobs that people take on when translating a video
Raw Fetcher - gets the file to subtitle
Translator (TL) - translates the video
Translator Checker (TLC) - checks if the translation is correct
Karaoke - creates the OP and ED subtitles/supertitles(subtitles on the top) for the video
Typeset - makes the subtitles look nice and work nice
Timer - times the subtitles to the phrases said
Editor - changes words or phrases around to make it more fitting
Quality Checker (QC) - makes sure that everything works right
Encoder - does the technical stuff of the work; combines the video and subtitles and makes the video into a format that is good.

First the raw-fetcher finds, downloads, and distributes the RAWs so that that everyone can get it.
A RAW, meaning a video without any translations and straight from a blue-ray/dvd/tv/internet/etc.

TRANSLATING
First off, translating is done by watching the video. The translation is taken from a RAW. Sometimes people go ahead and just open just the sound to listen to and translate. You translate using your head and put it into a script, usually in a .txt file. People have their different styles of doing it. You can put in the time if you like or not, a timer does the timing usually. It's a good idea to just rough time it. Some methods of translating can be found here

There are many ways to do the script. Here's one:
Here's one way:
Person A: [english translation]
Person B: [english translation]
Person A: [english translation]
[english translation]
Person B: [english translation]

If a person pauses or gives a break, it may be a good idea to break that line and go down one line.
Instead of typing out the person's name each time, you can give a blank space between the lines like this:

[person A's translation]

[person B's translation]
[person B's translation]

[person A's translation]

Now, if you rough time the translations, you just have to put in the start time and english like:
(XX:XX) - [english translation]
(XX:XX) - [english translation]

By rough timing, you don't have to put in the EXACT time. if you don't time, it'll be a harder job for the timer. The timer needs at least a rough timing cause the timer doesn't always know japanese and may not be able to find the phrase that's being translated. Some people put in the japanese dialogue, too, in the script. Not necessary to put in the japanese, but the script must have the english, of course, or else you're doing not much. Plus, putting in japanese is extra work, unless it's a song that's going to be karaoke'd.


and the timer will do the rest. no need to be accurate with time.

TIMING
Any program is OK, but it's recommended that you use a program that can tell you the EXACT time that you're on. MPC, WMP, and VLC won't do.
for instance, this picture shows a video editing program that gives a very accurate time.
Posted Image

Now, if you got a program to with the exact time (aegis sub will do too), you can start translating. Aegis sub is a program that is very popular for subtitling. This program is helpful because you can open the soundtrack of the video from this program and edit from there. (see Timing and Karaoke Timing Tutorial by langes01x, our very own timer, editor, karaoke, typesetter, and more. See this for how to typeset or do karaokes)
You do that for every time someone talks, hundreds of times til you finish what's to be translated.

USING AEGIS SUB (basics)
Aegis sub is a very easy program to understand. It's so basic.

Posted Image

You put in the time it starts, and the time it ends for the phrase you're putting in, along with the phrase. You then just press enter and it's in. I won't go too far in to the advanced stuff.

If you have aegis sub, you can just simply have the video file and aegis sub open at the same time. just press "save" and it'll automatically be changed when you play it in the video. You may have to exit and open the video each time you save, though.

If you're editing, you click on the phrase that's been put in, and change the words/time and press enter again.

Encoding
There are millions of ways to encode a video: avi, mkv, mp4, mov, wmv, rmvb, rmb... too many
but just because a file is avi doesn't mean it'll play. you have to change the bitrates, the h264, upper/lower field, the motion sensory, and blah blah blah. Too much for a simple walkthrough that I write. But there are standards out there. Just pick the standard, probably avi or MKV and make sure that the sound/video are in synch and that the file is small yet good quality. One doesn't necessarily have to encode. Encoding is more for people that make hard subs. There is another option to multiplex, or mux, the video and subtitles together. By muxing the video, the video stays the same and retains its quality but a little bit of information is added on to the end of the video. Information on how to mux can be found here

Quality Check
The quality checker has to be the most prudent member. The quality checker makes sure everything is okay or else we, as a fansubbing team, get barraged with complaints. This person checks if:
the words fit
if anything is misspelled
subtitles are understandable
timing is correct
video is a good size and quality
gives suggestions on what to fix

Basically, the quality checker makes sure EVERYTHING is alright.
Edited by JinK, Jul 27 2009, 03:54 AM.
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ImTakes
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Yae-Hime
Still confused. How does one do it if one cannot speak or understand the language? I will assume at this point, only those who can understand, can translate which makes sense. My question is, after your translation is done, who edits your grammar and punctuation and sentence structure? Is that where I come in and if so, do you send me a script or what? And what good is it if I cannot render the file to begin with? You can send me a pm if you think as I do not want to bog this thread down with my need for further instruction. Thanks.
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JinK

well, as I have written down, the translator has to put up the words in english, first to a .txt file. after that point, the translator is done, except for answering questions like if the editing still fits what's being said.

The timing can be done by anyone. You just have to know when the person starts talking. I did the timing too for Yoshimune. Even though anyone can do it, I just simply put in the time because if I heard it the first time, I might as well time it too, cause it's a waste of another person's time.

Editing can be done by anyone too. If you find that the timing is off, you just have to fix the timing. Also, if you find one phrase more suitable than another
(Ex. I say, "may I go to the bathroom" which is pretty formal. and let's say the guy was a gangster and casual in speech. You may wanna edit it and make it "I gotta go piss." Sorry if it's vulgar.)
Also, the editor checks for spelling and punctuation.

Because I do my translations and timings (at least most of it), you're gonna need aegis sub to edit my stuff. If I give you a text file, you're still gonna need aegis sub to edit and make the subtitles.
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ImTakes
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Yae-Hime
Okay, it is clearer to me now. I will go and get that program and look it over like I already said I would. I will come back after I look at it and ask more questions. Please answer my pm as time allows. Thanks so much again for your help and for your patience.^^)
UPDATE: Just downloaded the Aegisub program...it is asking me what associate format do I want to use with it? Can you tell me which one to use?
Advanced Substation Alpha
Substation Alpha (.ssa)
SubRip (.srt)
MicroDVD (.sub)
MPEG4 Timed Text (.ttxt)
I do not know what any of these mean but I will look them up and learn. -_-
Edited by ImTakes, Jul 6 2009, 12:17 AM.
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Langes01x

ImTakes
Jul 5 2009, 11:25 PM
Okay, it is clearer to me now. I will go and get that program and look it over like I already said I would. I will come back after I look at it and ask more questions. Please answer my pm as time allows. Thanks so much again for your help and for your patience.^^)
UPDATE: Just downloaded the Aegisub program...it is asking me what associate format do I want to use with it? Can you tell me which one to use?
Advanced Substation Alpha
Substation Alpha (.ssa)
SubRip (.srt)
MicroDVD (.sub)
MPEG4 Timed Text (.ttxt)
I do not know what any of these mean but I will look them up and learn. -_-
.ass (Advanced Substation Alpha) is the most widely used format and the only one I would use because of all the nice things you can do with it.
.srt is plain subtitles (black border, white inside) which only contains the timing and the translation. Heck I don't even know if you can do a comment in an .srt
As for the rest they are just there because someone somewhere might actually use them. You know... once in a blue moon.
Edited by Langes01x, Jul 6 2009, 12:35 AM.
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ImTakes
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Yae-Hime
Well, I had to lay down and close my eyes in the dark, because it was frustrating. But I tagged the one you suggested and took a look at it. I saw an option for "dummy video" and laughed because I thought..."yep, that one is for you." Always pays to have a sense of humor. Anyway, I will tinker with it and practice before I do any serious stuff. I may take a raw from another anime, and see what I can do with it. It has a translator helper and lots of other stuff...spell check which is very nice. Okay, goodnight to all and good luck.
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