Thread: Subtitling rates

I would like to hear comments about rate levels and most common rate types ($/words, $/minute...) regarding subtitle jobs. Many thanks.

Hi Fernando...
Im not familiar with subtitling... I think I once heard there´s a ratio 1:8, considering how long the video takes, or how many people involved in the audio or video...
Anyone knows any better?

For subtitles addition (thus is, placing and synchronize the subtitles in the video using software like "Subtitle Edit") I usually estimate 1 hour per minute. But I guess you are talking about translation job

Well, The cost of subtitling depends upon the number of words and the translation agencies you are hiring. The cost of translation varies for different translation agencies.

Originally Posted by Fernando Trucco

I would like to hear comments about rate levels and most common rate types ($/words, $/minute...) regarding subtitle jobs. Many thanks.

It's usually done in tiers and it depends on the sort of job you got to do.

You could do one of the following:

- Subtitles from scratch: You're just given a video and told to translate straight from audio and then sync the subs to the audio (following all the sync rules, of course)
- Subtitles with scrip: You're given the script with the text in the original language to aid you in understanding the source material (it is really valuable, because noise and sound FX can make it really difficult to hear what's being said at times).
- Subtitles from template: You're already given a template with the subs in the original language already synced, and all you have to do is translate the text.
- Syncing of subtitles: You're given the translation of the subtitles already done, but you need to sync them to the audio.

Those are the types you can get, the topmost being the hardest, and the one at the bottom being the simplest. Subtitles are charged by the minute, and you should accept no less than USD 1.5 for the simplest one, and you should reach up to USD 3 perhaps for the most demanding (depending on the sort of translation).