Subtitling and caption production is the craft of transcribing, timing, translating, and encoding text overlays for video content. Captions (for accessibility, with sounds noted) differ from subtitles (for language translation). Used by video editors, content creators, translators, and production companies. Time to learn: 6-8 weeks for professional quality. Sits between video editing and localization.
Subtitling and caption production is the technical and creative craft of transcribing dialogue, timing it to video, translating it when needed, and encoding it for distribution. Subtitles are translations of dialogue; captions (CC) are for deaf/hard of hearing and include sound effects, music cues, and speaker IDs. The workflow involves four steps: (1) transcription (convert speech to text), (2) timing (align text with video), (3) localization (translate to target languages), and (4) encoding (embed in video or deliver as separate files in SRT/VTT format).
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $50k | $75k | $110k |
| UK | $38k | $60k | $85k |
| EU | $40k | $65k | $95k |
| CANADA | $48k | $70k | $105k |
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