XML Subtitle questions -- Desperate for help!

[DocProd]

Hello All --

I've created Interop subtitles for the DCP of a feature film I produced using Michael Cinqin's extremely useful tool -- http://www.michaelcinquin.com/tools/DCP/DCP_subtitling -- which exports a perfectly useable XML file, but I have a few questions:

As the tool only accepts an SRT file as an input, it loses any formatting (specifically, italics). Now, I guess I could go into the XML file and add italic tags for the lines that need it, but my question is -- is there any easier way?

Same question for subtitles that need to be top-aligned -- most of the film will have the subs on the bottom, but there are a few instances that require them to be on the top. Again -- is it just the painful process of manually editing the XML file?

How do others create DCP-ready XML subtitle files? Is there any tool like Jubler or Aegis that allows you to do things like add italic and change the position of certain lines that can then export an XML file that is DCP-ready? Jubler can export an XML file, but that's not the right format.

Also -- is there any way to test a subtitle file? Would be great to see how the font looks, if the position is right, etc. I can't seem to find any way of doing that, short of running a test on a DCP server/projector in a cinema.

Any advice and/or war stories would be most appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

[carl]

Hi,

What are you creating the subtitles with in the first place? DCP-o-matic will import .srt, .ssa or DCP XML so maybe you can export from your tool using a format which preserves formatting? Are you using the /i tag in subrip?

To test it just set up a project in DCP-o-matic, add your video and your subs and look in the preview. It should be fairly close to how it looks on a projector, but it's not a perfectly exact science.

Carl

[Ewen]

Hello,
I'm having a similar problem.
I use Annotation Edit and italics are a key component. After subtitling (spending a fair amount of time applying italics when needed), I'm trying to create DCPs with subtitle VFs using DCP-O-Matic, but when importing my subs made with AE, be it as .srt, .ssa or SMPTE DCP xml, they do open but all italics have disappeared. Would there be an easy way to avoid this, or do I have to go into the xml with TextWrangler to add italics tags ? I have 1200 subtitles for a single, long film so a quicker, direct way to do this would be very useful. I thought these 3 subtitle formats did save italics formatting? I also asked Annotation Edit support.
thank you so much for your time,
Ewen

[carl]

Hi Ewen

Can you send one of your subtitle files to carl@dcpomatic.com ?

Then I can take a look.

[Carsten]

This seems to be a preview and player issue (only). Recently, the way to e.g. display italics has been changed from using a dedicated font to synthesized font effects (e.g. skewing for italics). Maybe that issue has been introduced with it.

BECAUSE:

When I add an SRT file like this in DCP-o-matic 2.13.141 :

---
1
00:00:2,000 --> 00:00:5,000
<i> This text is in italics. </i>
This text is not in italics
---

DCP-o-matic does not show the first line in italics. However, in the XML file that is created when an Interop DCP is being made, the first line is correctly created with the italic tag:


---
<Subtitle SpotNumber="1" TimeIn="00:00:02:000" TimeOut="00:00:05:000" FadeUpTime="0" FadeDownTime="0">
<Font Italic="yes">
<Text VAlign="top" VPosition="86.9545">This text is in italics.</Text>
</Font>
<Font Italic="no">
<Text VAlign="top" VPosition="94.2273">This text is not in italics</Text>
</Font>
</Subtitle>
---

So, on a DCI projector, the italic line WILL be displayed italic. Of, course, not if the subtitles are to be burned-in.

I thought that other than DCP-o-matic main, the standalone player would display italics correctly, but it seems, it uses the same function, and thus shows the same issue.

BUT - the change to synthesized italics has only been implemented in recent test versions of the player.
I can see the italics when I use standalone player 2.12.20 - and I see italics from the SRT file in DCP-o-matic main 2.12.20...

- Carsten

2_13_141.png

2_12_20.png

[Carsten]

----- ignore this statement for now, I may be wrong here -----
Oops - other than I assumed, while 2.13.141 does not preview/display italics in DCP-o-matic main and player, when I choose to burn-in these subs, they are actually burned-in as italics properly, while the preview in DCP-o-matic only displays them normal style. I always thought the preview in DCP-o-matic is more or less immediately linked to burn-in.
------ end ignore -------


- Carsten

[Ewen]

Thank you so much for your quick answers! So if I understand correctly, I just need to do the VF without worrying about this italics issue, and everything should be fine when running the test screening at the film theater, right ?

[carl]

Are you using 2.13.something?

[Carsten]

Ewen - if you are using one of the recent 2.13.x test versions, you should be fine and trust the italics to come out correctly at the test screenings. You could also try player 2.12.20 for testing. Please create your subtitled VF and then paste an excerpt of the resulting timed text xml file here. There should be italic tags in it.

Are you working on a Mac, or in Windows/Linux?

- Carsten

[Ewen]

hey, thanks again for your answer Carsten. I'm not sure which xml this would be.

Another thing : I can't seem to play the VF to check everything is fine in the DMO player (2,13,141). I tried first opening the VF, then the corresponding OV, but the subs are not playing, just the film. Carl, I tried the new DMO test version and it crashed as soon as I opened it (subtitle error message), so I went back to 2,13,141.

thanks and have a great weekend