Cost control

SubtitleYourVideo was created to give you many choices as to how you want to subtitle and how much you want to invest. This software is excellent for amateurs and professionals. Most importantly, there are many choices of translation methods from do-it-yourself to automated translation to top professional translators.

Outsource subtitling and/or timecoding

You may undertake the subtitle project in whole or in part, use your favorite translators or friends, or choose to outsource the entire subtitle effort from creating the subtitles to translating the subtitles. You can even outsource professional timecoding so that your own team concentrates on the translation effort. Plus, skilled managers will be pleased to assist if you email: support@SubtitleYourVideo.eu

What you get with your project

When you're done with all steps in this process, you will click to download your own subtitled web movie - with free subtitle player! - to drop onto your website. You can also download what you need for YouTube or for DVD authoring software. "DVD authoring software" includes Adobe, DVD Studio Pro, Encore, and similar. If you use Final Cut, you will need to order the "tiff export" add-on listed below, but you might want to try Final Cut's companion software Encore, that is much easier to use for subtitling, and less expensive, especially if you plan to subtitle often.

What is the cost?

To understand costs, let's start with what makes subtitling. There are two parts to subtitling:

1) Creating the subtitles, and

2) Translating the subtitles

In both cases, you will be able to choose between doing everything yourself or outsourcing all or part with a click of your mouse. And payment is easy. You can pay by credit card, Paypal, online, check or account.

Cost breakdown

1) Creating the subtitles:
This is the technology that uploads a video and empowers you to easily and quickly first transcribe the text from the movie (or paste it, if you already have a script), then break text into small snippets and assign each snippet to the exact part of the video where it is being spoken. This is called a "project", and its value is $25. A project can be one video or a quick DVD with a few chapters that are each separate videos. This software has many features that you cannot find elsewhere on the web (see the About page). The first original language is free (e.g. English), then each language after the first language is $5. For longer videos or series the price rises a bit, yet is very economical from any perspective.

2) Translating the subtitles:
With this software, there are 5 ways that you can translate your subtitles. The cost for translation is calculated "per word":

1. Use your own translator (no charge)
2. Automated translation ($.02 per word). You can invite a friend or co-worker to review and improve the translation.
3. Automated translation that is "cleaned" by a general translator ($.08 per word)
4. Translate "wiki-style" where your members participate (no charge)
5. Click to request the services of a qualified, professional translator (varies by language and content of your subtitles (e.g. technical, medical). Generally, $.13 - $.16 per word)

As a rule, there are 100 to 150 words per minute of video, depending how quickly the voice in the video speaks. Once you have a transcription of your video you can calculate the exact cost. You can transcribe yourself here with the help of the software, or order professional transcription below.

Optional add-ons

Transcription service:
Professional transcription services is generally at $350 per hour of video. You may click to order.

Transcription AND timecoding service:
Professional timecoding come as pair with transcription at $675 per hour of video.

Variety of subtitle players:
You can get free subtitle players here, or choose from a variety of marvelous subtitle players available for purchase. "Fee players" start at $50 and up to $500 for the premium player. There is also the Platinum Player with "search" feature - type the text you are looking for, and the video jumps to that part of the movie. Each "fee player" is licensed for one website, and you can use it multiple times on multiple pages of that website, and forever - no time limit. However, if you want to use on another website, you must re-purchase for that site.

Art files: tiffs, png, jpg
If you are using Final Cut, you'll need a special edit list and art files. Cost: $75. Most other DVD authoring software no long need tiffs, and even handle languages like Chinese and Arabic easily. We do not really recommend the art file approach or Final Cut, because if you make changes to your subtitles, you must re-run the art files (and pay again). You may wish to consider using the companion software to Final Cut - called Encore - for which you do not need art files, but only need a text file, in which you can make as many changes as you want in the file itself or online, and reload anytime for free.

Email us!

About translation choices

Do-It-Yourself or "Wiki-style" (free of charge)
If you translate yourself, with friends, or "wiki-style" (group participation), all translation is free of charge. So, if you are a global company, you can assign people in your branch offices to translate - just give them a password, and the rest is easy! If you are a native speaker or a translator yourself, this is a perfect software for you to do-it-yourself.

Automated translation ($.02 per word)
If you choose automated translation, it is recommended that you have a friend detect any potential errors from the automated translation and improve. Automated translation is not perfect, and really should be improved for closer accuracy.

Auto-translation "cleaned" by a general translator ($.08 per word)
With a click, you can outsource the clean up effort to a translator of general qualifications, greatly improving the auto-translation. But this approach is no match the natural, beautiful flow of words that comes from a qualified, professional translator, and general translators are weak on industry-specific terminology unless you provide a glossary.

Qualified, professional translator ($.13 - $.16 per word generally)
There is a Directory of Qualified Professional Translators where you can find a fine translator with a click. These translators have been hand-picked and quality tested, and they have proven themselves over the years. Many are PhD's, have Masters in translation, certified by the U.S. State Department or American Translators Association, or similar qualifications. If you have never managed professional translation, and you are working on a project that you want to be premium quality, we recommend following the guidelines in the Directory of Translators.