Is the emergence of automatic-generated subtitles the end of subtitling?
💡 Today’s technological advancements have transformed numerous industries, including subtitle production.
🤖 AI-made subtitles can be convenient, but they often fall short in terms of quality and ergonomics, raising concerns about their potential to replace human-made subtitles.
🔎 Let’s find out the limitations of artificial intelligence-generated subtitles, and why human expertise remains essential for optimal viewing experiences.
Ergonomic Principles of Subtitle Design
📘 The guidelines for subtitles aren’t random, but rather crafted with the viewer’s comfort and comprehension in mind.
🎞 The two-line limit, 42-character limit (for Latin alphabet), and frame rate adjustments make subtitles readable, minimizing eye fatigue, and allowing viewers to effortlessly follow the images.
📽 Herman Weinberg, an American pioneer in subtitling, recognized the importance of these ergonomic principles early on.
🔍 In the 1920s, he observed the behavior of viewers watching films with subtitles projected by Moviola.
🔍 He found that viewers primarily moved their eyes along the subtitles, not their heads, suggesting that shorter lines are more comfortable for viewing. This observation laid the foundation for the two-line limit and other ergonomic guidelines.
AI Limitations and Human Expertise
❗ These ergonomic principles are often ignored by artificial intelligence-generated subtitles, creating messy and distracting viewing experiences.
❗ Lines may run across the screen, exceeding the 2-line limit, and segmentation may be incorrect, causing viewers to lose track of the conversation.
❗ AI may be good for short-form content, but its limitations become clear in longer videos.
✔ Human-made subtitles, on the other hand, are carefully made by professionals who understand the nuances of language and the ergonomic aspects of subtitle design.
✔ They can adapt to the content, ensuring that subtitles are accurate, readable, and unobtrusive, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
💡 This is the reason human proficiency is so crucial when it comes to crafting subtitles that are both precise and pleasurable to read.
Image: mdjaff on Freepik