Subtitles

Anything and everything to do with DCP-o-matic.
Jorgen.Carlsen
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2024 1:03 pm

Subtitles

Post by Jorgen.Carlsen »

Hi.
Sometimes the bottom of the picture is quite bright, so that you cannot read the white subtitles.
Is it possible to place a single line of subtitles on top of the picture ? Not all the lines.

Yours Jørgen Carlsen
Carsten
Posts: 2815
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Subtitles

Post by Carsten »

Technically yes, in a subtitled DCP, every single line could be placed anywhere on the screen. However, you can't do that in DCP-o-matic (or at least not easily), as the GUI does not allow to set per-line positions, only per subtitle file. If it is really only ONE line in the whole movie (or just a few), you could split your subtitle file into two files with those lines that go to the bottom, and those that go to the top, and position them separately in DCP-o-matic.

Otherwise, you would need to use a separate subtitle editor that is able to position lines individually and output DCI timed text XML files.
IoannisSyrogiannis
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:40 pm

Re: Subtitles

Post by IoannisSyrogiannis »

I second the subtitle editor that would help with positioning.
I had issues with subtitle edit and creating .srt files with the positioning on the 9 available positions. A professional subtitling program and saving SMPTE or Interop subtitles would work better. And you can then compress the fonts.

Though, if the problem is white on white, you can also choose to outline the subtitles. There is a setting for that on DCP-o-matic. Look it up.
barber
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:03 pm

Re: Subtitles

Post by barber »

Actually I find Subtitle Edit pretty good at making DCI (IOP/SMPTE) subtitles with different positions on specific lines. Which issues have you encountered Ioannis?
Otherwise there is the much more expensive EZTitles.
IoannisSyrogiannis
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:40 pm

Re: Subtitles

Post by IoannisSyrogiannis »

Ah I wrote a lot before I lose everything with an error. :P
In any case, I will try to be shorter:
barber, that is great that it works for you. And Subtitle Edit is GREAT software and a life savior.
I find that the alignment to the nine positions of the screen is not always working for me. I explain that on my previous answer. Do you use another way to align, than the "right click on subtitle>Align>position"? If yes, what is it?
As for my story, I had issues in the past (more than 14 months) with srt subtitles that were individually positioned on top-center (hard-coded for another language on some spots) and wouldn't render there when the DCP was ready. I also couldn't make really small subtitles, really low on the screen (lower than safe), three lines, to be made with Subtitle Edit and DCP-o-matic. It was a special occasion, so I ended using EZTitles and CineAsset. That was about 26 months ago, when Dolby CineAsset was still a thing.

I wouldn't compare Subtitle Edit's and EZTitles' price. For the first, you don't pay, for the other, you do. I find that if you want to be "spot-on" with SE, you need to export to .xml and then manually edit. I have done it a few times. On EZTitles, I find comfortable the subtitle compression, the choice of UUID, the "proxy" video file etc. but most of that we can -mostly- do without. If that manual thing is too much work, then EZTitles has a demo for one month, pay-as-you-go subscriptions and a friendly support team. One can check it as an alternative.

Before all that, though, I would choose "outline" on the DCP-o-matic's settings.