Subtitle Room - adding background to captions/subtitles

Petie

Newbie Joined: Feb 28, 2018 04:45 Messages: 3 Offline

Solved by

Oct 17, 2018 18:27

Is there still no way to add a shaded background to subtitles (e.g. open captions)?

I was really hoping that such an easy concept would have been rolled out in Version 16 or 17 but I can't see it despite suggesting there's more features.

This is just such a necessity for video creation and online marketing.

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Oct 17, 2018 19:22

Hi Petie

I want to be sure I'm understanding your question correctly. You mention subtitles, then give open captions as an example, but those are two completely different things.

My understanding is that subtitles (closed captions) have their own separate track and are not shown on the video UNLESS the user chooses to turn them on. Subtitles are somewhat limited PD in terms of formatting, and you're right, PD does not give you any opportunity to specify a background color. Here's an example:

If your viewers are watching on YouTube, they can actually setup color, font and backgrounds for the closed captioning (if they want to see it). However, that's not anything you can control.

Open captions, on the other hand, are built into the video and they cannot be disabled by anyone, which means they will ALWAYS be displayed.

Here, though, you have all of the text options of PD at your disposal, and you can easily add a background of any shape color or style behind your text. Here's an example:

If you were hoping for an automatic background that might resize itself behind any titles you create, like how the font borders and shadows work, that seems like a good idea to me, but it isn't available in PD17.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Oct 17. 2018 19:23

Petie

Newbie Joined: Feb 28, 2018 04:45 Messages: 3 Offline

Oct 17, 2018 19:51

Thanks so much for the prompt reply

I need both open and closed captions to be specific. So I need to import SRT files and produce multiple variations of videos, some with closed captions and also some with open captions for different social media advertising, etc.

So thanks for confirming that it's not available. I think it's time to look at other alterntives. It's just not giving me what I need. I also need to be able to output at a 1:1 and sometimes 4:5 aspect ratio for Facebook and Instagram but I don't think this is possible either. Sigh...

I appreciate you sharing you knowledge though.

Thanks again

Petie

Quote Hi Petie

I want to be sure I'm understanding your question correctly. You mention subtitles, then give open captions as an example, but those are two completely different things.

My understanding is that subtitles (closed captions) have their own separate track and are not shown on the video UNLESS the user chooses to turn them on. Subtitles are somewhat limited PD in terms of formatting, and you're right, PD does not give you any opportunity to specify a background color. Here's an example:

If your viewers are watching on YouTube, they can actually setup color, font and backgrounds for the closed captioning (if they want to see it). However, that's not anything you can control.

Open captions, on the other hand, are built into the video and they cannot be disabled by anyone, which means they will ALWAYS be displayed.

Here, though, you have all of the text options of PD at your disposal, and you can easily add a background of any shape color or style behind your text. Here's an example:

If you were hoping for an automatic background that might resize itself behind any titles you create, like how the font borders and shadows work, that seems like a good idea to me, but it isn't available in PD17.

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Oct 17, 2018 21:55

Quote Thanks so much for the prompt reply

I need both open and closed captions to be specific. So I need to import SRT files and produce multiple variations of videos, some with closed captions and also some with open captions for different social media advertising, etc.

So thanks for confirming that it's not available. I think it's time to look at other alterntives. It's just not giving me what I need. I also need to be able to output at a 1:1 and sometimes 4:5 aspect ratio for Facebook and Instagram but I don't think this is possible either. Sigh...

I appreciate you sharing you knowledge though.

Thanks again

Petie

Everything you say makes sense, and I'm sorry there aren't better answers.

It used to be that standards like screen size and ratios were really helpful to make sure producers could have their media play properly on everyone's devices, but now there are so many options I don't know that everyone can keep up