When you are a content producer or distributor, you may want to make subtitles in other languages as part of the localisation process. This way you increase the reach and accessibility of your subtitles to audiences that do not speak the original language.

There are three options available to you for creating translated subtitles. Auto-translate that uses machine translation services, creating your subtitles and importing them as a SRT or STL file, or creating the translated subtitles manually in the subtitling app. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Localisation with Machine Translation

Rely on machine translation to create new language versions of the subtitles in the Subtitle Editor or in the Transcription Editor. Both options are shown and discussed below.

Translation in the Subtitle Editor


Create a translated version of the original subtitles directly in the subtitle editor.

Picture of the selection in the subtitle editor of Limecraft Workspace to create localised subtitles.


This creates a script of the source subtitles which are translated with the help of machine translation.

The resulting subtitles are shown on a new subtitle panel showing the source subtitles next to the target subtitles for further post-editing.


Picture showing source subtitles next to the translated target subtitles in Subtitle Editor of the limecraft workspace.



This procedure applies the spotting rules of the source subtitles on the targe subtitles.


Translation in the Transcription Editor


Another option is to create the translation in the Transcription Editor.  

Picture showing how to create a translated version of a transcription with machine translation in the Limecraft Workspace

Create the translation based on the source transcript.

Picture showing how to create a translated version with machine translation based on the source language transcript in the Limecraft Workspace

Ensure a high quality transcript of the original language at first to guarantee highest possible quality of your translated subtitles. You can read more about it in this section. 

 editor and select the first option 'Take text from the (target language) transcript and generate timing via spotting rules.

Picture showing the selection to create subtitles based on a translated version of the original transcript with the Subtitle Editor of the Limecraft Workspace.


You can find all the versions of the subtitles in the language dropdown list of the Subtitle Editor.

Picture showing the dropdownlist to locate all the localised variations of the subtitles.

Import existing subtitles as SRT / STL file

You can import separately prepared subtitles in SRT or STL file format as discussed in this article.


A dialog will invite you to select the subtitle file, and the subtitle template will be displayed provided there are no formatting errors.

Picture showing subtitles created by importing a subtitle file on Limecraft Workspace


Then go to the dropdown menu above the subtitles and use "+ Add a new language" as follows.

Picture showing how to add new language versions of a subtitle template in the source language.


The subtitle app will display a new overlay where you start typing the destination language. The original subtitles are still available, they are not displayed in here. As soon as you start typing 'fr...' because you're looking for 'French' an auto-suggest function comes to help.

Now pick the desired language and hit "AUTO TRANSLATE", and wait a few seconds before the magic happens.

Picture of selecting new language to create another languange version of the source subtitles on Limecraft Workspace.


The translated subtitles are displayed side by side with the subtitle template for review and QC. If necessary, you can repeat the procedure to add more languages.

Picture showing original subtitles next to target language subtitles in subtitle editor of Limecraft Workspace.



Manual subtitling to target language

To start creating your translated subtitles from scratch navigate to the Subtitle Editor, click on 'Add a new language'.

Picture showing how to add a language version of subtitles with manual process.


A window opens where you can pick the language of your choice, select if you want the timing to be taken from the original subtitles and whether you want to then proceed to manually translating or starting from scratch.


Picture showing the option of taking the timing from the source subtitles for creation of new language version.


With the option of taking the timing from the previous subtitles, two subtitle templates open side by side, giving you the option to translate and compare with the source subtitles. 

Picture showing the source subtitles and new subtitles pane for manual subtitling next to each other.

The option of starting writing subtitles from scratch you get the option of selecting a subtitle preset if there are more than one configured in your production. 

Picture showing the option to create new language version of the subtitles from scratch.

This option opens up an empty editor where you can create your own subtitles from scratch.

Picture showing the editor when creating new language version of subtitles from scratch.