posted 08 November 2000 16:26            

I am confused here. I started working regularly for a subtitling company. That is all they do: films and subtitles.

I am translating feature films into Portuguese. I have to watch the film and keep each subtitle to a maximum of 86 characters, i.e. there is more work involved than in normal translation.

How do agencies charge this type of work - not the actual inserting of subtitles, just the translation? Does the client get charged extra for the extra work or is it normally just the per word rate?

Although I enjoy the work, it is quite difficult sometimes (I can battle forever with a single subtitle) and the company insists they should only pay the translation rate. However, I know they also use agencies for certain languages...

Any feedback would be appreciated...

------------------
Take care

posted 08 November 2000 17:06            

Subtitling can be a minefield. I know of three or four different ways of charging for this service, and what I'd suggest is the following.

If there's time, agree to do a translation of the script first at your usual rate. Then send it back to the client for approval. This makes it easier to hit them with the next charges!

Then work on the basis of their spotting list to shorten all the subtitles to length. You can charge this hourly or, if you're inputting the subtitles in a special subtitling package yourself, per subtitle.
If you don't input your own subtitles, be prepared to add some more time for proofreading the final printout of the finished text.

In my experience, agencies prefer to charge per subtitle *after the translation has been done*. So the client pays for (1) translation and (2) shortening and inputting. Although it does depend on the agency *and* the client - film clients are notoriously cost-conscious. And there's the time factor, too - there isn't always time to carry out a full translation before running to subtitling.

The long and the short of it is that subtitling is at the bottom of the heap when it comes to film budgets, although translators are always keen to try their hand at subtitling. So prices are kept generally low by market forces.

Suffice it to say - if you can get more out of them, try for an hourly rate on top of the translation cost. But if you can't, don't be surprised...

Hope this helps.

All the best

posted 28 November 2000 18:47            

My name's Fernanda and I basically work with subtitling translation. Here in Brazil, usually they pay you by the movie lenghth.
Of course, there's an "official rate" set by the local translator's association, but this is far from being the regular price.

I have never heard about being paid by word count or per hour, and I doubt any agency would accept that here. And I think there's only one agency that pay per subtitle.

However, I have some direct clients to whom I've already translated corporate videos, and then I charge per word as in a regular translation.

You also have to bear in mind that the local practice here is to deliver the translation in Word and then the client is responsible for paying someone else to insert the translation into a subtitling program.

back to work now.

Fernanda

posted 30 November 2000 13:52            

Thanks for your reply. I ended up not being given much choice, since this company have the system all organised: they pay me per thousand words for the translation of the films.

I send the translation in (in Word, as you say)and normally I would go there the next day or so and edit it, insert it into the DVD. That part is paid by the hour.

However, I have worked out how much it works out at for the translation and I am not complaining...it is about twice what I would normally charge per hour, maybe because I am fairly fast...

I have done five films for them and haven't yet edited one, although I will edit the next.

It has been a combination of me being very busy and them too, either there isn't a computer or I am too booked up...

I am happy with what I am being paid, but was interested in hearing how it is done both here in the UK and in other parts of the world...

------------------
Take care

posted 30 November 2000 14:32            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Apollo:
Subtitling can be a minefield.

---

Life itself can feel very much like a minefield at times, Apollo. I just called my accountant to register for VAT. I have exceeded the limit I can earn and if the VAT is reading this...

(Well, they can come and drink a cup of tea with me, now)

quote:

---

So the client pays for (1) translation and (2) shortening and inputting.

---

I am getting a bit confused.

I get paid for the translation per '000 words. I receive the film, plus a file with the timecodes and the text for the subtitles already shortened in English.

I send them a complete translation, with the translated subtitles shortened to size.

Then I should go into their offices and edit the translation in their machines (which I haven't done yet, but am curious about). For this, I am paid hourly. The only thing I haven't discussed with them is whether they will pay me for travelling time.

Finally, there is still a proofreader. That can't be me, obviously

BTW, the client is not an agency but a subtitling company. You could say they are direct clients but they pay agency fees (fair enough, on the high side of agency fees).

Does this sound right to you?

------------------
Take care

mailto:cristina.mendia@virgin.net

posted 01 December 2000 10:29            

quote:

---

Originally posted by cristina:
I get paid for the translation per '000 words. I receive the film, plus a file with the timecodes and the text for the subtitles already shortened in English. <snip!>

BTW, the client is not an agency but a subtitling company. You could say they are direct clients but they pay agency fees (fair enough, on the high side of agency fees).

Does this sound right to you?

---

Well, this is interesting because the script has already been shortened to subtitles in the English and timecoded. If you were expected to look at a full post-production script and shorten that to subtitles, and to create your own spotting list (i.e. work out the in and out timecodes for each subtitle), that should be paid extra because there's a lot more work involved. That's my opinion anyway!

Of course, if you were inputting into a subtitling machine, that'd be different...

All the best

------------------
Apollo

posted 08 October 2004 18:49            

Please email me directly. I am interested in learning more about the Brazilian subtitle market. I am seeking a distributor and also may need some translation of our user manuals. We make subtitling software.