Adding Subtitles to scenes

[Max DeGroot]

I am in the process of creating a 40 minute animatic, which is basically like animation, only with fewer frames.

I then want to add Spanish subtitles.

Now, since the animatic changed just about every time a new character line is spoken, it seems to me that if I simply jump to the scene, then click subtitles, I should be able to add the subtitle, then stretch the start and stop to the ends of the scene.

However, when I go into subtitles, all references to scene seem to disappear.

Is there any way to get the subtitle tool to zoom to a scene?

[borate]

if a scene is chosen while in sequence preview mode and then the subtitle window is invoked ... no, the ST window will not track that position.

In ST mode, click on a text entry and the screen and timeline will jump to that scene.

Then it can be altered.  Drag the cursor and click SET START or SET END or drag the red (left) and blue (right) brackets.

[Max DeGroot]

What if I want it to snap to the beginning and end of the scene? Seems to me that isn't possible.

[borate]

Sure it is.  Once the ST is selected, by clicking on its text, use the |<  and   >|  buttons under the preview window.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi Max

You may find it easier to use simple text images adjusted in font size and frame position to create the subtitles. Timeline  position can then easily be set against the different image clips as each text clip will be on Track 2. Use dual displays to monitor the result.

e.g........

Nat

[Max DeGroot]

13 hours ago, Nationalsolo said:

Hi Max

You may find it easier to use simple text images adjusted in font size and frame position to create the subtitles. Timeline  position can then easily be set against the different image clips as each text clip will be on Track 2. Use dual displays to monitor the result.

That's a lot of work to go to, plus, I can't then download the subtitles as a separate file for uploading to YouTube, etc.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

"...That's a lot of work to go to......"

Oh! OK...Just thought it might have been simpler.

I've only used YT a few times each time for a complete project or a test clip but I am intrigued as to why you want to upload the S/T to YT as a separate file?  

Even using my suggested  way of adding S/T you can easily Hide Video Track 1  on Output and export just the texts as a separate file.,

Nat

[borate]

Humm... but would the resulting video text export be an SRT file, compliant with YT's captioning standards?

[Nationalsolo]

Hi B

Absolutely not, it would export as any of the usual Video formats.... but not being an avid YT buff how do you use the SRT or SSA file that you can save via the VP  S/T module  in the context of a YT video?  I have loaded SRT files into a project in VP to obtain S/Ts  in that project, both for real and test purposes.  Am I right in assuming then that one can upload an SRT file to add to a video already on YT?

Nat

 

[borate]

Seems that YT offers several routes to CC - automatic transcription, manually typing, or upload of CC files.  Here's what they have to say about the latter...

-0-0-

If you have a subtitle and closed caption file, you can upload it to your video. These types of files contain both the text and time codes for when each line of text should be displayed. Some files also include position and style information, which is especially useful for deaf or hard of hearing viewers.

Before you start, make sure that your file type is supported on YouTube.

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left, select Videos.
3. Click on the title or thumbnail of a video.
4. Select More options.
5. Select Upload subtitles/cc.
6. Choose between With timing or Without timing then select Continue.
7. Choose a file to upload.
8. Select Save.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi B

You learn something new every day!   Retrospective S/T!  As I said, I'm not a YT buff but thanks for that info.

From max's point of view he need not invoke the clip or sequence preview screen at all.

• In S/T window move red cursor to Start position
• Enter S/T and then move Blue bracket to End  position. The S/T extent is highlighted in the thumbnails.  You can also set these IN/OUT positions by directly clicking the brackets beneath the preview screen with the cursor set
• Click the Add sign to place S/T into the list. This clears the highlighted area.
• Move Cursor to next Start position and repeat the same steps

The drawbacks are that the existing S/T do not remain highlighted on the thumbnail track beneath the preview window when you click the Plus tab.. You can only see them highlighted individually by clicking them on the list. The other drawback which I think is a rather major one, is that although the complete timeline is present under the preview pane (allowing for the fact you can +/-  to show more/less of it) you can't step through it clip by clip. It's either Start or End of the timeline or frame by frame.

Nat

[borate]

Try this:  once the focus is clicked into the list area use the UP/DOWN keyboard keys to jump from CC to CC.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi B

Yes, that jumps along the S/T timeline area OK from S/T (end) to S/T (end) but if you have, say, a slide show of 100 images and want to S/T each one there is no facility to step to the start of the next image clip position. There are no II<  or  >II  buttons to do this. Which I thinks is an oversight. Further the  thumbnails are so squashed up that you can't even guess where each one actually starts as there are no clip markers ("bar lines") even when zoomed in.

Nat

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

".........There are no II<  or  >II  buttons to do this. Which I thinks is an oversight......"

I have put this in as a suggestion. Response from NCH was positive, so it may get implemented. It would be very useful when adding S/T to multi image slideshows as you could then simply step along to the start of every slide.

Nat