Hello.

I prepare subtitles for the hard of hearing for use on commercially available DVDs. Recently while doing a bit of 'subtitle research' I have noticed that how subtitles on DVD actually look (font size, positioning, whether they have a solid black background or a transparent background) varies hugely. As an example, Casino Royale gets a good rating on the DVD-Subtitles.com website, but to me the subtitles look a bit of a mess on screen. I am used to setting them centred on the screen. These ones move their position according to who is talking, and sometimes block more of the picture than I would be happy with.

I'd really appreciate some feedback from you guys please. What are your preferences, what do you find easiest to read, is there anything in particular that you really DON'T like?

Many thanks

Phil

In a bit of a rush so will say more later, but the biggest thing I hate is when subtitles don't exactly reflect the dialogue word-for-word or have been "dumbed down". This drives me nuts.

Typical excuses are that there isn't room or the subtitles would be too fast to read. This is nonsense as people who depend on subtitles are able to read them much, much faster than people who are not dependent on subtitles.

Many great movie quotes and dialogue have been lost, or important meanings lost through "dumbed down" subtitles. Literal subtitles only please!

This subject has been covered many times in this forum, you can find lots of answers in old posts on this forum.

Cheers,
Mat

Most of time subitiles are fine but my mum told me that when subitiles on woman or male voice and some missing subtitles aint on what they been sayin cause sometime they're too fast voice.. Also im got sometime not agreed cos sometime on dvd got white suitiles same as background bright white. sometime i cant read it so its should anything dvd got bright background then can get changed colour font of subitiles make people more can read it be clear!
Thanks x

The one thing that drives me really mad about DVD subtitles is that that some DVDs have subtitles that go outside widescreen pictures and that forces me to alter the aspect ratio on the TV screen causing some distortion of the pictures just so I can see all of the subtitles.

I WANT IT ALL IN THE SAME PICTURES AS EVERYONE ELSE SEES PLEASE!!!!

Another thing is the lack of borders around the characters of the subtitles when viewed against a background of a similar colour which makes them difficult to read easily - look at M*A*S*H for example - lots of white foreground in the theatres and the subs sometimes disappeared.

Dear Phil;
I am a carer for my mother, who is fifty percent + hard of hearing. I sit with her whilst she is viewing and of course the subtitles are on. I am afraid that at the average viewing distance and even with a very large widescreen television it is virtually impossible to sight
read subtitling without a coloured or black panel against a moving picture background. 2entertain being one of the worst. A inline font is
no substitute for a proper panel enclosing the lettering. As a sequential artist, ( comic strip illustrator ) the one thing I'm aware of regarding
legibility is the need for clarity, which you cannot get using white lettering without placing it on a clear differentiating background. I'm afraid with most DVD subtitling my mother gives up and feels left out. Sorry.

Thanks for your time: John Schiltz.

This is something I have found too.

I've come across this I have noticed quiet alot on tv. It's annoying and sometimes I find it confusing, because I see the person talking but wondering why all of a sudden there is no subs. Then it goes to a different scene and subs start again. So I know I have missed something but what! My boyfriend had to fill me in when I asked him, what did they say? And I felt that piece that I missed was vital to follow what was going on.

Your not the only one Liz!

I had to rely on my family or my Dad to fill in what is going on when there is no subs. It was so annoyin for both of us because Dad likes to relax and watch TV without havin me bugging him to fill in what is going on.

I do have problems with subs on TV but I never ever had any problems with DVDs and I got over 100 due cinema not having subs.

Live TV worse and some sill mistakes too, which can be funny. So never bother watching news, I read on BBC website online instead, far easier!

It is better have subs in different colour, only thing I think DVDs need to improve on so I know who is speaking (most of time I do anyway but sometimes if lots people about I can miss out who is talking). BBC iPlayer are doing that, on iPad first then other platforms.