Documentary subtitling
Documentaries combine factual accuracy with the unpredictability of real speech.
Interviews may be unscripted, speakers may interrupt one another, and specialist subjects can introduce names or terminology that are difficult to identify from audio alone.
A documentary can also contain several languages, archive footage, captions identifying contributors and important on-screen text.
We use the audiovisual context and available reference material to prepare or translate subtitles that remain readable without losing the speaker’s meaning.
Unscripted interviews
Spoken interviews are not edited prose.
People repeat themselves, abandon sentences, use fillers and change direction as they speak. A subtitle file normally needs to present that speech in a form the viewer can follow while preserving the personality and relevant content of the speaker.
When the interview is part of a specialist documentary, client-supplied research notes, name lists and terminology can be especially useful.
Film subtitles
Film dialogue depends on performance, timing and image.
Humour, irony, relationships between characters and visual information can all affect the translation. A subtitle that gives away a response before it is spoken can damage the scene even when the wording itself is correct.
We therefore treat the subtitle as part of the viewing experience rather than as a detached written translation.
Television and episodic content
Series and recurring programmes require consistency across episodes.
Character names, catchphrases, terminology and previous translation decisions may need to be maintained over a long production schedule.
We can work with glossaries, previous episodes and approved reference material so that successive subtitle files do not develop unnecessary inconsistencies.
Festivals and international distribution
A film or documentary may need English subtitles for international festivals or several language versions for distribution in different territories.
We can translate productions originally made in Spanish, Basque, Catalan, Valencian or Galician into English and other languages.
The reverse is also possible. International productions can be localised for audiences in Spain through Spanish and relevant regional-language tracks.
Subtitle templates
A reliable source template can simplify multilingual localisation.
We can create that template from the original programme or translate a template supplied by the producer or distributor.
Professional template workflows include timing, readable segmentation and contextual information rather than assuming that every spoken word must be reproduced verbatim.
For target languages, wording and segmentation can then be adapted according to their own linguistic requirements.
On-screen text and titles
Films and documentaries often contain text that contributes to the story: place names, dates, messages, archive captions, signage or written material shown on screen.
Whether and how it should be subtitled depends on its relevance and the applicable specification.
When important on-screen text overlaps with dialogue, the subtitling solution has to prioritise the information the viewer needs rather than mechanically adding every possible element.
Timing and shot changes
Subtitles should remain aligned with both audio and image.
Professional timed-text guidance recognises that timing around shot changes, dialogue onset and event duration affects viewing comfort.
We work to the client’s or platform’s requirements where supplied and review timing as part of subtitle creation or adaptation when included in the scope.
Languages of Spain
For productions distributed in Spain, we can coordinate Spanish, Basque, Catalan, Valencian and Galician subtitles.
Our head office is in Santurtzi, Bizkaia, which gives particular relevance to Basque-language work.
These languages can also be source languages for English and other international subtitle versions.
More than 150 languages
LinguaVox manages translation projects in more than 150 languages.
A documentary can therefore move from one source template into several European, Asian or other international versions without requiring the producer to coordinate a separate supplier for every language.
The exact team and workflow depend on the language pair, production and delivery specification.
Accessible subtitles and SDH
Films and programmes may also need subtitles for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
These versions can require speaker identification and relevant sound or music information that would not normally appear in an interlingual subtitle track.
We define those requirements separately because accessible timed text is not simply a translated subtitle file with extra labels added at the end.
Delivery formats
Depending on the project, we can work with SRT, WebVTT, STL, TTML, SCC and other agreed timed-text formats.
The producer should provide any broadcaster, platform or distributor specification that applies to the delivery.
What we need from the producer
For quotation, send the video and existing timed files where possible.
We also need the source language, target languages, runtime, intended distribution, required file format and deadline.
Useful reference assets include scripts, dialogue lists, character names, glossaries, on-screen text lists and previous subtitle versions.
Frequently asked questions
Can you subtitle an unscripted documentary from the original video?
Yes. We can create the source subtitles from the audiovisual material and then translate them if required.
Can you prepare English subtitles for a Basque or Catalan film?
Yes. Basque, Catalan, Galician, Valencian and Spanish can all be source languages for international versions.
Can you work with a festival delivery specification?
Yes. Supply the technical requirements with the assets so that we can assess the correct format and workflow.
Can you manage a series across several episodes?
Yes. Shared terminology and reference material can be maintained across episodic deliveries.
Can you provide both ordinary subtitles and accessible subtitles?
Yes, where required. They are treated as distinct deliverables because their content and conventions differ.
Can you manage several target languages from one template?
Yes. This is a standard way to organise multilingual subtitling projects.