Outline Comprehensive Subtitling Course
The Comprehensive Course enables you to learn subtitling
in three months. It focuses on active learning.
The Comprehensive Subtitling Course covers:
- Normal subtitling
- Subtitling for the hearing-impaired (captioning)
- SLS (Same Language Subtitling),
used to fight illiteracy in India - How to make voice-over translations.
You can learn the art of subtitling whatever your native tongue or target language, provided you have a good knowledge of English.
Subtitling software used: the free trial version of Spot.
The 3 modules of the Comprehensive Course
(ideal duration: 12 weeks, 12 hours per week)
The course fee is only: € 295,-
Module 1, timing with Spot
Duration: 3 to 4 weeks
Description: You'll familiarize yourself with the Spot subtitling software and the most important subtitling terms, you'll subtitle a pretimed video file, and you'll learn how to time.
Feedback: At the end of this Module you'll deliver 25 timed subtitles with random text for feedback.
Module 2, basic subtitling skills
Duration: 4 to 6 weeks
Description: You'll gradually learn to apply all the subtitling rules, practice condensing, and start subtitling different video files from scratch. The basic rules will become your first automatisms. The E-book will help you avoid picking up bad subtitling habits. With its clear tables, words in bold type and markers, it is easy to scan before you start practicing. The Step-by-step Guide will lead you through the module.
Feedback: You can comment on files made by other students, and other students can comment on yours: a very effective way of learning.
At the end of this Module you'll get feedback on 25 subtitles.
Module 3, advanced subtitling skills
Duration: 4 to 6 weeks
Description: You'll subtitle more diverse and more difficult video files. With the help of the mindmaps you'll be able to scan the subtitling rules before you start subtitling. The Step-by-step Guide and choice of video files will encourage you to raise the standard of your work to a higher level.
Feedback, evaluation and certificate: At the end of this module, you will get feedback on and evaluation of 25 subtitles. In addition you'll get your Certificate sent to you by post.
Further details
You will become a member of the discussion group for our students. By e-mailing the group or visiting the group page, you can exchange subtitle files with other students, giving and receiving free feedback. Occasionally, tips and job offers will be published on the group page.
I give free live support. You can chat with me in the afternoon or early evening, asking questions and solving possible problems.
The DVD you'll receive after enrolling, contains everything you need to do the course.
The Step-by-step Guide will lead you through each module and encourage you with reminders and questions.
With the Log you will keep track of your own progress and make sure you continue practising.
The video files are well-chosen, from a nature documentary in Module 1 to more difficulet English and American videos in Module 3. In a folder 'extra' you will find 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' to try your hand at.
Students and ex-students are eligible for a discount of 20% on Spot software. Do you want to buy Spot software, just send me an e-mail.
Screen shots
A page of the Step-by-step Guide
A page of the E-book:
and easily scannable at a later stage
Contents of the DVD
A fragment of one of the mind maps
enabling you to scan the rules very quickly
the demomovies of the course
You will work with Spot's trial version, it's included in the course material and allows you to save 25 subtitles every time.
Spot in rehearse
The discussion group
to exchange files and comments with other students
At the end of each module you will get feedback on 25 subtitles, keeping you on the right track.
At the end of the course you'll get an evaluation and a certificate. Also we'll keep your name on file as a reference.
Additional details
Included with the course is a simple document that nonetheless can be a great help: your own Log, to be filled in weekly and delivered together with each feedback request.
On average, this course takes about three months to complete, but you can do it more slowly if you want to.
Should you not complete your subtitling course, you will have all the necessary material to do so at a later stage. Also, I will do my best to give you your feedback, evaluation and certificate even if you continue your course one year later or more.
The course can be an enjoyable first step toward a successful career as a subtitler, and will certainly give you extra skills as a translator.
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For further study, I recommend
Jorge Díaz Cintas/Aline Remael,
Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling
St. Jerome, 2007.
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