Since the implementation of FCC mandate for internet closed captioning, producers, TV stations, and video websites alike are looking for the best options. These days, HTML has evolved to be more functional with standardized guidelines for video rendering and captioning guidelines. In the past, there were no standards for playing a video on a web page. To play videos on a website almost always required plugins; such as QuickTime, Silverlight, RealPlayer, Flash Player etc. HTML5 has now improved and standardized accessible video and provides captioning to be displayed together. Companies like Aberdeen have incorporated this advancement in their day-to-day operations and provide the most up-to-date technical services to their clients.
As mentioned above, HTML5 is a major leap for standardizing video across web browsers and devices, and consequently simplifying closed captioning. The idea is that web video should be based on an open, universal standard that works everywhere. HTML5 natively supports video without the need for third party plugins.
There are two groups collaborating on HTML5 closed captioning standards: the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Each group has its own CC standard. WHATWG has developed WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks) and W3C has developed TTML (Time text markup language). These two standards are of different origins. WebVTT is basically a modified SRT; and TTML is a modified XML. However, I found that the old fashion .srt and .xml files will work just perfectly fine for subtitling and/or closed captioning.
Believe it or not, the code is very simple to incorporate in all types of videos and cc files. Below is a sample of HTML5 code to show how to incorporate the videos and closed caption file:
<video width="320" height="240">
<source type="video/mp4" src="my_video.mp4" >
<track src="cc_file.srt" label="English captions" kind="captions" srclang="en-us" default >
</video>
Here are the attributes of the track elements:
src: specifies the name and location of the cc or subtitle file
label: specifies the title of the track
kind: specifies the type of time-aligned text. The options are: Captions, Subtitles, Chapters, Descriptions or Metadata
srclang: specifies the language
default: specifies that this track is enabled by default. Note that multiple track elements can be used simultaneously.
The next question that comes to mind would be if HTML5 can handle multiple languages. The short answer is YES, definitely. We just have to modify the code to include the track for different subtitle language files. If you subtitle multiple languages, just contact a company like Aberdeen and they will surely help you get your subtitle project going with files that work seamlessly for HTML5!
About the Author
Arif Kusuma is the Chief Technical Officer at Aberdeen Broadcast Services. He has his Bachelor's degrees in Chemical Engineering and Computer Information Systems, as well as a Masters of Business Administration. He has a passionate drive for technology, both hardware and software, and like many people, loves to be the first to get the latest gadgets.
With a growing awareness of the importance of closed captions and subtitles, there is a need for universal consistency and standards of excellence. Here are a few key guidelines, proposed by Mary Carroll and Jan Ivarsson in their 1992 book, Subtitling, that Aberdeen implements to achieve quality subtitles.
Video Copy and Glossary: Subtitlers should indeed work from a video copy of the production. Providing a glossary of unusual words, names, and specialized terms ensures accuracy and consistency across the subtitles.
Compression of Dialogue: When dialogue must be compressed for subtitling, it's essential that the meaning remains clear and coherent.
Translating On-Screen Text: All critical on-screen text, like signs or notices, should be translated. It's also beneficial to include what might be considered "superfluous" information, such as off-screen voices and names, to assist hearing-impaired viewers.
Subtitling Songs: Songs should be subtitled when they are relevant to the content or contribute to the understanding of the narrative.
Timing of Subtitles: Subtitles should align closely with the rhythm of the dialogue, editing cuts, and sound bridges in the film. They should appear and disappear in sync with the audio to preserve the natural flow of conversation.
Emphasizing Key Elements in Subtitles: Subtitles should effectively convey elements of surprise or suspense without undermining them. This involves careful placement and timing relative to the visual and auditory cues in the content.
Reading Rhythm: The duration of subtitles should accommodate the average viewer's reading speed—generally not appearing for less than one second or more than seven seconds, except in the case of songs.
Synchronization: There should be a close correlation between what is spoken in the film and what is subtitled, with efforts made to synchronize the source and target languages as closely as possible.
Legibility of Subtitles: Subtitles must be easy to read, with clear lettering and a suitable font. Techniques like adding a drop shadow or background box can enhance readability.
Consistency in Positioning: The placement of subtitles should be consistent throughout the production, aiding in viewer comprehension and minimizing distraction.
Character Limit: The number of characters per line should be compatible with the subtitling system and should be legible on any screen size.
One of the number-one questions I get from prospective clients or even friends is the question: What is the difference between roll-up captioning, pop-on captioning, and subtitling? Also, people often think that captioning is the same thing as subtitling, which it isn't. To take this question even further, I will explain in what cases each one is ideally used.*
Captioning VS. Subtitling
Captioning was created so deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers could read along to TV shows. A technology needed to be created that was accessible to the deaf viewer, but not obligatory for hearing viewers. So today, closed captioning is decoded by a decoder chip in the television and it must be activated to view. Captions are white letters with a black background. The font looks similar to Courier New.
Subtitling, on the other hand, was originally created so viewers of programming in a language other than their own could read along in their own language. Unlike captions, subtitles cannot be turned on or off through a TV decoder chip. They are burned on the video. If you are watching subtitles on a DVD or Blu-ray Disc, they can be turned on or off through the menu. Subtitles can be different fonts or colors and usually do not have a black or transparent background.
Roll-up Captioning
What is it?
Roll-up captions scroll up the screen line by line usually two to three lines at a time. It is the most basic form of captioning, as it usually does not include extensive sound effect description nor speaker identification.
When is it used?
Roll-up captioning is mainly used for ALL live programming and for post-production broadcast programming that only has one speaker (not very common).
For an example of roll-up captioning, view the video on this page: roll-up video
Pop-On Captioning
What is it?
Pop-on captions pop on and off the screen one caption at a time. They typically look like a square box and each caption usually consists of two to three lines. Pop-on captions should include sound effect descriptions as well as movement for speaker identification.
When is it used?
Pop-on captions should be used for pre-recorded broadcast programming with multiple speakers.
For an example of pop-on captioning view the video on this page: pop-on video
Subtitling
What is it?
Subtitles pop on and off the screen just like pop-on captions but they typically do not have a black background and can be any font and color.
When is it used?
Subtitles should always be used for DVD and Blu-ray Discs as they can be turned on and off through the menu. They should also be used for broadcasts in countries where the programming is of a language other than the country's primary language.
For an example of subtitles view the video on this page: subtitling video
*Please note that this article's aim is to be a general explanation for the person that has no prior knowledge of the topic. It does not go into depth on the technical differences between captioning and subtitling. I specifically talk about captions for broadcasting and not other purposes like online video, et cetera. When I speak about captioning, I am referring to Line 21 (analog) captioning, not captioning for HD.
It's an Art.
A first-rate translation requires the know-how that cannot be rated by a translation program or a computer-assisted translation tool. Accuracy is not the only point of measurement. It's about immersing in another culture and offering words that wholly speak to the viewer.
What's fascinating about audio-visual translation is the creative authority the translator has. You must adapt the original dialogue to another culture through language. The translation turns into a new creation. This being said, the translator usually adheres to the original narration, but sometimes the translator will actually create their own dialogue to convey the same message in a better way. This new creation communicates more effectively than if the text were translated literally. If drastic changes are to be made, the translator will usually ensure to get authorization. For audio-visual translators, they usually find enjoyment in conjuring up the best way to adapt a song, a pun, or a joke into another culture, and another language.
Many subtitle viewers often complain that portions are missing in subtitles. The truth is, everything cannot be translated as subtitles are limited to around 40 characters per line. It doesn't matter how much is written in the subtitles if the viewer doesn't have time to read them. The subtitler's job is to shorten what is being said. This creates some tough decisions. They must decide which parts of the dialogue are important and which parts can be left out. If everything seems important, the extremely creative and challenging part is determining how to fit three ideas into one sentence.
I talk to people often about what kind of work I do. The general public has no idea what translation subtitles are all about. Typically, they say something like, "Isn't that for free" or "I thought that just happened by the TV or a computer." The people behind them (if they are good subtitlers like Aberdeen Captioning's team), are highly educated and markedly cultured individuals. They are usually people who have parents from two different countries or who have grown up in two or more countries. In addition to being multi-cultural, they are linguistic superstars. They have not only been brought up in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual environment, but they are extremely gifted and highly trained in writing. Take if from me, a person who bilingual in Spanish and English, but is not a translator: It takes much more than knowing a language to create a subtitled masterpiece.
