Subtitles and Caption Subtitles 3

Question 1

What is 'subtitle spotting' in the subtitling workflow?

Accepted Answer

The process of setting in-points and out-points (timecodes) for each subtitle cue

Answer

Spotting refers to the timing phase where a subtitler assigns precise start and end timecodes to each subtitle cue.

Question 2

Which reading speed is commonly used as a guideline for subtitle duration in professional US subtitling?

Accepted Answer

17 characters per second (CPS)

Answer

A reading speed of approximately 17 characters per second is a widely accepted professional standard in US subtitling.

Question 3

What is the minimum recommended subtitle display duration to ensure readability?

Accepted Answer

1 second (1000 ms)

Answer

A subtitle should remain on screen for at least 1 second so viewers can register and read it, even for very short cues.

Question 4

In subtitle positioning, where are subtitles placed by default in most video players?

Accepted Answer

Bottom center of the frame

Answer

Standard subtitle placement is horizontally centered at the bottom of the video frame, below the main action.

Question 5

What is a 'subtitle gap' and why is it important?

Accepted Answer

A short pause (typically 2 frames) between consecutive subtitle cues to prevent visual merging

Answer

A subtitle gap is a brief pause between cues that signals to the viewer a new subtitle is appearing, preventing two cues from seeming like one.

Subtitles and Caption Practice Test