Many people are getting used to subtitles and closed captions today because much visual content from various countries is available online, on video sharing sites, and on television. The captions and subtitles help people who are hearing-impaired and those that do not speak the video's original language.
People may be used to seeing them, and it's probable that for them they are similar. But they are not the same and their differences are not that subtle. Each one has its particular use. A mistake in choosing what to use can deliver a severe impact on how the various audiences understand the video content, which can equally affect your brand.
The creation of subtitles and close captions is already a booming industry, thus companies such as Verbit are developing smart captioning and transcription solutions to improve the process and make it consistent.
How are subtitles and closed captions different?
A subtitle is the text alternative for the dialogue of a video or film. Subtitles represent the words spoken by narrators, the video characters (actors), and other participants who have speaking parts in the video.
Closed captions or CC, not only show the text alternative of the dialogue, but also other pertinent parts of the audio track. Closed captions describe audio cues, ringing phones, and other background noises.
In subtitles, the creators assume the audience can hear the original audio, but since the dialogue is not in a language familiar to the viewers, it needs subtitles. In closed captioning, the audience cannot hear the audio. Therefore, for the audience to appreciate the video or film, text descriptions of the things they should be hearing are added.
Where to use subtitles and closed captions
Videos with subtitles allow viewers to listen to the original audio. The subtitles allow them to understand the dialogue in their language. With closed captions, viewers who are hearing impaired, or even in situations where the audio cannot be played, can nevertheless enjoy the video. They can distinguish between the diverse characters who are talking, comprehend the changes in their voices and other audio that are relevant to the video.
Your intended audience helps determine whether to use closed captions or subtitles. The goal of the two processes is to make the video reach a more diverse audience by making it more accessible. Many foreign films on Blu-Ray and DVD release from many parts of the world now have subtitles or closed captions. Viewers can turn off closed captions by clicking a designated button. Viewers can also turn off subtitles.
One thing to remember is that closed captions are required for most video content in the United States under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The guidelines state that all public multimedia, whether on television or in classrooms must include captions to prevent discrimination against people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Aside from enhancing the viewing pleasure when watching a foreign film or video in another language, subtitles can help people who are learning another language, by reading the translation (subtitles). Turning the subtitles on and off helps the language learners become more familiar with the language. They grasp how the native speakers use it, as well as learn the translation of words. Most people learn the language faster when they can discern how it is articulated.
When you produce videos, identify your specific audience so that you will know whether you need subtitles or closed captions.
Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/close-up-communication-deaf-ear-18753/
