Aegisub

Today I want to tell you about one of my hobbies: making subtitles :)
There are many softwares to do so, but most of them are not worth using. They are very simple and literally you can do nothing on them: there is only one font, no karaoke effect, no movement… Fortunately, there is Aegisub :)

However, let’s start from the beginning. How to make subtitles? There are a few steps to take:

1. Choose a video

It seems obvious, but you have to think about it. Make sure that the video you have chosen is at the appropriate level for you. If you do not understand many lines, look for transcripts or choose a different video.

For example, I have chosen this one:

2. Make a transcription & translate
Making a transcription is not necessary, but it helps a lot. So if you have not found a transcripion, you can write it down. Obviously, if you do not have energy/time, omit this part and just translate your video.
It can look like this:

3. In Aegisub, open the raw video
Raw video means no subtitles are here, just the "pure" video.

4. Import your translation
If your translation is in Poland, make sure to select „Windows-1250 Central Europe” - otherwise there will be no Polish diacritics (such as ę, ą, ł, ń, etc.)

5. Make the timing
For me, it is the most boring and exhausting part :( Can you see the dark window on the right side of the picture below? You have to move it in order to establish the length of the dialogue. You have to be careful when a sentence starts and when it ends, and when another person starts speaking.
A little gif I created to show you how it works:

6. Make some changes in subtitles

I mean, improve some lines, such as name of title, place, hour, etc.

7. Save!

Is it the end? Wrong! ;)

8. Make hardsubs

You just created softsubs you can see only on your computer. That means it is all for nothing if you want to share your work with others. That is why you have to merge the video and the subtitles into one file. You can use AVI ReComp, for example.

9. Upload your video

YouTube, Google Drive, MediaFire… Wherever you want to :)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WOSYVpS1ASor-WzE3WT_i8IvK44junSp/view?usp=sharing

This is a video I created with my friend: she did the transcription and the proofreading, I translated and made the subtitles.

I am kind of proud of our work ;)

I strongly recommend you a software Aegisub, making subtitles here is so nice!