Thanks to built-in AI Subtitling features in Limecraft Workspaces, content creators have access to professionally produced subtitles in seconds. In an alternative use case, you may want to start working using given subtitles or a subtitle template, a process referred to as "subtitle versioning".
This article explains some advanced features of the versioning process, including subtitle file format conversion, frame rate and timing offset correction, retroactive synchronisation, truecasing, and more.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is the Challenge when you start working from pre-existing Subtitles?
- How to use the Advanced Subtitle Versioning Options?
- Retroactive Synchronisation ("Apply Shot Alignment")
- Speaker Segmentation
- Adjust Frame Rate and Offset
- Remove Blank Subtitles
- Related Articles
What is the Challenge when you start working from pre-existing Subtitles?
If you are in the business of content reproduction and delivery, and you need to create subtitles or closed captions, chances are that you can start from pre-existing subtitles that have been produced upstream. While generally considered a benefit that should save you a lot of time, it can be a challenge to get rid of timing or spelling errors, or to adapt the subtitles according to your preferred spotting rules.
To help you coping with these adaptations, Limecraft makes available a number of specific functions that will help you saving time, including but not restricted to file format conversions, frame rate and timing offset corrections, truecasing, retroactive synchronisation of the subtitles with the edit, speaker change detection, etc. Any of these can be applied directly upon import, or after importing the subtitles.
How to use the Advanced Subtitle Versioning Options?
You can use these Advanced Subtitle Versioning Options as part of the importing process or, as explained herein, after subtitles have been created or imported.
You can access the advanced subtitle versioning options via the dropdown menu on the right upper corner of the Subtitle Editor app.
When using the advanced options as part of the import process, the settings are available in the lower part of the screen.
Retroactive Synchronisation ("Apply Shot Alignment")
This option optimises the timing of the subtitles and synchronises them with the shot cuts or scene changes where necessary, i.e. as configured by the spotting rules of the workspace. The purpose of synchronising subtitles with visual transitions (or snapping them to the shot cuts), makes them more comfortable to read.
Speaker Segmentation
When you are producing subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH), it is best practice to provide a visual indication of speaker changes in the audio, by using the hyphen ("-") or by changing the colour.
In case you receive pre-existing subtitles without indication of speaker changes, you can instruct Limecraft to retrofit the speaker changes. In effect, Limecraft will analyse the audio and apply the speaker changes on the available subtitles.
Adjust Frame Rate and Offset
If the Frame Rate or the start timecode of the subtitle file is different from the video, you can convert them to conform with the video.
Remove Blank Subtitles
It is possible to automatically remove the empty subtitles when importing an external subtitle file with the Subtitle Editor.
NOTE: This option is only available when importing subtitles and cannot be applied anymore after the subtitles have already been imported and displayed in the subtitle editor.
