subtitles to 10 min narrative

megabit wrote on 9/16/2008, 9:32 AM

I am finishing my (first so important) project. Basically, it's a live performance DVD; apart from the main item (the concert itself), the DVD will hold a short interview, as well (ca. 10 mins.). As the guy is speaking Polish, I'd like to add English subtitles to it. What technique would you advise? Should I do it as regions in Vegas, export regions as subtitles, and import them into DVDA? Or is it better to create them in DVDA from scratch?

I realize that the font/size/placement etc I will decide upon when previewing the first couple subtitles in DVDA, and adjust to my taste - how do I apply those attributes to all other subtitle regions automatically? Any automation (I must admit my experience with DVDA is limited - so far, I didn't deliver on DVD to often).

Thanks for advice, and any other hints on that.

Piotr

Comments

Former user wrote on 9/16/2008, 9:35 AM

IF you want the subtitles to always be visible, then I would just create them in VEGAS as titles. No sense worrying about regions and such.

If you want the option to turn them off or on, then do the way you mentioned.

Once you decide on a TITLE style in DVDA, there is an option to apply it to all titles.

Dave T2

megabit wrote on 9/16/2008, 9:39 AM

Thanks Dave; of course I should have mentioned I'd like the viewer to be able of turning them on and off...

Former user wrote on 9/16/2008, 9:49 AM

I find it much easier to create them in Vegas using the Marker or Region technique. DVDA is just a bit more cumbersome.

You can also type them in a Word Processor program and cut and paste (unfortunately, I don't think you can import them completely) and that works well for me because then you can use spellcheck. It takes a bit to get used to how many words to cut and paste each time, but once you get into a pattern, it moves pretty fast.

Dave T2

rs170a wrote on 9/16/2008, 12:52 PM

Piotr, there are two utilities on the VASST site that may be of help to you.
The first is called "SubText".
The second is a script called "Export Regions As Ssa Subtitle".
Both of these are free.
There's also a script called “Export Regions As Subtitles" that comes with Vegas that I've used successfully in the past.

Mike

megabit wrote on 9/16/2008, 1:31 PM

Thanks a lot, Mike!
Except...there is help/tutorial; could you e-mail me with some instructions? TIA!

Piotr

PeterWright wrote on 9/16/2008, 5:43 PM

The majority of my projects are subtitled. Until recently I used the export Regions from Vegas method, but now I find it much more efficient to do the whole job in DVDA.

With the export Regions method, it is still necessary to go through in DVDA and check positioning, line breaks, and basically how each one looks on the screen.

Doing it in DVDA means you know as you create each subtitle exactly how it looks. It is often necessary to move a subtitle slightly to avoid obscuring something such as a Vegas text caption showing someone's name, or part of a chart etc, and you can do this as you go along.
I also like to vary colours - e.g. different for voice over than on-screen interviews, and this is done simply by selecting a subtitle and changing its Colour Set in Properties.

The process of creating each new subtitle is also quicker than Regions, which are a little fiddly. In DVDA you simply Copy/Paste the previous subtitle then edit the new text - either typing, or pasting from a document if there's a script or transcript available.