People always say that subtitles should be cut out, but...

inthesto · Post by **inthesto** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:37 pm

...is it possible that the subtitles can in fact add to the video?

I realize nine times out of ten, my AMVs included, subtitles are just a sign of lazy pirates. However, allow me to give an example:

One of the videos I'm currently working on is one focusing on the match between Ino and Sakura in Naruto. Yeah, I know...that's an original series to use, right? Regardless, Ino has a line in one scene where she says "Flowers shouldn't have to fight to be number one."

At this point, I think Kishimoto (creator of Naruto) is making it pretty god damn obvious that "flowers fighting to be number one" are supposed to symbolize Ino and Sakura fighting in a literal sense. Similarly, I want to carry this point through in the video. However, the problem I face is that I'd either be forced to leave in useless subtitles in or stretch clips for the rest of the video. I could probably deal with the latter, since that's how I cut out subtitles in my Star Ocean EX video, but it really turns out to be tedious work.

Of course, the happiest solution would be to find a raw and use that for every scene other than the one I'm referring to, but getting old Naruto raws is like...looking for something that's really, really hard to find.

But uh....back to the original question:

Do you think that subtitles can possibly contribute to an AMV rather than detract from them?

Voices_Of_Ryan · Post by **Voices_Of_Ryan** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:42 pm

Sciutalla (sp?) His video added subtitles, and it was awesome.

inthesto · Post by **inthesto** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:46 pm

Added, or left them in?

There's a bit of a difference there.

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:50 pm

If you just want one line in the video, you can cut out all the subs and just add your own (replace the line you wanted) in your video editor. Most give you an option to put in subtitles - even if yours doesn't, you can add in a stationary subtitle block at the bottom of the appropriate footage in virtualdub after the vid's finished.

Having a video full of meaningless subtitles is only going to ruin any impact that one appropriate subtitle may have had. The viewer will either see all the pointless ones and try to ignore them (including the appropriate one), or see that one matching sub and expect the rest to match up as well.

Voices_Of_Ryan · Post by **Voices_Of_Ryan** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:50 pm

inthesto wrote:Added, or left them in?

There's a bit of a difference there.

Added.

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 9:06 pm

Voices_Of_Ryan wrote:Sciutalla (sp?) His video added subtitles, and it was awesome.

It's SCINTILLA. It's an actual word, as well as the name of an open source text editing component, though I didn't know either of those back in 1997.

And yes, I was working with clean, sub-free footage, and I added subtitles... but I was subbing the lyrics of the song, not what the characters were saying.

Doki pulled a similar stunt with <a href="http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... 24001">his Fanime/Otakon video</a> last year, but the difference is that he just made those up.

Zarxrax · Post by **Zarxrax** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 9:45 pm

If you have subtitles on purpose, you should at least include the actual audio of the dialogue as well I think. Well unless you are going for some sort of artsy shit.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 9:49 pm

Here's my stance on this:

Even if you leave existing subs intentionally, in a serious video they will always raise eyebrows among competent viewers. For me, anything that looks like left-in subs can be a bit off-putting.

If you're doing a sub parody though, it's fine to have left-in or inserted subs. But that's a parody.

My solution: put in cool-looking titles as opposed to subs. Have a nice font, place them creatively, make it look like you edited it with taste. The viewer is likely to be far more responsive.

Just remember that there's nicer ways to use text than plain old subs.

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 9:59 pm

Otohiko wrote:If you're doing a sub parody though, it's fine to have left-in or inserted subs. But that's a parody.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 10:57 pm

Hey! You...

..You're not qualified to be talking aboot cheap-looking subs!