5 Facts about Subtitles: Why Is It Better Than Dubbing?
When you prefer reading, you choose a book rather than a movie. It’s the same if you just want to relax and don’t want the hassle of reading subtitles. It’s understandable. Therefore, you choose the dubbed version of a foreign film instead of the subtitled one. However, you might have observed that true film enthusiasts always choose the subtitled version. Those who are knowledgeable understand that subtitling preserves the movie’s integrity, they understand the reasons behind it. Here are 5 facts about subtitles on why a subtitled movie surpasses the dubbed version endlessly.
Subtitling Honors the Actor’s Effort
As a legend, Marlon Brando stuffed his cheeks with cotton for his role in The Godfather, insisting that the titular character should resemble a bulldog. One of cinema’s most iconic faces and voices he got then. His approach made mumbling fashionable long before mumblecore emerged. Considering the effort he invested in his performance, envision Brando’s Godfather replaced by the voice of a lesser-known actor. While there are undoubtedly talented voice actors worldwide, and voice acting is a distinct skill, none could replicate Brando’s essence. It wouldn’t capture that distinctive growl, that bulldog-like demeanour. It simply wouldn’t align with the visual portrayal. However, subtitling The Godfather in a non-English language would uphold the integrity of his monumental performance at the film’s core. Subtitles detract nothing from the movie, providing ample reason to favour them overdubbing.
It Preserves the Atmosphere
Certain films are driven by their plots, while others focus on character exploration and development. Then there are those that rely heavily on ambience.
Take Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love, a Hong Kong period piece that unfolds leisurely, akin to savouring a bowl of spicy noodle soup. Watching this film feels like getting lost in a maze of slow-motion corridors adorned with red silk and swirling cigarette smoke. The plot may wander, and the characters may seem to drift aimlessly. However, the essence lies in the mood created—a time portal opened by the atmospheric whispers, introspective monologues, and the tonal Cantonese dialogues of the central characters.
Replacing their voices with dubbed ones would shatter the entire ambience. Without the mood, the film loses its impact. Therefore, both for your own enjoyment and out of respect for the director’s vision, opt for subtitles over dubbing when watching it!
The Language's Sound is Integral to the Film
Imagine an Almodóvar film without Spanish, a Godard film without French, or a Kurosawa samurai epic without Japanese. It's inconceivable! Language contributes a texture as deliberate as the costumes and as essential as the mise-en-scène (a catch-all phrase for how a scene comes together and tells your story). It complements the colours, patterns, locations, and even the themes of the film. Sometimes, it deliberately contrasts with them. Language isn’t just a medium of communication; it carries aesthetic significance. Consider Almodóvar’s portrayal of lust and abandonment, deeply rooted in Spanish culture and inspired by the hyper-religious dictatorship that once censored Spanish media. The distant boredom of Godard’s cool antiheroes is distinctly French and Kurosawa’s exploration of honor and conquest is quintessentially Japanese. Hearing these themes expressed in their native languages imbues them with context and vitality. To dub them would render them foreign and unfamiliar. Subtitling is undoubtedly the way to preserve their essence.
Subtitled Films Introduce You to Different Languages
With over seven thousand languages spoken worldwide, watching subtitled films can expose you to linguistic diversity you might never have encountered otherwise. For example, you may have never realized Tamasheq spoke until you watched Timbuktu, a Palme d’Or nominee from 2014. Or, perhaps you wouldn’t have experienced the melodic cadence of Aboriginal Australian languages if you hadn’t seen films like Walkabout or Rabbit-Proof Fence. Subtitled movies broaden our cultural horizons in a way that dubbed films completely overlook. Who wouldn’t want to embrace such enlightenment through facts about subtitles?
Subtitled films also cater to a wider audience. You can enjoy your English-subtitled Ingmar Bergman DVD with your Swedish-speaking friends (sounds like a delightful gathering!). If it were dubbed, you’d be left pondering the nature of death and loss all by yourself. So, embrace the subtitles, grab some lingonberries, and make it a shared experience. After all, isn’t the essence of foreign entertainment to transport us across borders?
Congratulations, You're Now an Aficionado!
Now that you’re well-informed, the next time you’re tempted to opt for the dubbed version of a movie, take a moment to ponder the vital and nuanced role that language plays in this art form. The subtitled version offers a richer experience, preserving the integrity of both acting and directing while also broadening your global perspective. Don't fret about what may initially seem like extra effort; once you’re ten minutes into any captivating film, you’ll find yourself so engrossed that you’ll hardly notice you're reading subtitles! Read also: Subtitle Localization Know How: Here's What You Need to Know
Get to Know about Subtitle in Depth
Subtitles in videos and films serve to broaden the audience’s enjoyment and appreciation of foreign productions. By providing translations of foreign dialogue into the viewer’s native language, subtitles facilitate comprehension. However, the process of subtitling is meticulous and time-consuming.
Subtitling constitutes a distinct form of audiovisual translation, governed by its own set of criteria, rules, and specifications. Professional subtitling necessitates the expertise of linguistic specialists who possess extensive training in the intricate process of translating various program genres and content types. These specialists possess the ability to preserve the context and essence of the original material within the subtitles they create.
The Process Behind Subtitle
Creating subtitles involves more than simply translating the script and placing it at the bottom of the screen. Subtitling is a form of translation work with specific time and space constraints, which significantly impact the final outcome. Translators must thoroughly understand the content they are working with, maintain the context and meaning of the original video, and accurately convey the translated script into the target languages. This process goes beyond translating textual content; it also involves considering the audio and visual elements within a defined space and time. However, the work doesn’t end there. Translators must edit the translation to fit the parameters of the subtitles, considering factors such as positioning, timing, character limits per line, and reading speed.
The Limitation of Subtitle
Subtitling work is bound by limitations. Subtitles are typically limited to two lines of text, positioned and centred at the bottom of the screen. Each line can contain a maximum of 35 characters, including symbols and spaces, with a total of 70 characters for both lines combined. Additionally, subtitles are constrained by time limits, with a minimum duration of one second and a maximum duration of six seconds on screen. While these parameters provide guidance, subtitling often requires flexibility, and there may be deviations based on the specific subtitle and its readability.
Reading Speed in Subtitle is Essential
Given that individuals read at different rates, estimating the average reading speed is crucial. Currently, the average reading speed is estimated at about three words per second. On average, viewers require approximately four seconds to read two lines of subtitles containing 70 characters, equivalent to roughly 12 words. Consequently, when time is limited, it's advisable to use concise language. Subtitling involves a technical aspect known as spotting. Here, the translator must calculate the timing for when the subtitle will appear and disappear from the screen, ensuring synchronization with the video’s audio. Additionally, changes in camera shots must be considered, as they can affect the duration of subtitles. Viewers may need extra time to readjust after a shot change, prompting the translator to factor in scene and shot transitions alongside other considerations.
Enticing Facts about Subtitles
After discovering facts about subtitles, you may wonder whether there are enticing parts of this one to consider as a notable thing in the film industry. Check out the list below! Cost and Speed Efficiency. Subtitling is more cost-efficient and faster to produce compared to dubbing. In recent years, fan-subbed TV dramas from various countries have become more accessible due to subtitling efforts. Online Accessibility. There are numerous groups and streaming platforms that enable the addition of subtitles to videos, catering to international audiences online. Professional Translation. For commercial purposes, professional translators are hired to produce subtitles for films, ensuring high-quality and accurate translations for global distribution. Collaborative Effort. Filmmaking involves numerous collaborators, including scriptwriters, directors, artists, editors, and more. Despite its importance, the subtitling team is often overlooked.
Is Subtitling an Art?
For some reason, subtitles are a kind of art. Why so?
Subtitling is rightfully considered an art form due to the complexities involved in creating subtitles. It enables movies to reach diverse global audiences. It also allows filmmakers to draw inspiration from movies across the globe, fostering cultural understanding and appreciation. Meanwhile, movies serve as expressive art forms that should be understood by diverse audiences, conveying cultural nuances and stories from various regions.
Exploring these lesser-known facts about subtitles and the challenges faced by translators can enhance one’s appreciation for films with subtitles. Continue reading to delve into these seven intriguing subtitling facts you may not have known before!
Expression of Emotion. Portraying emotions accurately in subtitles is a challenging aspect of subtitling. Translators and editors must carefully select words that effectively convey the same emotions depicted on screen by the actors. Without meticulous word choice, viewers may not fully grasp the intended sentiment of a scene.
Challenges with Words. Language nuances pose difficulties in translation, especially when certain English words lack direct equivalents in other languages. Some words require lengthy descriptions rather than simple translations. Additionally, words with multiple meanings or regional adaptations further complicate the translation process. Examples include “massa” in Portuguese and “romance” in simplified Chinese. Certain words, such as “mind-boggling” or “flabbergasted,” present challenges due to their complexity or lack of direct equivalents in other languages. In cases where no suitable translation exists, translators may opt to use the original word and provide its meaning in brackets.
Separate Screenplays for Subtitles. In regions like India, filmmakers often draft screenplays in English during the production phase to streamline editing processes. These English drafts serve as a basis for creating subtitled screenplays, which guide the subtitling process and ensure alignment with the film’s artistic vision. Subtitled screenplays also aid in preserving the nuances of the native language and contribute to the overall quality of the subtitled content.
Time and Space Constraints. Subtitling is a challenging process as translators must ensure that subtitles appear on the screen concurrently with the actor’s dialogue. This task requires skill since translated words may vary in length, impacting the timing of subtitles. Additionally, translators must consider the time needed for viewers to read the subtitles, necessitating concise and skilful paraphrasing.
They are handling Songs and Profanity. Translating profanity poses difficulties, as cultural perceptions of curse words differ, and their impact may vary across languages. Furthermore, translating songs, particularly in culturally rich films like those from India, can be challenging. Inaccurate translations may obscure the emotional impact or even result in unintentionally humorous meanings.
Unique Nature of Subtitling. Subtitling is a distinctive process that transforms spoken language into written text, displayed simultaneously with the dialogue on screen. This dual communication channel ensures the coexistence of two languages and adds depth to the viewing experience.
Historical Origins. Subtitles, initially termed intertitles, made their debut in 1903 in Edwin S. Porter’s epic film “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Originally printed or drawn on paper, intertitles were filmed and inserted between sequences. The concept evolved into subtitles during the silent film era in 1909. With the advent of sound film, subtitling became indispensable due to the complexity and expense of dubbing. “The Jazz Singer” (1927) was the first sound film to feature subtitles, setting a precedent for multilingual film distribution.
Similar to dubbing, creating subtitles necessitates specific skills to ensure the “equivalence” of the film’s essence. From the facts about subtitles above, it’s evident that subtitling is an artistic endeavour extending beyond mere linguistic conversion, such as balancing the cultural content and text length.