WELCOME TO OAKCAST!
Your backstage pass to the world of subtitling
and audiovisual translation.
LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN!
Tune in as we dive into the fun, the challenges,
and the magic of making content accessible to everyone, one subtitle at a time.
CLOSED CAPTION
Target audience: Primarily for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also useful for anyone watching without sound or in noisy environments.
Content: In addition to transcribing spoken dialogue, CCs include non-verbal sound descriptions (like sirens, music, laughter, footsteps) and speaker identification when necessary. They represent all audible elements of the video, not just the speech.
Usage and activation: CCs can be turned on or off by the viewer. They are usually in the original language of the video (e.g., an English movie with English CCs).
Positioning: Typically displayed at the bottom of the screen, but sometimes the position shifts to indicate who is speaking or to avoid overlapping with important visual information.
SDH
SUBTITLES FOR THE DEAF AND HARD HEARING
Target audience: Viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, but don’t speak the original language of the audio. For instance, if you’re watching an English movie and don’t speak English, SDH will provide additional sound information beyond just the translation of dialogue.
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Content: Like CCs, SDH includes descriptions of sounds, sound effects, and music, along with the dialogue. They also identify who is speaking, especially in scenes with multiple characters. The goal is to give a complete experience for those who can’t hear the audio.
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Usage and activation: SDH is mainly used for translated content, but still provides important sound information for those with hearing impairments. Like CCs, SDH can be turned on or off.
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Positioning: SDH appears in the same position as regular subtitles, usually without changing placement. The style of SDH is more like traditional subtitles but with added sound information.
REFORMATTING
Target Audience: Reformatting is for content creators and platforms needing subtitles or captions to meet specific platform requirements.
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Content: It involves adjusting file formats, timing, and character limits to ensure subtitles display correctly across different platforms.
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Usage: Reformatting is used when distributing media to ensure subtitles and captions work seamlessly, regardless of the platform.
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Positioning: Subtitles retain their original style and placement, only adjusted for compatibility with the platform’s technical needs.
QC
QUALITY CONTROL
In subtitling, QC is the process of reviewing subtitles for accuracy, synchronization, formatting, and adherence to guidelines. It ensures that subtitles are free of errors and meet the platform or client’s standards before final delivery.
MTPE
MACHINE TRANSLATION POST-EDITING
MTPE involves reviewing and editing subtitles generated by machine translation tools. Human editors correct errors in meaning, grammar, and timing, refining machine-translated subtitles to meet professional standards.
Whether you're curious about how your favorite shows get localized or just want to geek out on the art of subtitles, we've got you covered!
open
captionS
Subtitles that are permanently integrated into the video and cannot be turned off by the viewer, often referred to as burned-in captions. Open captions are typically used in social media videos, public displays, and content where accessibility is essential for all viewers, regardless of device settings.
Transcription
The process of converting spoken language from audio or video into written text. This is widely used in creating subtitles for films, TV shows, podcasts, and legal documents, ensuring content is accessible in text format.
FORCED NARRATIVE
Ensuring Key Information is Always Delivered
Forced Narratives, also known as Forced Subtitles, are subtitles that appear automatically, even when subtitles are turned off. They are typically used to translate important dialogue or text that is not in the primary language of the film or show. For example, when a character speaks in a foreign language, or a crucial sign or location name appears on screen, forced subtitles ensure that the audience understands the essential information.
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At Oak Translation, we ensure that Forced Narratives are used effectively, delivering key content without overwhelming the viewer. Our expertise guarantees that only the most important information is highlighted, allowing your audience to enjoy a seamless viewing experience, regardless of the language.
Subtitling Creation
​Our team crafts high-quality subtitles from scratch, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and synchronization with your audiovisual content. We adapt the language to reach your target audience while maintaining the original message.
​E-Learning Subtitles
We provide customized subtitling solutions for e-learning platforms, enhancing accessibility and learner engagement. Our services cover a wide range of educational content, from tutorials to training modules.
Pre-recorded Broadcast Subtitling
​We specialize in providing accurate and timely subtitles for pre-recorded TV shows, films, and documentaries, ensuring your content is ready for broadcast with precise synchronization and professional quality.
Legal and Corporate Subtitles
Our legal and corporate subtitling services ensure that your official videos meet industry standards for accuracy, confidentiality, and professionalism. We handle everything from internal communications to public-facing legal content.
​Dubbing Script Adaptation
We specialize in adapting scripts for dubbing, ensuring that dialogues flow naturally in the target language. Our goal is to preserve the original tone and emotion while optimizing for lip-sync and cultural nuances.
Conformance
This is the process of making sure the subtitles match perfectly with the final version of a video. It involves checking the timing and formatting to ensure everything is aligned with the dialogue and scenes.
Complex Conformance
This goes a step further. It’s needed when there are multiple versions of the same video (like different cuts for different platforms or languages). Complex conformance ensures that the subtitles are adjusted and accurate for all those versions, not just one.
Medical Subtitling & Translation
Our medical subtitles are crafted with precision and clarity, ensuring your content is delivered with accuracy and care. Let us diagnose your subtitling needs and provide the perfect cure for your global audience.