If you want to produce a video for the Italian market without spending a lot of time (and money) for dubbing, you can choose to add Italian subtitles directly to your original version. The video will be ready more quickly and for considerably less money.
Subtitles are also perfect for online training courses because students can listen to and learn the original terminology. Unlike with a dubbed video, students improve their language skills.
Subtitling a video is different from translating written text
For example, the text has to be shorter than the spoken words to fit reading speed. Sentences have to be broken up that are too long to make them easily understood. And this has to be done without changing the meaning of the original or leaving out any important information. Then there’s the technical aspect. Subtitles have to be in sync with the images to make it easier for the viewer to understand them.
I have long experience with an international agency specialized in audiovisual translation. Not only did I get to cut my teeth on a variety of video types, I also took training courses in
- Transcription
- Translation and script adaptation
- Translation and adaptation for hard of hearing
- Time coding
Is this all Greek to you? Don’t worry! I’ll explain it all.
How does my subtitling service work?
First, I need to see the video to assess the speed of speech, quality (for instance, is there background noise?), the speakers’ accents, and so forth. If a transcript is available, send it to me. If there is no transcript, the first thing to do is create one. In some cases, I can do so myself. In other cases, especially if the audio is not clear, I have a native English-speaking colleague help.
When the transcript is ready, the next step is creating empty subtitles that I will fill in with the translation. I use a software program for this step that automatically adjusts the duration of the subtitles and pauses to make it easier to read. Then I create the Italian translation removing the interjections and repetitions common in speech.
After the file has been prepared, I do a final check. I remove the audio and run the subtitles to make sure everything works. The subtitles should be completely understandable even without the audio.
What kind of videos can i subtitle?
- Commercials and promotional videos
- Online courses
- Documentaries
- Movies and TV series
You can see some examples of Italian subtitles in my portfolio.
Cost
Costs for video subtitling depend on many factors, including the speed of speech, sound quality, and technical jargon. My complete subtitling service starts from €40 for short videos (up to 3 mins).
Contact Me
If you need a text translated into Italian or if you’re looking for an interpreter in Tuscany, please reach out to me using the form below, telling me what you need. I usually respond within a few hours.
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