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Subtitling Services in Singapore

Subtitles and captions are popular alternatives as they are lower in cost, and less time-consuming. Besides allowing audience to access and better understand the video content, these alternatives also enable companies to extend their reach to a wider audience globally.
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The New Video Norm: From Dubbing To Subtitling And Captioning

A man working on a subtitling project illustrating the importance of subtitling services

You probably recall watching some foreign films in which the following occurs: dubbing which didn’t match the actor/actress’ mouth, scenarios where the characters had already stopped talking yet the line trailed on; scenes of characters still talking even after the dubbed voices had stopped.

In case you haven’t already known, film dubbing was the earliest way of allowing audiences to watch a foreign film in their native/familiar language.

Dubbing allows viewers to focus on the imagery in a film. Dubbing, mixing or re-recording, is a post-production process used in film making and video production in which additional or supplementary recordings are lip-synced and “mixed” with original production sound to create the finished soundtrack.

The process usually takes place on a dub stage, and is commonly referred as the replacement of actor’s voices with those of different voice performers speaking another language.

While it may be the best option to enjoy a foreign film, dubbing itself costs a lot money and is very time-consuming to complete. Although many major film productions still engage in dubbing, the act of dubbing has been disdained by many film lovers who cite that it removes the original intention and artistic vision of the film.

Today, smaller foreign film makers and production companies often opt for subtitles or captions. Subtitles and captions are popular alternatives as they are lower in cost, and less time-consuming. Besides allowing audience to access and better understand the video content, these alternatives also enable companies to extend their reach to a wider audience globally.

What Are Subtitling Services?

Subtitles were primarily inserted into television programs and videos to serve viewers with loss of hearing or hard of hearing.However, as more people around the world start to focus on the learning of different languages and making the great shift towards online content, they became widely welcomed by audience who see it as an important asset to have whenever they view content from a different country, or while grasping the command of different languages.

In fact, subtitle services do not require any additional writers, actors, or carefully timed translations.

Though the process of translating a script into subtitles may be a little tricky sometimes, a professional translator can handle most subtitle translation capably.

Today, subtitles are seen as an aid to viewers who can hear the audio but can’t understand the language. Subtitles are translated from the original language into a foreign language.

These translated text are then displayed on screen when the person starts speaking so that the viewer can read along with the video.

Subtitles enable a Chinese speaking audience to enjoy Korean dramas even if they do not speak the language.

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What Is The Difference Between Captions Vs. Subtitles And Why Such Difference Is Important?

Captions and subtitles look almost identical at a glance, however they are designed for two different purposes, and the differences that set them apart aren’t as subtle as they seem too.

While subtitles provide a text alternative for the dialogue of video footage such as the spoken words of characters, other vocal participants as well as narrators, captions are meant for hearing-impaired individuals who can view video images but can’t hear the audio.

These captions help to supplement and communicate the video’s spoken content, song lyrics, atmospherics (i.e. Description of background noises, phone ringing) and other sound effects or even audio cues that need describing.

Essentially, subtitles involve the assumption that an audience can hear the audio, but need the dialogue provided in text form whereas captioning is typically used in situations where the audience is unable to hear the audio and needs a text description.

Whichever the case, subtitles are trickier as it also require the translation of the nuances.

Also, choosing either can have an impact on how audiences understand your video content and view your brand. In other words, your decision could say a lot more about your brand than you realise.

A man wearing a headset and working on a subtitling project illustrating the importance of subtitling services

Captions Vs. Subtitles

Captions

Subtitles

Non-native Speakers Can Benefit From Video Transcripts And Translations

There are so many advantages of using captions/subtitles.

Besides helping you to learn new languages quicker and improve your literacy rate, they can also help to increase the chances of video engagement while making it easier for you to access to other cultures around the world.

What Languages Can Whizwordz Create Subtitles Or Captions In?

At WhizWordz, we work with professional linguists to transcribe, translate and subtitle or caption television, social media as well as online videos. Your English videos (with or without English caption files) can be translated into a variety of languages including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Malay, Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Tamil, Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Korean, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Bengali, Dutch, Tagalog, Finnish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.

How Does Whizwordz Ensure Quality?

You may have come across characters in an English film saying lines which include idioms, rhymes or even lyrics. These are expressions that don’t lend themselves to literal translations. Imagine translating these sentences word-for-word into another language. Understandably, these would create confusion for the audience. Accuracy, high quality, timeliness and competitive pricing are some features which we are proud of. At WhizWordz, projects are delivered to the highest standards possible. While we always aim to achieve high accuracy, we also look to hire the best transcriptionists and translators who are well trained in transcribing and translating subtitles/captions. These professionals work to provide word perfect transcription and translation while taking into consideration the perfect subtitles/captions in terms of length, reading speed and accuracy. We then employ a system of proofreading among our in-house proof-readers and two way vendor-customer review process to ensure that the contents are translated according to their actual context in the highest quality and highest degree of accuracy possible. As our staff have no less than 4 years of transcribing/translating experiences, you can be sure your files are transcribed and translated with great care and attention to detail.

Whizwordz Transcribing, Subtitling & Captioning Process In Singapore

Due to the popularity of online video marketing and companies engaging in corporate videos more than ever, there is an increasing need for businesses to translate video content.These businesses saw opportunities in producing video marketing contents and creating subtitles/captions in order to expand into foreign markets. When it comes to adding foreign subtitles to your videos, it pays to know the foreign subtitling and video translation process.

Depending on the language pairs you are looking at, a typical job usually involves the transcription of speech for both source language and foreign subtitles and the substitution of foreign text to and from the source language subtitles.

In order to subtitle a video, you need to first transcribe it. The transcription process involves typing out all dialogue spoken in a video.

This can be done with or without time codes, as well as in intelligent verbatim or verbatim style. Verbatim transcription includes ALL dialogue, even fillers (such as ah, um, etc) and repetitions.

Intelligent verbatim transcription (which is basically a cleaned up version) includes majority of dialogue except for fillers and repetitions. For foreign subtitling where translation is involved, it is always recommended to use an intelligent verbatim style as repetition and filler words are pointless and can be difficult for translators to work with. Excluding them ensures the creation of easy-to-read final captions.

When doing foreign language captioning services, the standard procedure is to always use the verbatim style which includes all dialogue to ensure accessibility, though exceptions can be made in situations where words need to be removed to meet reading speed and line length requirements.

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Full Verbatim Vs Intelligent Verbatim Vs Semi-verbatim Transcription

You may assume the default style for transcription is Full Verbatim, where every word is typed out. Full verbatim may or not be suitable for your video contents. Choosing the right one for your video is therefore important as they can make or break it.

Here’s an example of how each transcription type looks like:

Full Verbatim

“Uh Susie, the bank called just now. They are wondering…..if you still need the loan. If so…they wanna umm call you back, eh what do you think…errr of this? Hmm, maybe you can think about it ya…..and I’ll let them know eh.”

Intelligent Verbatim

“Hey Susie, the bank called just now. They are wondering if you still need the loan. If you still need it, they would like to call you. What do you think of it? Perhaps you can think it through, and I will let them know.”

Semi-verbatim

“Uh Susie, the bank called just now. They are wondering….if you still need the loan? If you still need it, they wanna call you back. What do you think of it? Maybe you can think about it, and I will let them know.”

Why Choose Whizwordz For Your Subtitling And Captioning Needs?

There’s plenty of subtitling and captioning companies in the market. As an essential translation agency, WhizWordz’s expertise lies in working hand in hand with companies to provide accurate transcription and translation of contents.

While anyone can transcribe, the art of translating the subtitles and captions with professionalism and top-notch accuracy often requires the expertise of related experts to make the content sound completely natural while adhering to broadcast guidelines.

Besides local customers, we also provide professional transcription, translation, typing, editing and proofreading of subtitles and video captioning to many overseas corporate customers.

Our subtitling/captioning transcribers and translators have at least four years of experience within the transcription and subtitling industry. Besides ensuring accuracy, consistency and timely delivery of subtitles, captions and transcripts, each of them is also highly educated and qualified within their chosen specialism. This means, you can expect consistent results every time. Try us today!

Highest Quality with Responsible Turnaround Time

Looking for an easy and reliable way to transcribe or translate subtitles/captions for your video contents?

Please email us at sales@whizwordz.com for more information and quote. We will get back to you within one working day. Alternatively, you may reach us at (+65) 66003798.

Our clientele list can be viewed by clicking here.

Steps in Our Translation Process

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1. Get A Quote

WhizWordz receives enquiry from client and send quotation to client for approval.

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2. Project Started

Upon confirmation, our Sales Representatives will work closely with Project Manager to start on the project. Upon proofreading, we will submit the translation copy to client.

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3. Client Review

Client check through the translation copy for any comments and suggestions.

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4. Project Delivery

Make changes and formatting where necessary. Final translation document send to client and project is concluded.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Have a burning question about Subtitling Services in Singapore?

We are here to address your most pressing enquiries!

What are Subtitling Services?

Subtitling services encompass the meticulous process of creating textual translations that appear on screen alongside video content. These subtitles enable viewers to comprehend dialogue in a different language or provide accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments. By seamlessly integrating translated text with visual media, subtitling services enhance the viewing experience for a diverse audience.

Opting for subtitling over dubbing offers several advantages. Subtitles preserve the original audio and emotional nuances of the video, maintaining the authenticity and artistic integrity of the content. Unlike dubbing, which involves replacing the original voices with voice actors, subtitling allows viewers to hear the original audio while following the translated text, resulting in a more immersive and genuine viewing experience.

The process of subtitling services begins with transcribing spoken dialogue from the video. Skilled linguists then translate the transcribed text into the desired language while ensuring accuracy and cultural relevance. The translated text is synchronised with the video, matching the timing of the dialogue to display subtitles that align seamlessly with the on-screen action.

Subtitling services have the capability to cover a vast array of languages to cater to a global audience. From widely spoken languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean to Spanish, French, and German and lesser common languages, subtitling services ensure that video content can reach and resonate with audiences worldwide, transcending linguistic barriers.

Subtitles and captions serve distinct purposes in video content. Subtitles focus on translating spoken dialogue into text form, allowing viewers to understand foreign languages or follow along with dialogue. Captions, on the other hand, provide additional information such as sound effects, music descriptions, and speaker differentiation for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, enhancing accessibility and inclusivity.

The benefits of utilising subtitling services extend beyond language translation. Subtitles aid in language learning, improve literacy rates, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding by enabling viewers to engage with diverse content in familiar languages. Additionally, subtitling services enhance video accessibility and broaden audience reach across global markets.

When selecting a subtitling service provider, it is essential to consider factors such as quality assurance, accuracy, timely delivery, competitive pricing, and customer feedback. A reputable subtitling service provider like WhizWordz prioritises attention to detail, linguistic expertise, and customer satisfaction to deliver exceptional subtitling solutions tailored to your requirements.

Our Translation Language Pairs

Whether it’s a marketing brochure, a website translation or your personal certificates, we are able to provide a quick and complete language solution to help you interact with potential clients seamlessly. Check out these diverse language pairs designed to elevate your engagement strategies!